babel to u : e history of mesopotamia 5 · t hreads babel to ur: early history of mesopotamia 5...

Threads

�

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5Teaching oBjecTives: core sUBjecTs

Threads: History Teacher’s Notes p. 29-35

Low

er G

ram

mar

Uppe

r Gra

mm

ar Introduce students to (or reacquaint students with) the story of the Tower of Babel and its consequences. (This is the main focus for Lower Grammar students this week.)Introduce students to Mesopotamia: its geography, cultures, and early civilizations.Introduce Abraham as Abram. Discuss Abram’s early life in Ur: what kinds of things would he have typically seen, believed, done, and pondered?

Dia

lect

ic

Rhet

oric

Learn about (or review) details about the culture, beliefs, and civilizations that arose in Mesopotamia from the time just after Noah’s flood to Abram’s day.Learn to clearly define “culture” and “civilization” and discern the differences between what these two terms describe in this week’s topic of study.

Threads: Writing Writing Assignment Charts p. 8-10

All

Leve

ls Teachers should consult the Writing Scope & Sequence (available in The Loom) each week for additional help in teaching the week’s assignment. Student assignments are found in the Writing Assignment Charts contained in this week-plan. Make sure your child writes every week!

Threads: Literature Teacher’s Notes p. 37-46

All

Leve

ls

Teachers will find background information, discussion scripts, and answers to student work sheets or questions in the Teacher’s Notes. Students should consult the Literature row of the Reading Assignment Charts for this week’s recommended assignments. Optional work sheets for students in Dialectic, Upper Grammar, and Lower Grammar are found in the Student Activity Pages.

Thre

ads

�

Teaching oBjecTives: elecTives

Threads: Geography Teacher’s Notes p. 46-47

All

Leve

ls

Study the geography of Mesopotamia.

Threads: Fine Arts and Activities Teacher’s Notes p. 47-48

Low

er G

ram

mar

Uppe

r Gra

mm

ar

Dia

lect

ic

Hands-on projects are abundant this week! Check out the many suggestions summarized in the Weekly Over-view and explained more fully in the Student Activity Pages. Have fun!

Rhet

oric

Take some time to look at examples of Sumerian and early Babylonian art. Analyze the aims of and uses for this art. Also, compare and contrast with Egyptian art.

Threads: Bible Survey and Church History Teacher’s Notes p. 49-50

All

Leve

ls Stress the fact that Mesopotamia is the area/culture that Abram would have left when God called him to journey to the Promised Land. Abram was a wealthy city-dweller in Ur, one of the major Sumerian cities, when God called him.Looking at the significance of the Tower of Babel: why are words so important to both God and men? What, specifically, does this passage teach about mankind and his relationship to God and His Word?

Threads: Government Teacher’s Notes p. 35-37

Rhet

oric

Hammurabi’s Code of Laws is one of the oldest surviving written codes. Secular scholars like to point out that it’s older than the Mosaic Law, and therefore may have formed a basis for it. Christians believe that Moses received the Law through devine revelation on Mt. Sinai, but do not deny that the content of other codes could have expressed com-mon organizations of ancient Mesopotamian societies. Discuss why a written code of laws is important to a civilization.Continue the chart you began in Week � comparing Egyptian, Babylonian, and Mosaic legal systems.

Threads: Philosophy Teacher’s Notes p. 50-51

Rhet

oric As Simplicio searches for wisdom, the earliest thinker he meets is Job. Although the Bible never gives us a clear

date for Job’s life, many scholars believe he lived before Abram.

Threads

�

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5

rea

din

g a

ssig

nM

enTs

�

priMary resoUrces

hisT

ory

: co

re

The Bible is your best source for accuracy and information this week.

☐ The Bible is your best source for accuracy and information this week.Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of the An-cient World (JUV 9�0) p. �6-�5

☐

☐

The Bible is your best source for accu-racy and informa-tion this week.

☐ The Bible is your best source for accuracy and information this week.Holman Bible Atlas by Thomas Brisco, p. ��-��

☐

☐

hisT

ory

: in d

epTh

Tower of Babel by Alison Greengard

☐ Life in Ancient Mesopo-tamia by Shilpa Mehta-Jones (J 9�5 M) p. �-�� (Week � of �)

☐ Great Civilizations of the East by Lorna Oakes, et. al. p. ��-�5

☐ Your textbook, an ency-clopedia, or online links will be helpful and provide additional information this week.

☐

governMenT elecTiveSame as History readings☐

liTer

aTU

re

Gilgamesh the King by Ludmila Zeman (J �98.�� Z) first book in the Gilgamesh trilogyThe Revenge of Ishtar by Ludmila Zeman (J �98.�� Z) second book in the Gil-gamesh trilogyThe Last Quest of Gil-gamesh by Ludmila Zeman (J �98.�� Z) third book in the Gilgamesh trilogy

☐

☐

☐

Gilgamesh, the Hero by Geraldine McCaughrean (J �98.� M)

☐ Gilgamesh (Norton Anthology) p. �5-��From Distant Days: Myths, Tales, and Poetry of Ancient Mesopotamia translated by Benjamin R. Foster p. �-8; ��-��8 (Week � of �)

☐

☐

fine a

rTs a

nd

ac

TiviTi

es

Old Testament Days by Nancy I. Sanders (J ��.95 SAN) p. ��-��

☐ Ancient Egyptians and their Neighbors by Marian Broida (J 9�9.�) p. 66-67, 88-90

☐ fine arTs elecTiveArt of the Ancient Mediterranean World by Bernice Wilson (709.0� WIL) chapters �-� about Mesopotamian Art

☐

Wo

rldv

ieW

BiBle/chUrch hisToryRead in your children’s Bible about the gen-erations between Noah and Abram (Abraham) and the tower of Babel (Genesis ��). This is one week where reading from an adult Bible might be preferable. There’s so much to discuss.

☐BiBle/chUrch hisTory

Genesis ��What the Bible is All About for Young Explorers by Blankenbaker and Mears, bottom of p. �7

☐☐

BiBle/chUrch hisToryGenesis ��☐

BiBle/chUrch hisTory elecTiveGenesis ��What the Bible is All About by Henrietta C. Mears (��0.6) p. �6

☐☐

philosophy philosophy elecTiveJob �-��, ��-��Read the Pageant of Philosophy supplement (gray bar) entitled Job’s Wisdom

☐☐

loWer graMMar Upper graMMar dialecTic rheToric

rea

ding a

ssign

Men

Ts

5

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5alTernaTe or exTra resoUrces

TexT

Boo

ks

The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer, chapters �, �, 5, and 8

☐ Streams of Civilization, p. �0-�9, 6�-6� (Stop at “The Minoans”)

☐ Western Civilization (Sixth Edition, Combined Volume) p. 6-�5

☐

hisT

ory

sUp

pleM

enT

The Tower of Babel by Gloria Clanin

☐ Mesopotamia: Iraq in Ancient Times by Peter Chrisp (J 9�5 C) p. �-�� (Week � of �)

☐ Ancient Mesopotamia by Virginia Schomp (J 9�5 S) chapters I, II, IV, VII, VIII (Week � of �)

☐ Mesopotamia (Cultures of the Past) by Pamela F. Service (J 9�5 SER) p. 6-�6 (top), ��-�9, 5� (middle)-59 (Week � of �)

☐

liTer

aTU

re

The Illustrated Book of Myths: Tales and Legends of the World by Neil Philip (J �9�.�� P) p. �8-�9, ��-�8

☐

fine a

rTs a

nd

ac

TiviTi

esW

orl

dvie

W

Adventures in Faith: Studies in the Life of Abraham by M.R. DeHann (Week � of �)

☐

gen

era

l en

ric

hMen

T an

dre

fere

nc

e

Gods, Demons and Sym-bols of Ancient Mesopo-tamia: An Illustrated Dictionary by Jeremy Black and Anthony Green (Week � of �)Trusting God, by Jerry Bridges, chapters 5-6

☐

☐


ove

rvie

W

6

sTUd

enT T

hrea

ds

Study the unique aspects of the Tower of Babel.

☐ Study the early cultures and civilizations of Mesopotamia, espe-cially the Sumerians. Note the amazing ac-complishments of these early people.Compare what you learn about these cultures to what you know about Egyptian civilization.

☐

☐

Study the early cultures and civilizations of Mesopotamia: focusing on the Sumerians. Note the amazing accomplish-ments of these early people.Compare what you learn about these cultures to what you know about Egyptian civilization.Learn about the first written law code that we know about: the Code of Hammurabi.

☐

☐

☐

peo

ple

SargonSumeriansHammurabi

☐☐☐

SargonSumeriansHammurabiGilgamesh

☐☐☐☐

SargonSumeriansHammurabiGilgameshNimrod

☐☐☐☐☐

voc

aBU

lary

/TiM

e lin

e da

Tes

Recognize or spell (optional):

zigguratsempirecuneiformepicastronomyastrologydegree (of a circle)tablet

☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐

All LG words, plus:city-stateonagerirrigationapprenticeimportedtimbercylinderbyrevotive statuebust (statue)

☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐

Place the following events on your timeline, according to your chosen dating method:

Independent city states flourish in SumerSargon of Akkad reignsAbraham leaves UrNaram-Sin of Akkad reignsAmorites establish a dynasty in city of Babylon

These are commonly used dates:�79�-�750 BC Hammurabi rules Babylon and eventu-

ally brings most of Mesopotamia under his control.

�600 BC Babylonia is invaded by the Hittites, who ran-sack and plunder the area before leaving it.

�595 BC The Kassites, a group from the Zagros Moun-tains, invade Babylonia and rule nearly �00 years.

�595 BC The Elamites invade Babylonia and overthrow the last Kassite ruler.

��57 BC Nebuchadnezzar I drives the Elamites out of Babylonia.

☐☐☐☐☐


overvieW

7

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5ha

nds

on p

roje

cTs

Look at samples of Sumerian art in resource books or on the Year � Arts/Activities page of the Tapestry website.Make a model of a vo-tive statue out of clay or FimoTM.Make a personal cylinder seal.Dramatize the story of the Tower of Babel.Make a model ziggurat.

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

Look at samples of Sumerian art in resource books or on the Year � Arts/Activities page of the Tapestry website.Make a model of a votive statue out of clay or FimoTM.Design your own written language and use it to communicate for a set period of time.Sketch or make a model of the Standard of Ur, using inlay techniques. Create a working model of the Royal Game of Ur.

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

Be sure to look at samples of Sumerian art in re-source books or on the Year � Arts/Activities page of the Tapestry website.Carve or model a replica of a votive statue, and write a paragraph to explain what such a statue meant to the Sumerians when you display it at your Unit Celebration.Make a personal cylinder seal such as the ones the Sumerians used.Make a working model of the Royal Game of Ur, and teach your family how to play it.Make a model ziggurat.

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

gro

Up a

cTiv

iTy

Work together to re-enact the story of the Tower of Babel ORMake model cylinder seals, and try them out.

☐

☐

Working in teams of two or more, construct a board game and pieces to the Royal Game of Ur. Learn the rules and play a game with your partner.

☐ Use stiff salt dough, PlaydohTM, or real clay that can be fired to make tablets. Write a message (in a language you make up) with a stick that you find and sharpen, then seal your message with a cylinder seal that you make out of FimoTM or Model Magic®.

☐

geo

gra

phy

Learn about the major landforms of Mesopotamia. Learn about the trade routes that merchants took between the Persian Gulf and Egypt.

☐☐

Learn about the major landforms of Mesopotamia.Learn about the trade routes that merchants took between the Persian Gulf and Egypt.If you didn’t do this last week, use a Bible atlas or Adam & His Kin to make a map or map overlay of the settlements of Shem, Ham, and Japheth and their de-scendents. Put it on a small map for your portfolio, or make an overlay for your transparency atlas.Was the climate in ancient Mesopotamia the same as today? If time permits, look up the modern day countries and see! Look at:

temperature & rainfallanimal lifepossible foods

☐☐

☐

☐

☐☐☐


Wri

Ting

ass

ign

Men

Ts

8

level genres sUggesTed assignMenTs

1

Build a Word Bank: verbsAdd other words, tooDraw & caption: the Sumerians

☐☐☐

Read about verbs in your handbook.This week, add as many verbs as you can to your Word Bank.You can also add more nouns and pronouns, if you want to!Use representative symbols or scenes from the Sumerian culture to draw & caption Ur, the birthplace of Haran, Abram, Sarai, and Lot.

☐☐☐☐

2

Build a Word Bank: adverbs, prepositions, interjections, and conjunctionsAdd other words, too

☐

☐

Read about adverbs, prepositions, interjections, and conjunctions in your handbook.Write a definition of each of these parts of speech in your notebook’s Grammar section.This week, add as many of these words as you can to your Word Bank.You can add more nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adjectives if you want to!

☐

☐

☐☐

3

Getting organized for writing:Use graphic organizers for pre-writ-ingPractice using different organizers for different projects

☐

☐

Planning your writing is the first step in the writing process. Many students are tempted to skip this important step, called “pre-writing,” but taking time in the beginning to organize our thoughts saves lots of time later: we don’t have to revise and rewrite as much.Look in your handbook at the various types of graphic organizers that exist for your use. Have you tried all of them? If not, here are some ideas for practicing with organizers. (You don’t have to write all these assignments out fully; just pretend you’re going to, and do the pre-writ-ing for them!).Religious practices of Mesopotamia. (Clustering your ideas). Use Writ-ing Supplement �9.Describe life in Sumer, Abram and Sarai’s birthplace (describing wheel or sensory chart).Daily life in Sumer. (5 W’s chart)Outline a detailed genealogy of Christ’s line from Noah to Abraham. (Outlining)Compare the customs, occupations, and laws of the Egyptians and Sumerians. (Venn Diagram)

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐☐

☐

4

Building paragraphs:Review paragraphs: the four main typesReview graphic organizers specific to these types of writing

☐

☐

In your handbook, review the basics of paragraph construction: topic sentence, body, and conclusion. Remember the importance of para-graph unity!Remind yourself of the four basic genres of paragraphs: expository, descriptive, narrative, and persuasive.Review how different graphic organizers can help us organize our thoughts for different paragraph genres: clustering, describing wheels, 5 W’s, sensory charts, and Venn Diagrams.

☐

☐

☐

WriTin

g assig

nM

enTs

9

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5

5

Building paragraphs:Review paragraphs: the four main typesReview graphic organizers specific to these types of writing

☐

☐

In your handbook, review the basics of paragraph construction: topic sentence, body, and conclusion. Remember the importance of para-graph unity!Remind yourself of the four basic genres of paragraphs: expository, descriptive, narrative, and persuasive.Review how different graphic organizers can help us organize our thoughts for different paragraph genres: clustering, describing wheels, 5 W’s, sensory charts, and Venn Diagrams.

☐

☐

☐

6

Building paragraphs: Write and polish two this weekUnderstand structure and typesTransition words and details

☐☐☐

In your handbook, review the basics of paragraph construction: the topic sentence, the body, and the conclusion. Remember the impor-tance of paragraph unity!Review the four basic paragraph genres: expository, descriptive, narra-tive, and persuasive. Here are suggestions for topics for paragraphs this week:Expository: Sumer’s law codesDescriptive: one aspect of everyday life in SumerNarrative: follow a slave as he runs an errand for AbramPersuasive: “many achievements of the Sumerian culture were just as impressive as those of the Egyptians.”Review the list of transition words in your handbook. It will come in handy for all your writing this year.

☐

☐

☐☐☐☐

☐

7

Building paragraphs: Review structure and typesTransition words and details Write and polish at least two

☐☐☐

In your handbook, review the basics of paragraph construction: topic sentence, body, and conclusion. Remember the importance of para-graph unity!Review the four basic paragraph genres: expository, descriptive, narra-tive, and persuasive. Here are suggestions for topics for paragraphs you can write this week:Expository: Sumer’s law codesDescriptive: One aspect of everyday life in SumerNarrative: Follow a slave as he runs an errand for AbramPersuasive: “Many achievements of the Sumerian culture were just as impressive as those of the Egyptians.” Persuasively support this state-ment.

☐

☐

☐☐☐☐

8

Building paragraphs: Understand structure/typesTransition words and detailsWrite and polish at least two

☐☐☐

In your handbook, review the basics of paragraph construction: topic sentence, body, and conclusion. Remember the importance of para-graph unity!Review the four basic paragraph genres: expository, descriptive, narra-tive, and persuasive. Below are possible topics for you to write on this week: Expository: Sumer’s law codesDescriptive: One aspect of everyday life in SumerNarrative: Follow a slave as he runs an errand for AbramPersuasive: “Many achievements of the Sumerian culture were just as impressive as those of the Egyptians.”

☐

☐

☐☐☐☐

Wri

Ting

ass

ign

Men

Ts

�0

9

Building paragraphs: Understand structure/typesTransition words and detailsWrite and polish at least two para-graphs

☐☐☐

In your handbook, review the basics of paragraph construction: topic sentence, body, and conclusion. Remember the importance of para-graph unity!Review the four basic paragraph genres: expository, descriptive, narra-tive, and persuasive. Below are possible topics for you to write on this week: Expository: Sumer’s law codes or Sumerian mythologyDescriptive: One aspect of everyday life in SumerNarrative: Follow a slave as he runs an errand for AbramPersuasive: “Many achievements of the Sumerian culture were just as impressive as those of the Egyptians.”

☐

☐

☐☐☐☐

10

Study skills: research techniquesThe libraryThe Internet

☐☐☐

Read in your handbook about research in the library and on the Inter-net.Discuss, with your teacher, your parameters for Internet research.Ask an adult whom you respect for both character and Internet knowl-edge if there are any tools you could use to become a better researcher.If you have not done so already, explore the Tapestry website for online links you can use this year in your studies!

☐

☐☐

☐

11

Study skills: research techniquesThe libraryThe Internet

☐☐☐

Read in your handbook about research in the library and on the Inter-net.Discuss, with your teacher, your parameters for Internet research.Ask an adult whom you respect for both character and Internet knowl-edge if there are any tools you could use to become a better researcher.If you have not done so already, explore the Tapestry website for online links you can use this year in your studies!

☐

☐☐

☐

12

Writing with style: Choose from suggested topics and improve your writingContinue reading for CC paper

☐

☐

Look over your previous work, or read about stylistic elements and dis-cuss them with your teacher. Out of old work to review? Create a new stylistic marvel to analyze this week!Compare/contrast Moses and Pharaoh: their relations with their people, their beliefs about God, and their leadership styles.Describe the daily life of one of Abram’s slaves in Sumer.Continue reading for your Classical Comparison paper.

☐

☐

☐☐

sTUden

T ac

TiviTy

��

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5general inforMaTion for all grades

In this week’s study, we will learn about another area of the world where ancient empires flourished. Scholars call this area Mesopotamia. The name is from the Greek for “land between the rivers.” Mesopotamia is also known to scholars as the “Cradle of Civilization,” because the earliest evidence of permanent human settlements to date is found in this region. As you know from last week’s studies, it seems likely that Noah’s ark came to rest in this area. As his sons had families and spread out, people began to build cities and empires.

One of the first and greatest cities that was built was Babylon. There, the Bible tells us, men built a tower in order to make their name great. You’ll read about how God responded to their efforts this week. A few generations later, great civilizations of the Sumerians, Amorites, and Canaanites built large empires in various regions of Mesopotamia.

Who were these people? What did they believe about God? What did they do each day? What did they eat? Where did they live, and what did they do in their spare time? We’ll look for the answers to all these questions, and more, this week.

sTUd

enT a

cTiv

iTy

��

loWer graMMar level

fine arTs and acTiviTies

If your teacher got extra art books from the library, look at examples of the ancient Sumerian art.� Keep your eyes open for pictures of votive statues in your history reading or your other sources for Sumerian art. After reading about the uses of these statues and observing photos of them, make a list of ten adjectives to describe them. Now make a model of one, using clay or FimoTM.Sumerians used clay cylinder seals as personal signatures for trading records and accounts. You can make your own cylinder seal this week. Because you are making a print of your seal, remember that the image that you put on the cylinder will make

a print on paper in reverse. Therefore, you will need to plan out how to put your design on backwards in order to get the image you want in the proper orientation.

You can use toilet-paper tubes and string to make your cylinders. You’ll need some kind of glue—like Elmers’ Glue or craft glue. You will also need some paint (poster paint works well) and some paper on which to print your finished design.

After you’ve planned your design, carefully glue your yarn or twine to your tube, and set it aside to dry.When the glue is dried, pour a small puddle of paint into a dish or onto a piece of waxed paper—enough to roll

your whole seal in, coating it once.Place the paint-laden seal near the top of your paper, and roll it down to see the design.Be sure to take pictures of your finished seal and printed design for your portfolio. How about dramatizing the story of the Tower of Babel for your family or discussion group, and perhaps perform-ing it at your Unit Celebration? You can write a skit or choose a section to memorize as a dramatic reading. Be sure to take pictures of your performance and include the photos and the script in your portfolio.Make a ziggurat by following the instructions in Old Testament Days.

geography

With your teacher, find the following on a map of Mesopotamia:Tigris RiverEuphrates RiverPersian GulfMediterranean Sea (if it shows on your map.)The “Fertile Crescent”Trace the path that traders took as they journeyed to Egypt from the Persian Gulf.UrBabylon

BiBle sUrvey and chUrch hisTory

Talk about the following questions with your teacher this week:Why did men want to build a big tower in Babylon? (Genesis ��:�)Why was this in direct contrast to what God had commanded mankind to do? (Genesis �:�8 and 9:7)What did God say of their plans?How was God’s response of confusing their words effective? How are words significant? (Hint: how did God create the Universe?)How many generations does the Bible record between Shem and Abram? Based on this, about how many years passed between the Flood and Abram’s birth?Who lived first: Abram or Moses?

� Or, with your teacher’s help you can look at websites linked to the Year � Arts/Activities page of the Tapestry website.

�.

�.

�.

�.

�.�.�.�.

5.

6.

sTUden

T ac

TiviTy

��

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5Upper graMMar level


If your teacher got extra art books from the library look at examples of the ancient art of Sumer.� Keep your eyes open for pictures of votive statues. After reading about what these statues were used for, make a model of one, using clay or FimoTM. When it’s complete, take a picture of it and write a paragraph to display with it at your Unit Celebration, explaining its significance to Sumerians.Design your own system of writing and communicate in it for an entire day. You must use only pointed sticks (you can sharpen one from your back yard by rubbing it on the driveway) and clay tablets to communicate (Model MagicTM or salt dough work well). Look online for pictures of the so-called Royal Standard of Ur. This work was originally an inlaid work made of shell, lapis lazuli, and pink limestone. You could:Sketch the Standard of Ur pictures in colored pencil and write an annotation explaining what we learn from

viewing this piece of Mesopotamian art. Attempt some inlay work. This will probably require specialized help from a friend (or parent) who has some

experience with inlaid woodwork. Any form of inlay—wood, mosaic, or even soft FimoTM will give you fresh appreciation for the achievements of ancient Sumerians.

Sumerian nobles liked to play board games. Now you can learn to make and play their games—and teach your siblings or friends to play, too! There’s a great set of websites that show both pictures of the original Royal Game of Ur and how to make a copy of (and play) this ancient game. Sir Leonard Woolley originally found it in the exca-vation of Ur in �9�6-�7. There’s a picture of the game board linked to the Tapestry website: Year � Arts/Activities page. A second site, also linked to the Year � Arts/Activities page will tell you the rules. This game is thought to be an early version of Backgammon. You could make it out of wood, cardboard, or poster board. Don’t forget to take a picture!

geography Label the following on a blank map of Mesopotamia

Tigris RiverEuphrates RiverPersian GulfMediterranean Sea (if it shows on your outline map)Shade the “Fertile Crescent” red.

UrBabylonAkkadKishUruk

Indicate the path that traders took as they journeyed to Egypt from the Persian Gulf.

BiBle sUrvey and chUrch hisTory Talk about the following questions with your teacher:

Why did men want to build a big tower in Babylon? (Genesis 11:4)Why was this in direct contrast to what God had commanded mankind to do? (Genesis 1:28 and 9:7)What did God say of their plans?How was God’s response of confusing their words effective? How are words significant? (Hint: how did God cre-ate the Universe?)How many generations does the Bible record between Shem and Abram? Based on this, about how many years passed between the Flood and Abram’s birth?Who lived first—Abram or Moses?Compare and contrast the boyhoods of Moses and Abram. What similar sights, scenes, and experiences might they have had? What might have been some major differences?What religion was Abram most likely taught to follow?

� Or, you can look at websites linked to the Year � Arts/Activities page of the Tapestry website.

�.

�.

�.

�.

1.2.3.4.

5.

6.7.

8.

sTUd

enT a

cTiv

iTy

��

liTeraTUre Worksheet for The Gilgamesh Trilogy by Ludmila Zelman

Gilgamesh the King

seqUence The folloWing evenTs.

Gilgamesh and Enkidu fought a battle between themselves.

Enkidu was created to be as strong as Gilgamesh.

People prayed to the sun god for help with their hard work.

Gilgamesh declared that he was master of the city.

Gilgamesh ordered a wall to be built around the city of Uruk.

Enkidu saves Gilgamesh by grabbing him by the arm.

Shamhat’s music lured Enkidu to her.

The Revenge of Ishtar caUse effecT

�. Gilgamesh learned to care for others.

�. Shamhat died as disaster occurred.

�. Gilgamesh was troubled by his bad dreams.

�. A forest of cedar trees blocked Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s route.

5. The air cleared from the smoke so that Humbaba’s face was clearly seen.

6. Ishtar went to the city in revenge.

7. The people of the city sang praises to Gilgamesh and Ishtar.

The Last Quest of GilgameshWho did iT?

�. Gave instructions to Gilgamesh to find where the source of immortality was located.

�. Guards the Kingdom of the Sun.

�. Makes wine for the gods.

�. Devoured ��0 oars, leaving only stumps.

5. Ate the plant that gave youth and strength.

sTUden

T ac

TiviTy

�5

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5dialecTic level

hisTory

Pre-Discussion Questions

Accountability QuestionsFill in the chart on the next page� as you read about the Sumerians. Try to be as complete and thorough as pos-

sible. In our study of the ancient world this year, we will be looking at a variety of civilizations. Our goals are twofold: one, to thoroughly learn the facts about each culture, and two, to make compare them, noting both how they were alike and how they differed. Charts help you to sort similar facts for each culture into standard categories (such as occupations, governmental structures, and cultural achievements). They then make handy study tools for quizzes, and it is our hope that you will learn to use them as both note-taking and study aids over the course of this year. As you read, think about similarities and differences between Sumerian and Egyptian cultures.

Your teacher will go over your chart contents in class, so please bring it to your discussion time. You’ll probably be adding to it (and refining it) then.

Thinking QuestionsThe story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 10 pre-dates the Egyptian civilization we’ve been studying. What similarities do you see between tower builders of Mesopotamia and pyramid builders of Egypt? What are some differences between them? (You may wish to record your thoughts in a Venn diagram such as the one below.)

What were the most surprising things you learned this week about the accomplishments of the Mesopotamian civilizations? Why did these things surprise you?In what ways were the Sumerians most like the Egyptians?What were the ways in which the Sumerians most differed from the Egyptians?

� Each time we suggest a chart, you should feel free to copy and/or expand it in your notebook. Some charts are models that are not big enough to simply be written in as they are presented in these pages. Some students may also wish to transfer the chart to a digital version so they can type their answers neatly into easily expanded chart cells there. Ask your teacher how you should best accomplish this assign-ment.

1.

2.

3.4.

Egypt Sumerboth

sTUd

enT a

cTiv

iTy

�6

rheToric and dialecTic levels

sUMerians

cen

Ters

of

popU

laTio

ng

ove

rnM

enT

reli

gio

Us B

elie

fs

Wri

TTen

Wo

rks

arT

s/sc

ien

ces

oc

cUp

aTio

ns

inve

nTio

ns/

ac

hiev

eMen

Ts

sTUden

T ac

TiviTy

�7

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5fine arTs and acTiviTies

Carve or model a replica of a votive statue, and write a paragraph to explain what such a statue meant to the Sumer-ians when you display it at your Unit Celebration.Sumerians used clay cylinder seals as personal signatures for trading records and accounts. You can make your own cylinder seal this week. Read through all of the directions before beginning, so that you can plan out how to handle each step. (Instructions are also in Ancient Egyptians and Their Neighbors.)Start by preparing a writing instrument for writing the legal agreement. Find a pencil-sized stick in your back

yard. Sharpen one end of it by rubbing it on pavement or cement until it is wedge-shaped. (Notice how long this takes!)

Now make a tablet to record your agreement on. Create an 8” X 8” square of salt dough or Model MagicTM.Write a message in your own version of cuneiform. (You can make up a real code, or simply mimic cuneiform

marks and shapes.) Your message is not complete without a signature; however, you mustn’t just scratch in your name. You must sign it “Sumerian style”—with a cylinder seal you create! (If your tablet will dry and harden if left out, put it in a plastic baggie.)

Sketch ideas on paper for your personal design. This seal will be your personal signature, so use symbols that represent you or your family. This might be a favorite food, place, or sport. If you decide to represent indi-vidual family members, be sure to observe and represent the specific stylization of people that the Sumerians made. (Notice big eyes, profile view, patterned clothing, etc.)

To make your own cylinder seal, take a lump of FimoTM and roll it flat with a rolling pin. Cut off uneven edges so that you have a rectangular slab about �/8” thick.

Because you will be making an imprint of your seal, remember that the image you create on the cylinder will come out reversed. Therefore, you will need to plan out how to put your design on backwards in order to get the image you want in the proper orientation. One solution is to make your initial drawing on a piece of white paper so that you can trace its mirror image through to the other side, and then transfer it (backwards) onto your seal. (Use a window’s light to see your “forwards” drawing through the paper pattern. Trace it. Now, place your paper over your seal. Trace the “backwards” drawing by pressing firmly with a pencil, leaving at least a light impression in your FimoTM. Now, remove your paper pattern, and carve your pattern into the FimoTM more boldly.)

Gently roll the carved rectangle into the shape of a cylinder. Join the edges. Make sure the cylinder won’t be too narrow to later run a string through it. (FimoTM does shrink during baking!)

Bake the cylinder in your oven according to package directions.After it is baked and cooled, return to your message tablet, and roll your cylinder seal into your salt dough

tablet to imprint your signature.String a shoelace through your seal so that you can wear it (Sumerian style) around your neck. Be sure to take a picture of both message tablet and seal for your portfolio!

�. Make a working model of the Royal Game of Ur, and teach your family how to play it. Refer to online links for directions.

�. Build a ziggurat, using any materials you deem necessary. There are instructions on our website’s Year � Arts/Activities page for building a paper model or a wooden one.

geography Label the following on a blank map of Mesopotamia:

Tigris RiverEuphrates RiverPersian GulfMediterranean Sea (if it shows on your outline map)Shade the “Fertile Crescent” red.



�.

�.

sTUd

enT a

cTiv

iTy

�8

liTeraTUre

Worksheet for Gilgamesh the Hero by Geraldine McCaughreanBackground information on The Epic of Gilgamesh

World Book on Epic of Gilgamesh�

Epic of Gilgamesh, pronounced GIHL guh mehsh, a Middle Eastern poem, is one of the oldest epics in world lit-erature. The earliest verses were composed in southern Mesopotamia before �000 B.C. The most complete text comes from the library of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal (668-6�7 B.C.). Fragments of copies were found in Syria and Turkey, showing it was popular throughout the ancient Middle East.

The epic centers around Gilgamesh, a powerful king in ancient Sumeria who oppresses his people. When the people pray for help, the gods create a champion, Enkidu, to meet Gilgamesh in battle. But Enkidu and Gilgamesh become friends and share many adventures until Enkidu dies. Gilgamesh then becomes afraid of death and searches for the secret of immortality. The epic includes an account of a great flood, which has parallels to the Biblical story of Noah.

Many secular scholars believe that Moses took elements of his writings from Sumerian (or Babylonian) mythol-ogy and literature, such as this story. Please read the version of this epic your teacher gives you (or a detailed summary thereof) this week. Then, prepare to discuss the following questions with your teacher.

Look up the term “epic.” Write out a definition. Does this work fulfill that definition?Who are the three main characters? Describe each in a sentence or two.Compare Gilgamesh to Jesus.How are the gods portrayed? Compare these deities to the Lord our God.What are the main points of conflict in this account?What do you think are the messages of this epic?Do you see parallels with Biblical stories? What differences between these stories did you observe?What does this literature reveal about the values of the Sumerian culture? How are men, women, leaders, and friends viewed?

BiBle sUrvey and chUrch hisTory

Talk about the following questions with your teacher.Why did men want to build a big tower in Babylon? How was this in direct contrast to what God had commanded mankind to do? What did God say of their plans?How was God’s response of confusing their words effective? How are words significant? (Hint: where have we talked about the significance of words before?)What do you think the Tower of Babel might have looked like? What type of Mesopotamian building would it most probably have resembled?How many generations does the Bible record between Shem and Abram? About how many years passed between the Flood and Abram’s birth, based on this information?Do you think this genealogy lists all the people born between Shem and Abram? Why, or why not?Who lived first—Abram or Moses?Compare and contrast the boyhoods of Moses and Abram. What similar sights, scenes, and experiences might they have had? What might have been some major differences?What religion was Abram most likely taught?

� From a World Book article entitled Epic of Gilgamesh. Contributor: Carl Lindahl, Ph.D., Folklore, Associate Prof. of English, Univ. of Houston.

�.�.�.�.5.6.7.8.

1.2.3.4.

5.

6.

7.8.9.

�0.

sTUden

T ac

TiviTy

�9

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5rheToric level

hisTory

Pre-Discussion QuestionsAccountability Questions

In our study of the ancient world this year, we will be looking at a variety of civilizations. Our goal is to compare and contrast them. For each culture, we suggest charts that enable you to put basic information you learn about each culture into the same consistent categories, thus breaking down the information into component parts. Once you have the information in this format, it should be fairly easy for you to compare cultures, and synthesize (form) opinions about the cultures in the context of the ancient world as a whole, and from a biblical perspective.

This week, fill in the chart on page �6� as you read about the Sumerians. We will analyze this culture by first breaking down the information you read in your assignments into component parts (suggested by the chart), and then noting the similarities and differences between Sumerian and Egyptian cultures. (You may wish to review your notes on Egyptian culture in the categories listed in your chart in preparation for class discussion.)

Your teacher will go over your chart contents in class, so please bring it to your discussion time. You’ll probably be adding to it (and refining it) then, since this form of note-taking may be new to you.

Thinking QuestionsHow does Geography affect the development of cultures? (Answer using Egypt and Sumer as specific examples.)If you didn’t know that the Sumerians predated the Egyptians, and had to guess, what facts about these cultures might tip you off as to their relative ages? List three significant differences between the Egyptian and Sumerian cultures. Prepare to give your ideas of rea-sons for these differences in class. What do you think was the most significant achievement of the early Sumerians? Be prepared to share why this seems like the most significant.Think about the tools that Sumerian workers (both farmers and craftsmen) had to work with. Which of their ac-complishments is most surprising to you, given their technological limitations?Note the religious practices of the Sumerians, and the accounts of this culture in Bible stories. Categorize the Su-merian religion and note their religious customs as you read, preparing to discuss these in class.

governMenT

Do some research on the actual laws that Hammurabi enacted. You can use books from the library or check out our links on the Year � Tapestry website’s Government page.

What do you think of these laws? Do you think the laws were good? Why, or why not? Do you think these laws are just? Why or why not? Summarize the substance of Hammurabi’s code with relation to: male/female relationships, merchant/purchaser relationships, and capital crimes (murder, theft, adultery, etc.). Fill in the middle column of the chart you started in Week �. NOTE: don’t get bogged down in details. Stick to the broad principles outlined by the Code. For instance, were women allowed to choose whom they married? Could they be divorced? Could they incur debts? Who decided disputes? What kinds of punishments were there?Name at least three things that are distinctive about written law codes.

� Each time we suggest a chart, you should feel free to copy and/or expand it in your notebook. Some charts are models that are not big enough to simply be written in as they are presented in these pages. Some students may also wish to transfer the chart to a digital version so they can type their answers neatly into easily expanded chart cells there. Ask your teacher how you should best accomplish this assignment.

�.�.

�.

�.

5.

6.

�.�.�.

�.

5.

sTUd

enT a

cTiv

iTy

�0

geography

Label the following on a blank map of Mesopotamia.Tigris RiverEuphrates RiverPersian GulfMediterranean Sea (if it shows on your outline map.)Shade the “Fertile Crescent” red.




Carve or model a replica of a votive statue, and write a paragraph to explain what such a statue meant to the Sume-rians when you display it at your Unit Celebration.Sumerians used clay cylinder seals as personal signatures for trading records and accounts. You can make your own cylinder seal this week. Read through all of the directions before beginning, so that you can plan out how to handle each step.Start by preparing a writing instrument for writing the legal agreement. Find a pencil-sized stick in your back

yard. Sharpen one end of it by rubbing it on pavement or cement until it is wedge-shaped. (Notice how long this takes!)

Now make a tablet to record your agreement on. Create an 8” X 8”square of salt dough or Model MagicTM.Write a message in your own version of cuneiform (You can make up a real code, or simply mimic cuneiform

marks and shapes.) Your message is not complete without a signature; however, you mustn’t just scratch in your name. You must sign it “Sumerian style”—with a cylinder seal you create! (If your tablet will dry and harden if left out, put it in a ziplock bag.)

Sketch ideas on paper for your personal design. This seal will be your personal signature, so use symbols that represent you and your family. This might be a favorite food, place, or sport. If you decide to represent indi-vidual family members, be sure to observe and represent the specific stylization of people that the Sumerians made. (Notice big eyes, profile view, patterned clothing, etc.)

To make your own cylinder seal, take a lump of FimoTM and roll it flat with a rolling pin. Cut off uneven edges so that you have a rectangular slab about �/8” thick.

Because you will be making an imprint of your seal, remember that the image you create on the cylinder will come out reversed. Therefore, you will need to plan out how to put your design on backwards in order to get the image you want in the proper orientation. One solution is to make your initial drawing on a piece of white paper so that you can trace its mirror image through to the other side, and then transfer it (backwards) onto your seal. (Use a window’s light to see your “forwards” drawing through the paper pattern. Trace it. Now, place your paper over your seal. Trace the “backwards” drawing by pressing firmly with a pencil, leaving at least a light impression in your FimoTM. Now, remove your paper pattern, and carve your pattern into the FimoTM more boldly.)

Gently roll the carved rectangle into the shape of a cylinder. Join the edges. Make sure the cylinder won’t be too narrow to later run a string through it. (FimoTM does shrink during baking!)

Bake the cylinder in your oven according to package directions.After it is baked and cooled, return to your message tablet, and roll your cylinder seal into your salt dough

tablet to imprint your signature.String a shoelace through your seal so that you can wear it (Sumerian style) around your neck. Be sure to take a picture of both message tablet and seal for your portfolio!Make a working model of the Royal Game of Ur, and teach your family how to play it. Use online links from the Tapestry website for instructions.Build a ziggurat using whatever materials you think best. There are instructions on the Tapestry website’s Year � Arts/Activities page for building a paper or wooden model.

�.

�.

�.

�.

sTUden

T ac

TiviTy

��

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5liTeraTUre

Literary BackgroundThis week we will focus mostly on outlining and understanding key characteristics of Akkadian literature.

The time spent on this sort of analysis will serve you well in upcoming assignments! For example, next week you will take a quiz which encompasses information from Gilgamesh (Norton), and from both the introduction and the glossary of proper names in Benjamin R. Foster’s anthology. Everything you read this week is “fair game” for next week’s quiz, so please keep the charts that you will make this week. You may also check your charts against the sample ones found in the discussion outline for this week (if your teacher gives you permission to do so), which form the body of information from which you will be quizzed next week.

Pre-Discussion Outline This week’s discussion of actual poetry will be shortened, because there is so much Literary Background information to consider. First, please make sure that you have correctly defined the following terms (one of them is already filled in for you, since you will not be able to easily extract it from the text), and have properly filled in your charts for Benjamin R. Foster’s Distant Days introduction (1-8).

Subject for recitation or reading aloud from this week is: Gilgamesh, Tablet XI: lines 136-158 (Norton, 20). Define “Akkadian literature” from Benjamin R. Foster’s introduction in Distant Days.Fill in the following charts from Benjamin R. Foster’s introduction in Distant Days (some answers have already been filled in as samples).

Formal Elements Definition

Parallelism

Repetition

The Akkadian Verse LineUnlike Egyptian poetry, which commonly employs the “thought couplet” (one sentence or complete thought given in two lines of verse), the Akkadian verse line conveys each sentence in only one line of verse.

Genre or Subject Themes

Acts of Gods

Kings

Devotional (hymns, prayers, and magic)

Love

Humor

WisdomProverbs, advice, and observations“How to” on satisfaction, success, or understanding of morality

�.�.

sTUd

enT a

cTiv

iTy

��

3. From the glossary of proper names in Benjamin R. Foster’s anthology (433-4380), please fill out the following chart.1 If there is no information for a particular box, please put an “X” there instead. If you aren’t sure about a piece of information, fill it in anyway and put a “?” after it. Some lines on this chart have already been filled in as samples.

Deity AttributesLocation

Cult City Nation or Region

Anshar/Assur

Father of Anu, later equated with Assur in order to make Assur, chief god of Assyria, seem more important than Babylonian Marduk.

Assur Sumerian/Assyr-ian

Antu

Anu

Dagan/Adad

Shala Wife of Dagan/Adad X Sumerian?

Girra

Enlil

Ishtar/Innana

Pabilsag/Ninurta

Dumuzi/Tammuz

Ereshkigal

Nergal/Errakal

Shamash

Aya

Ea/Enki

Damkina/Damgal-nunna

Marduk/Bel

Sarpanitu

Nabu

Tashmetu

Sin/Nanna

Ennugi

Belet-ili

� Please feel encouraged to copy this chart (and all others) into your notebook so you have sufficient room for writing in.

sTUden

T ac

TiviTy

��

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5Gilgamesh 1. Fill out the following chart. One line has already been filled in as an example.

Gilgamesh (Tablet XI) Biblical Account of the Flood (Genesis 6-9:19)

Characters and names

SituationThe situation is “life as usual” in the ancient city of Shuruppak, where the “great gods” once dwelt (lines 11-13).

“The wickedness of man was great in the earth, and . . . every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5 [ESV]).

Problem

Reason for the Flood

Why is One Man Spared?

Reactions of Other Men

The Ark and the Animals

The Coming of the Flood

Reason for the End of the Flood

Sending Out the Birds

Landing and Sacrifice

What do you think of the rest of the story told in Tablet XI? Why do you think that Gilgamesh’s ability to stay awake for a long time would give him favor in the eyes of the gods (lines ��0-��)? And, since Utanapishtim is a fellow-human, why do you think he seems so uninterested in helping Gilgamesh stay awake (lines ��5-��)? Do you think that Utanapishtim’s gift of a plant that will allow the one who consumes it to become young again is actually the immortality which Gilgamesh seeks? Does it mean that Utanapishtim does want to help Gilgamesh? Or is he just prompted by his wife? Do you think that Gilgamesh deserves to lose the plant? Consider lines ��5-�� carefully. What is Gilgamesh’s lament? What do you think this ending conveys? Does Gilgamesh seem to be, for example, comforting himself with the grandeur of the city, Uruk, which he has built and now rules?

�.

�.

�.

sTUd

enT a

cTiv

iTy

��

BiBle sUrvey and chUrch hisTory Talk about the following questions with your teacher:

Why did men want to build a big tower in Babylon? What do you think the Tower of Babel might have looked like? What type of Mesopotamian building would it most probably have resembled?To whom would this building most likely have been dedicated?Why was this endeavor in direct contrast to what God had commanded mankind to do? What did God say of their plans?How was God’s response of confusing their words effective? How are words significant? (Hint: where have we talked about the significance of words before?)How many generations does the Bible record between Shem and Abram? About how many years passed between the Flood and Abram’s birth?Do you think this genealogy lists all the people born between Shem and Abram? Why, or why not?Who lived first—Abram or Moses?Compare and contrast the boyhoods of Moses and Abram. What similar sights, scenes, and experiences might they have had? What might have been some major differences?What religion was Abram most likely taught?

philosophy

Rehearse The Wisdom of Job, which is The Pageant of Philosophy material in the gray pages. Did you include your father this week? If your dad is available, make an effort to have him rehearse with you at least one time.

�.�.

�.�.5.6.

7.

8.9.�0.

��.

pagea

nT o

f philo

sophy

�5

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5The pageanT of philosophy:

The WisdoM of joB

(Simplicio stands on a bare stage. An old man enters, bearing a sign reading “Job.”)

Job: Good day, child.

Simplicio: Hello, sir. I guess it’s a good day.

Job: You don’t seem so sure about that.

Simplicio: The weather is fine, but the day isn’t going so well.

Job: Isn’t it? What’s the matter?

Simplicio: Well, I’m looking for wisdom, but it is a lot harder to find than I expected.

Job: I wouldn’t let that trouble you, child.

Simplicio: Don’t let it trouble me? What should I do—just ignore it?

Job: There are times when that is best.

Simplicio: I can’t do that—oh, you wouldn’t understand!

Job: Wouldn’t I? Perhaps I ought to introduce myself. My name is Job.

Simplicio: It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m sure, Mr. Job. I’m Simplicio.

Job: My name means nothing to you?

Simplicio: Should it?

Job: To some people, my name is a synonym for suffering.

Simplicio: I can’t say the name rings a bell, but I’m sorry to hear that you suffered. I don’t know much about physical pain myself, but I know I’ve wanted wisdom so bad that it hurts.

Job: I’ve wanted wisdom more than life itself.

Simplicio: You have?

Job: There were days I couldn’t touch my food because of the distress of my soul. I said, “If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas.”�

Simplicio: How awful that must have been! But it’s still one thing to suffer physical pain and entirely another to hunger and thirst after knowledge.

Job: I know them both. There were days when I took a piece of broken pottery and scraped my crusted flesh as I sat among the ashes,� until I cried out, “Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?”�

Simplicio: That’s terrible! But that still sounds like physical suffering, not a longing for wisdom.

Job: Ah, that is because you don’t know my friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. They told me that all my suffering would go away if I would just repent of my sins.

Simplicio: Which sins?

Job: That’s what I wanted to know! I told them, “Relent, do not be unjust; reconsider, for my integrity is at stake. Is there any wickedness on my lips?”�

Simplicio: What did they say to that?

� Job 6:�-�.� Job �:8.� Job �:��.� Job 6:�9-�0.

pag

ean

T of p

hilo

soph

y

�6

Job: My friend Bildad’s response was, “How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind. Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?”�

Simplicio: (a little anxiously) I don’t know! Does He?

Job: That’s what I wanted to know. That’s why I was so desperate to understand what I had done wrong.

Simplicio: Couldn’t your friends help you understand?

Job: Help me? They just made matters worse. They were so sure that God was right and I was wrong that they blamed me for things I never did.

Simplicio: Like what?

Job: When I couldn’t think of anything I had done wrong, Eliphaz said, “Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless? You stripped men of their clothing, leaving them naked. You gave no water to the weary and you withheld food from the hungry. You sent widows away empty-handed and broke the strength of the fatherless.”�

Simplicio: You did?

Job: I didn’t! I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him. The man who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing. I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; I took up the cause of the stranger. I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.�

Simplicio: That’s certainly wonderful! But I don’t understand—how could such bad things happen to a man like you?

Job: Exactly! That was my question, too. Do you think I would crave understanding more than life itself?

Simplicio: Yes, I do. (Simplicio falls silent.)

Job: (after a pause) Are you all right, child?

Simplicio: Yes. No! Oh, I’m ashamed of myself!

Job: Ashamed?

Simplicio: I’m so embarrassed! I must have sounded so rude and proud when we first met.

Job: To be honest—you did. But I won’t hold that against you. I know pride all too well. I was so proud and foolish that I wanted to drag God into court!

Simplicio: You did?

Job: I cried out, “Oh, that I knew where I might find God, that I might come even to his seat! I would lay my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.”�

Simplicio: Is that proud?

Job: I didn’t think so when I said it. I thought, if I could only appear before Him he would not contend with me in the greatness of his power. No; he would pay attention to me.5

Simplicio: You say you thought that. What changed your mind?

Job: I never got to appear before Him, but He appeared before me.

Simplicio: God appeared to you? Amazing! But did He pay attention to you? Or did He—what was it— “contend with you in the greatness of His power”?

Job: Both! God Almighty spoke to me out of the whirlwind, and I was devastated. I had been questioning Him, but I wasn’t expecting Him to question me!

� Job 8:�-�.� Job ��:5-9.� Job �9:��-�7.� Job ��:�-�.5 Job ��:6.

pagea

nT o

f philo

sophy

�7

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5Simplicio: What did He say?

Job: He asked, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?”�

Simplicio: What do you mean?

Job: He said, “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who

determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”�

Simplicio: And what did you say?

Job: What could I say? He asked, “Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?”� Of course I hadn’t.

Simplicio: (thoughtfully) I guess that’s true!

Job: Then He asked, “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!”

Simplicio: What did you say to that?

Job: The only thing I could: I answered the LORD, “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer—twice, but I will say no more.”�

Simplicio: So that was the end of it?

Job: Hardly! Then the LORD spoke to me out of the storm: “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.”5

Simplicio: Again?

Job: Yes. His question was, “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?”6

Simplicio: Ouch! What did you say?

Job: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”7

Simplicio: And that was the end of it, I suppose.

Job: You would think so—and yet not so. For after the LORD had said these things to me, he told my friends, “I am angry with you... because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.”8

Simplicio: Wait—I don’t understand. I thought what you said was wrong, not right!

Job: Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.9 But my friends tried to make God simple enough to fit into their experience. I demanded answers that were above me, but my friends offered answers that were beneath God.

Simplicio: (doubtful) Thank you for telling me your story, sir, but I must confess it leaves me even more troubled than I was before.

Job: It does?� Job �8:�.� Job �8:�-7.� Job �8:�6-�7.� Job �0:�-5.5 Job �0:6-7.6 Job �0:8.7 Job ��:5-6.8 Job ��:7.9 Job ��:�-�.

pag

ean

T of p

hilo

soph

y

�8

Simplicio: Yes. I want to find out the answers to questions like yours, but now I’m afraid to even try.

Job: Fear isn’t always a bad thing, child. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Simplicio: (shaking his head) Maybe I’ll understand all this some day—when I’m as old as you are, perhaps.

Job: Maybe not, child. It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.�

Simplicio: It isn’t?

Job: No: it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.�

Simplicio: (prepares to go) I’d better be going.

Job: Peace be with you, Simplicio. May God give you the desires of your heart.

Simplicio: You’ve given me a lot to think about, sir. Goodbye.

(Simplicio leaves, looking troubled. Job looks after him with compassion. Curtain.)

� Job ��:9.� Job ��:8.

Teacher’s n

oTes

�9

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5hisTory: BackgroUnd inforMaTion

What were the relationships between peoples of Mesopotamia?This week’s study focuses on the Sumerian culture, the name commonly given to the earliest culture of the Meso-

potamian, or Babylonian, area (today, southern Iraq). Students may become confused because different resources give different names to the cultures of this area. It is alternately called: Old Babylon, Babylonia, Sumeria, and Mesopota-mia. As you read the World Book articles below, you will see how these terms are used and can help your students if they become confused.

Suggestions for older studentsAs your Dialectic and Rhetoric level students do their read-

ing this week, we suggest that you require them to fill in the blank chart found in their Student Activity Pages. As stated previously, the skill of taking reading notes is an important focus in this cur-riculum and often the best method of taking reading notes is to use a chart. A filled-in teacher’s version is included as part of the discussion outlines to give you both answers and an idea of what a fully filled-in student chart can look like. All data on it has been taken from Holman Bible Atlas or the World Book articles found in this section. Your student can make his own chart categories if he decides to track different information. All civilizations have cer-tain elements in common, and if your student uses similar charts over and over, he will begin to be able to look for these elements in every civilization he studies. Further, he will be able to easily compare civilizations on these common elements.

Culture vs. CivilizationA suggested emphasis for older students this week is a discus-

sion of the nuances of meaning between the terms “culture�” and “civilization�.” One of the best indicators of a civilization (vs. a culture) is that while all groups have cultures (we speak of a youth culture, a Christian culture), only those societies where there has been specialization of labor truly build civilizations. Within the word “civilization” is the word “civil”, which is from the Latin “civis” meaning “city.” The essential element of a city is that each person does not do all the work necessary to his existence. There is an advancement of society in which people specialize. Thus, for example, farmers bring produce to the city and sell it. They might then buy a set of horseshoes from the city’s blacksmith. This black-smith will not build his own house, but instead he will work all day forging metal, and buy both his food and his house from others. To become specialized, a cul ure has to get beyond surviving at a level of mere subsistence.

� Definitions of “culture”: �. Fineness of feelings, thoughts, tastes, or manners; refinement. Ex. He is a man of culture who appreciates the great art and fine sculpture in the museum. (SYN) breeding. �. (Anthropology.) a. the civilization of a given people or nation at a given time or over all time; its customs, its arts, and its conveniences. �. The development of the mind or body by education or training. Ex. physical culture courses. � Civilization, noun. �. civilized condition; advanced stage in social development. (SYN) progress, enlightenment. �. the nations and peoples that have reached advanced stages in social development. Ex. the civilizations of the East and West. �. the ways of living of a people or nation. Ex. Chinese civilization differs from ours. �. the process of becoming civilized; improvement in culture. Ex. The civilization of a primitive society is a gradual process which takes centuries. (SYN) cultivation. 5. the comforts of modern life, especially in the cities. Ex. The survivors of the shipwreck were happy to return at last to civilization. 6. the act of civilizing.

Canaanites�, pronounced KAY nuh nyts, were a people mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament. Most of their land, called Canaan, later became known as Palestine. The Canaan-ites may have settled in the region about �000 B.C. They were its chief inhabitants until about ��00 B.C. The Bible says that the Israelites con-quered Canaan at that time. However, archaeol-ogy and some Biblical passages indicate that the Israelites only gradually became the area’s domi-nant people. [Note: This would be consistent with Bible accounts. A close reading of Joshua shows that many areas of Canaanite territory remained unconquered for years.] Archaeology also indicates that many Canaanite cities were destroyed by the Sea Peoples in the ��00’s B.C. The Sea Peoples may have migrated to Canaan from the area around the Aegean Sea. The Canaanites were a Semitic people related to the Arabs, Assyrians, and Israelites. The Canaan-ites had an advanced civilization. Their main political unit was the city-state, which consisted of a city or town and the surrounding villages and land. The chief Canaanite gods were El (a creator god) and Baal (a storm god). The main goddesses were Anat, Asherah, and Astarte. Some Canaanites settled northwest of Pales-tine. They became known as Phoenicians.

� From a World Book article entitled Canaanites. Contributor: Carole R. Fontaine, Ph.D., Professor of Hebrew Scriptures, Andover Newton Theological School.

Teac

her’s

no

Tes

�0

World Book on Babylonia�

Babylonia was an ancient region around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now southeastern Iraq. The region centered around the ancient city of Babylon, which stood about 60 miles south of present-day Baghdad, Iraq. A great civilization began in this region about �500 B.C., and the area was the site of several great empires until the �00’s B.C. Babylonia produced the first form of writing, a set of laws, and studies in mathematics, astronomy, and other sci-ences. Great leaders, such as Hammurabi, Nebuchadnez-zar II, Cyrus the Great, and Alexander the Great, were rul-ers of Babylonia. [This week’s study concentrates on early Babylonia, during the time of Hammurabi. We will return to the Babylonians in Week �� to study their later history, called New Babylon, with relation to Israel. Those will be the times of Nebuchadnezzar II and following.]

Way of life. Babylonian society was divided into various classes at various times. Usually, the aristocracy (upper class) included government officials, priests, large landowners, and some traders. The common people were craftworkers, clerks, and farmers. Slaves made up the lowest class.

The Babylonian economy depended chiefly on farm-ing. The king and nobles owned much of the land, and the temples also controlled large areas. The people built net-works of canals to carry water from the Tigris and Euphra-tes rivers to the fields. Landlords maintained the canals on their property, and the use of water was carefully regulated. Babylonian farmers harvested large crops of grain, vegeta-bles, and fruits.

Industry and trade were well developed. The Babylo-nians exported manufactured goods and perhaps some farm products to all parts of the Middle East. Traders brought back metal, wood, and stone–raw materials which Babylonia lacked. The people began using wheeled carts and chariots about �500 B.C. The Sumerians, who were the first recorded inhabitants of Babylonia, built huts out of reeds and mud. Because the land had no stone or large trees, the people also used baked or sun-dried bricks for their houses and temples [eventually developing a collection of walled cities]. Some Babylonian temples and palaces included many colorfully decorated rooms and courtyards. The ziggurats (temple towers) that stood in the important cities were the most impressive Babylonian buildings. The Babylonians discovered and used many technical devices in erecting buildings. They paid careful attention to drainage, used slightly curved lines in high walls to keep them from appearing top-heavy, and developed mathematical measuring techniques.

Language and literature. About �500 B.C., the Sumerians began to produce written records in Babylonia. The writing consisted of picturelike symbols scratched on lumps of clay. These symbols later were modified to produce cuneiform writing. The use of cuneiform probably lasted until about A.D. 75.

Archaeologists have found hundreds of thousands of cuneiform tablets in Babylonia and as far away as Egypt. The tablets are in Sumerian and in various dialects of Akkadian, the Semitic language of Babylon itself. They include

� Excerpted from a World Book article entitled Babylonia. Contributor: John A. Brinkman, Ph.D., Charles H. Swift Distinguished Service Prof., Oriental Institute, Univ. of Chicago.

Cuneiform�, pronounced kyoo NEE uh fawrm, was a system of writing used by the people of ancient Middle Eastern civilizations. It became widespread long be-fore the development of modern alphabets. The word cuneiform comes from the Latin word cuneus, mean-ing wedge. Cuneiform characters are made up of small wedges, each of which is broad at one end and pointed at the other. Most cuneiform writings were inscribed on rectangular clay tablets. The characters were made with a wedge-shaped tool called a stylus, while the clay was still wet. The tablets were then dried in the sun. The characters also were inscribed in metal and stone. Scholars have had difficulty translating cuneiform writing because many of the characters represent either words or syllables. In addition, many ancient peoples developed their own interpretations of cuneiform sym-bols, and so one character may have several meanings. Cuneiform was probably developed by the Sumerian people as a shortened form of picture writing. The earli-est known cuneiform inscriptions were found in the lower Tigris-Euphrates Valley in what is now south-eastern Iraq. They date from about �000 B.C. The most recent cuneiform clay tablet was written about A.D. 75, near the beginning of the Christian Era. Sumerian cuneiform symbols are more complex than those of other peoples. The Sumerians and Babylonians used about 600 characters, which ranged from a single wedge to complicated signs consisting of �0 or more wedges. The Hittites used about �50 characters, the Elamites about �00, and the Persians only �9. Since �800, several hundred thousand cuneiform clay tablets and stone inscriptions have been discovered. These inscriptions, on exhibit in museums throughout the world, help scholars broaden their knowledge about early human history. � From the World Book article entitled Cuneiform. Contributor: Leonard H. Lesko, Ph.D., Charles Edwin Wilbour Professor of Egyptology and Chairman, Department of Egyptology, Brown University.

Teacher’s n

oTes

��

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5historical and legal documents; letters; economic records; literary and religious texts; and studies in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and magic.

The Sumerians and Semites kept business records. They produced religious texts giving accounts of rituals, and mythological stories ex-plaining past and present events. Late in the Sumerian period, around �000 B.C., scribes (writers) wrote some law codes.

When the Semites adopted the cuneiform system for their own language, they also borrowed many of the Sumerian stories. But they changed the mythological accounts of creation and of the actions of the gods to fit their own religious system. Most famous of these accounts are the Creation Story and the Epic of Gilgamesh. The first tells the story of the creation of the world by the god Marduk, patron god of the city of Babylon. The second describes a great flood similar to the story found in the Bible. The Semites also created the set of laws called the Code of Hammurabi. The Akkadian-speaking Assyrians wrote about the adventures of kings and their armies after the early Babylonian period.

Mathematical and astronomical texts show that the ancient Babylonians had developed the 360-degree circle and the 60-minute hour. They also understood fractions, squares, and square roots, and could predict eclipses of the sun and moon.

History. The first settlers probably came to Babylonia about 5000 B.C. Historians do not agree on where these people came from. [This timeframe and location dovetails well with the arrival of the sons of Noah.]

The Sumerians were among the earliest invaders of Babylonia. They learned to drain the swamps, and to make bricks from mud. They farmed, dug canals, and raised livestock. Craftworkers made objects of clay, stone, bone, wood, and metal. The Sumerian age of small, independent city-states began about �000 B.C., and lasted until around ��00 B.C. Such cities as Ur, Uruk, Kish, Umma, and Lagash waged local wars. Each ruled its neighboring areas at times. Umma gained the most power but was conquered along with the rest of Sumer by inhabitants of Babylonia called Semites.

The Semites. A Semitic ruler, Sargon of Akkad, conquered Babylonia during the ��00’s B.C. He took his Akkadi-an army north and west to the Mediterranean Sea and east into Iran. The Akkadians combined Sumerian civilization with their own culture. Sargon’s successors held the empire together for more than 60 years, until invaders overran it.

These invaders remained in Babylonia a short time. For about a hundred years, Ur controlled the rest of Sumer. Elamites then invaded, and the disruption they caused helped permit the growth of the first Babylonian Empire.

Babylonian civilization flourished between �800 and �600 B.C., under Hammurabi and other kings. Between 6�6 and 5�9 B.C., it enjoyed a revival under such kings as Nebuchadnezzar II.

Note that these Semitic groups included the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Amorites. See Week �� Teacher’s Notes if you want to overview the entire flow of the Babylonian culture up to its final absorption into the Roman Empire. Note that these Semite groups included the Amorite and Canaanite civilizations.

World Book details on Old Babylon�

King Sumu-abum, the first important Babylonian ruler, founded a dynasty (rule by one family) in �89� B.C. The best-known king of that dynasty was Hammurabi, who ruled from �79� to �750 B.C., and won fame for developing a wise and fair code of law. When Hammurabi came to the throne, Babylon was one of several small kingdoms in Meso-potamia. This area, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, included what is now eastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and most of Iraq. Hammurabi conquered all the other kingdoms and established the Old Babylonian Empire.

During Hammurabi’s reign, Babylon had several magnificent palaces and temples. Private houses lined the city’s narrow, twisting streets. A typical house had a central courtyard surrounded by rooms. A large wall surrounded the city to defend it from invaders. The wall had several gates, and merchants held markets at the gates, trading slaves, food, textiles, building materials, and livestock. Babylonian traders traveled west to Syria and other countries, north to As-

� Excerpted from an article in World Book entitled Babylon. Contributor: John A. Brinkman, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Mesopotamic History, Oriental Institute, University of Chicago.

Nimrod�, in the Bible, was a mighty ruler and builder of cities. He was a grandson of Ham, one of Noah’s sons. Nimrod lived hundreds of years after the Deluge, during a time when people were wandering over the Earth. His kingdom included the cities of Akkad, Babylon, and Uruk, all in pres-ent-day Iraq. Also, Nimrod founded the city of Nineveh, in what is now northern Iraq. He became famous as a hunter, and today people sometimes refer to a skillful hunter as a Nimrod. Nimrod is mentioned in Genesis �0: 8-�0.

� From a World Book article entitled Nimrod.

Teac

her’s

no

Tes

��

syria and south to kingdoms along the Persian Gulf. They often traded textiles and grain for gold, silver, and precious stones. Babylonian society during Hammurabi’s reign had three classes. These classes were citizens, commoners, and

slaves. Citizens worked mainly as farmers, merchants, or craftworkers. Little is known about commoners, though they clearly lacked all the rights of citizens. Slaves formed the lowest class. But they could own property, conduct busi-ness, borrow money, and even buy their freedom. Free women could own property and had other legal rights. Fathers usually selected husbands for their daughters.

The Old Babylonian Empire lost most of its territory soon after Hammurabi’s death. Babylon remained an impor-tant political and cultural power, but its rulers did not try to extend its power. The Assyrian Empire took control of Babylon during the 700’s B.C. However, the city resisted Assyrian rule, and King Sennacherib of Assyria [of Biblical fame] destroyed Babylon in 689 B.C. Sennacherib’s son Esarhaddon rebuilt Babylon �� years later.

Before beginning your discussion, please read the following. Historical Background section of the Teacher’s Notes.Geography Background seciton of the Teacher’s Notes.Review the sample answers to the Sumerian culture chart given below and, if necessary, review information on Egyptian culture from Weeks �-� so that you can discuss similarities and differences between the two cultures with your student.

hisTory: dialecTic discUssion oUTline Your goals for discussion this week are twofold: first, to review factual information about the Mesopotamian

(Sumerian) culture with your student, and secondly, to help him make comparisons (connections) between Sumerian and Egyptian cultures. Our Year � study will involve surveys of many ancient cultures around the world. Rhetoric students will focus attention on the commonalities and differences between cultures, the reasons for these, and biblical analyses of the worldviews reflected in each culture (ultimately for the purpose of developing a deeper understand-ing of the nature of humankind). Teachers of Dialectic students, by contrast, should work primarily to help students build a solid factual knowledge of the various cultures, and, secondarily, point out connections (both similarities and differences) between cultures. You are laying groundwork, so that in the next rotation these students will have a solid grounding in the facts of the study and can more easily focus on the analysis element of their study.

�st Hour: Go over your student’s answers in his chart on the Sumerians.There are several ways to do this if you have multiple children. You can start by asking who got what for row �,

“Centers of Population.” Field answers, affirming students’ attempts whenever possible, and adjusting any wrong information. You can write answers up on the white board, or simply require students to add any facts they missed to their personal charts.

As with previous weeks, if you only have one student, this activity may not take an hour. Even with one student, though, we suggest that you have him share his answers orally, and be sure to take time to enjoy with him the wonder of interesting facts and unusual tidbits.

Sumerians

Cent

ers o

f Po

pulat

ion Progressed from villages clustered by rivers to towns—eventually to true cities.

A few of the larger settlements grew into city-states.Sargon conquered surrounding city-states, establishing the first known empire, with Akkad as its capital.Late dynastic periods show wealthy towns with sophisticated houses.

Gove

rnm

ent At first, each city run by council of elders.

Lugals were wartime leaders who at first led campaigns, but eventually developed into kings.Overrun at various times by invaders; regained control sometimes.City-state independent, but warred against one another.

Teacher’s n

oTes

��

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5Re

ligio

us

Belie

fs Basic polytheism: Sumerians worshipped hundreds of gods and goddesses.

They believed it was important to placate them or they would be punished.Early temples were simple. Eventually, temples became ziggurats.

Writ

ten

Wor

ks

First writing was pictographs.Developed cuneiform Had a wide variety of literature, including The Epic of Gilgamesh

Arts

/ Scie

nces

Helmets and crowns of gold/bronzeJewelryClay figures/potsCasting of molten metalsMath: First divided 360 degree circles and division of hours/minutes into 60 unitsAstronomyMedicine and physicians

Occu

patio

ns

FarmersArtisans: copper, bronze, clay, textilesMerchants/tradersArchitects: ziggurats

Inve

ntio

ns/

Achi

evem

ents

CuneiformCopper, gold, and silver artistryBronze workTrade of agricultural products, cloth, and manufactured goods for timber, stone, and metals with Mediter-ranean settlements/Persian Gulf culturesDeveloped the arch (architecture)Some resources credit the invention of the wheel to the Sumerians.

2nd Hour: Discuss answers to the Thinking Questions

The story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 10 pre-dates the Egyptian civilization we’ve been studying. What similarities do you see between tower builders of Mesopotamia and pyramid builders of Egypt? What are some differences between them? Both cultures believed that the Gods lived “on high” and these structures had religious significance. Ziggurats had step-like sides, and were usually rectangular, whereas pyramids were more sophisticated in both shape and finish (being smooth sided). Ziggurats were platforms for temples (which were built on their summits); pyramids were tombs for pharaohs (who were believed to be semi-divine). What were the most surprising things you learned this week about the accomplishments of the Mesopotamian civilizations? Why did these things surprise you? Answers will vary. The important thing is to require students to share, and to back up their answers with factual data. Hopefully, students will appreciate the admirable achievements in arts, sciences, literature, and architec-ture of this very early culture.In what ways were the Sumerians most like the Egyptians? Again, answers will vary since this is a matter of opinion. Probably, students will note that it was a society built around farming and near a major source of water: the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. They also built large towers (ziggurats or pyramids) and had systems of writing. There are other acceptable answers as well.What were the ways in which the Sumerians most differed from the Egyptians? Another opinion question, and make sure students support their answers with facts. Common ideas are that Sumerians used cuneiform rather than hieroglyphics, that they differed in their artistic and scientific achieve-ments, and that they had differing governmental structures. Egyptians were unified under one supreme ruler; the Sumerians were organized as a set of independent city-states that often warred with each other.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Teac

her’s

no

Tes

��

hisTory: rheToric discUssion oUTline

�st Hour: Discuss the Sumerians (early Babylonians), beginning with geography:Begin your cultural analysis with a discussion of the ways that geography as the God-ordained stage that affects every culture and all of history.Ask if Sumerian houses differed from ours.

Yes! They were made of sun-baked mud bricks, not wood or stone. Why? Few trees or stones around and a HOT climate made mud bricks the obvious choice for shelter.

Discuss other ways that geography affects culture. Ask leading questions to cover the following information:For instance, why are some cultures centered around farming and others around livestock (nomadic)? Some

cultures are urban and some agricultural. Some cultures center on warfare (because no geographical barriers protect them naturally) while others de-

velop the arts or sciences. Note that religious practices differ because of geographic infludences? (Ziggurats and pyramids were built

in regions that had no mountains, mummification would not work in wetter regions, and nature-god deities vary vastly from culture to culture.)

Ask why early Sumerians seldom traded with ancient Egyptians in the early days of their culture (which is the period we are studying this week). The Arabian Desert separated them. Both cultures had enough of essential goods, initially. Trade did develop over time. The common trade route followed the Euphrates River north and west, and then arched southward to follow the sea (and a few rivers) down through what is now Israel, across the desert, and to Egypt. God built the nation of Israel right on a “highway” in the Ancient World. This fact profoundly affected Israel’s history.

If you didn’t know that the Sumerians predated the Egyptians, and had to guess, what facts about these cultures would have tipped you off as to their relative ages? Sumerian culture was, in many ways, less sophisticated than Egyptian culture. The buildings were less impressive, the government was more fractured, and the artifacts left are more crude. Of course, all of these could be explained by a shorter lived culture as well.List three significant differences between the Egyptian and Sumerian cultures. Prepare to give your ideas of rea-sons for these differences in class. Answers here will vary, but it’s important that the students give specific, supportive facts for their assertions. Ap-plaud theories that are derived from such facts, and press students who don’t supply factual underpinnings to do so. Some significant differences include: governmental structure, overall size (warring city states were much smaller units individually), writing systems, deities and worship practices, and achievements in arts and sciences.What do you think was the most significant achievement of the early Sumerians? Be prepared to share why this seems like the most significant. Again, answers will vary, and the teacher should draw out the students as to their criteria for the term “significant.” Are they thinking about eternal significance, cultural significance, or historical significance? Take some time to define this term, then let the students articulate their views. Such things as cuneiform, Hammurabi’s law code, the Epic of Gilgamesh, or the role of early Sumerians in Bible stories, such as the Tower of Babel.Think about the tools that Sumerian workers (both farmers and craftsmen) had to work with. Which of their ac-complishments is most surprising to you, given their technological limitations? Once again, this is an opinion question that demands a thoughtful, fact-supported answer. Students might choose to cite scientific knowledge (the 360 degrees of a circle or the accurate division of hours/minutes in to 60’s). Alternately, they might feel that their literary achievements (Epic of Gilgamesh or cuneiform writing) are most impressive. Fi-nally, they may be most impressed with the Sumerians’ achievements in building, architecture, or crafts.

2nd Hour: Focus discussion on the religious beliefs of the early Mesopotamian cultures:Note their polytheism.The Tower of Babel probably resembled a ziggurat: a huge tower with a Babylonian temple at the summit. It would, no doubt, have been used to sacrifice to pagan gods after it was constructed, hence its offensiveness to God.The lands and cities we are studying this week are those of Abram’s world. He was called out of prosperous Ur,

�.

�.

�.

�.

5.

�.�.

�.

Teacher’s n

oTes

�5

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5which for that day was a civilized setting with the comforts of a stationary society. Abram was a wealthy man who was called by a God he could not see to a life of nomadic wandering. Next week, we’ll study Abram’s life after he left Ur. For now, realize that the things we discuss today were things he saw or experienced every day.Discuss what Abram’s friends and extended family might have said when he became the worshipper of one, unseen God whom he claimed was “over all other gods” and supremely powerful.

governMenT: BackgroUnd inforMaTion World Book on Hammurabi�

Hammurabi, pronounced hah mu RAH bee (?-�750 B.C.), also spelled Hammurabi, was a king of Babylonia who expanded his kingdom into the first great Babylonian empire. He also assembled one of the earliest written collections of laws, the Code of Hammurabi.

Hammurabi ruled Babylonia from �79� to �750 B.C. When he came to the throne, his kingdom consisted of the city of Babylon (near present-day Al Hillah, Iraq) and some surrounding territory. Babylonia was a small kingdom in Mesopotamia, a region that covered most of modern Iraq and parts of Syria and Turkey. Hammurabi conquered all the other kingdoms south to the Persian Gulf and united them under the Old Babylonian Empire. But most of the kingdoms regained their independence after his death.

Hammurabi based his code of laws on older collections of Sumerian and Akkadian laws, which he revised and expanded. One principle of the Code of Hammurabi is that “the strong shall not oppress the weak.” The code begins with a prologue (introduction) celebrating Hammurabi’s military victories. He promises to treat conquered peoples justly and says he honors their gods. The provisions of the code cover many legal matters, including false accusation, witchcraft, military ser-vice, land and business regulations, family laws, tariffs, wages, trades, loans, and debts.

In �90� and �90� in southwestern Iran, Vincent Scheil, a French archaeologist, unearthed several of the stone monuments on which the code was carved. The monuments lay in the ruins of Susa, capital of the ancient kingdom of Elam. An Elamite king had taken them there as a war trophy.

Much of what scholars know about Old Babylonian society and how it was divided into social classes comes from the Code of Hammurabi. The code also provides a valuable example of Akkadian, the ancient Babylonian language in which it is written.

governMenT: rheToric discUssion oUTline Rhetoric-level students working for credit in Government this year should continue adding credit hours this week.

Have your student do some research on the actual laws that Hammurabi wrote.� (There are two links to online cop-ies of Hammurabi’s Code linked to the Year � Government page of the Tapestry website.) Have him fill in the middle column of the chart he began in Week �. He will finish this chart during Week 8.

Ask what your student thinks of these laws. Does he think the laws were good? Are they just? Why, or why not? How do they compare to Egyptian laws? How about American laws?

If you are too busy to review the laws with him, assign him the task of summarizing and explaining Hammurabi’s Code to you in such a way that you could understand why someone would or would not think they were good laws. If your student can explain them to you well enough for you to understand their gist using specific examples, then he has understood them adequately.

It is important that you talk with your Government student about the distinctive aspects of written law codes (as opposed to verbal commands or decrees, or unwritten constitutions):

They are not easily changed at the whim of the ruler.They are widely known in a literate society, and therefore can be both obeyed and discussed.They clearly articulate the values held dear in this ancient society.

� From a World Book article entitled Hammurabi. Contributor: Norman Yoffee, Ph.D., Prof., Department of Near Eastern Studies, Univ. of Michigan.� Note: this may daunt him—there is so much more detail than there was for Egyptian law. Have him focus on broad outlines and prin-ciples, rather than detailed rules or punishments. For instance, how free were women to marry whom they chose?

�.

Teac

her’s

no

Tes

�6

egypTian laW BaBylonian laW Mosaic laW

soUr

ce o

f Thi

s co

de

Laws date from the New Kingdom forward.Were based on royal decrees and precedent law (laws that relied on earlier judgments).

☐

☐

That Hammurabi’s code is not the earliest is now accepted, but it is nevertheless the most extensive early code that has been discovered.It is thought that many cases and contracts were adjudicated and recorded, and that Hammurabi’s contribution was to organize and codify.

☐

☐

civ

il l

aW

s

Children were expected to look after parents and arrange funerals.People entered into binding con-tracts that scribes recorded.They took one another to court frequently and spoke for themselves there (no lawyers).

☐

☐

☐

Many people entered into contracts to buy, sell, lease, barter, etc. These were recorded, notarized, and then solemnized by being presented to “god and king.”Divides the population into three categories: patricians, freemen, and slaves. Different privileges, responsibilities, and punishments applied to each group.

☐

☐

cri

Min

al l

aW

s

The Medjay (former Nubian mercen-aries) were stationed in towns and cities.They were the “policemen.” They guarded cemeteries and borders as well.

☐

☐

Ruling principle: eye for an eye; tooth for a tooth. If hand offended, it was cut off. If leg offended, it was cut off—literally.Criminal offences included lies, cheating, stealing, willful misrepresentation, violent conflicts, etc.

☐

☐

sTa

TUs o

f Wo

Men

Women in Egypt were the most privileged in the Ancient World. Had same legal rights and obliga-tions as men.Women took same oaths as men, faced same penalties.Wife was entitled to maintenance by husband. “Dowry” goods remained wife’s possession after marriage.

☐

☐

☐

☐

Marriage retained aspects of buying/sell-ing. There was always a marriage contract. Fathers had total control over their daughters, who could be married, sold as slaves, or given as concubines, or devoted to the gods as a vestal virgin.Women brought a dowry to the marriage, which remained her property and descended to her children.Men paid a bride-price, which was given by the father to the wife on her wedding day.If there was divorce, the woman got custody of all children.Women could sue for neglect or abuse, but if they lost in court, they were drowned.If a woman became a widow, she could marry again with the court’s permission, or stay unmarried in her husband’s house, raising the children.Women could act as judges, witnesses, and elders in court cases.

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

Chart continued, next page...

Teacher’s n

oTes

�7

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5egypTian laW BaBylonian laW Mosaic laW

enfo

rceM

enT /

adM

inis

Tra

Tion

Day to day jurisdiction under a court system. Each town had its own court (kenbetI). Important men served as local judges, and sometimes traveled to the country-side to judge cases.There were upper, district courts (Court of Listeners) under super-vision of the district governor.There were two Great Courts (one for Upper Egypt and one for Lower Egypt) under the Vizier.No lawyers; people spoke for them-selves.Judges sometimes consulted oracles.Bribes forbidden, but seem to have been widely used.Witnesses had to take an oath and if found lying or concealing infor-mation, could be beaten.Scribes kept court records and drew up contracts: wills, marriage settle-ments, business deals.

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

There was a well-established legal system complete with judges who remained on the bar for life, once appointed.People pled their own cases; there seems to have been no professional advocacy.Pleas had to be submitted in writing.After the judge read the plea, he called wit-nesses, who were put under oath.A bench of judges tried important cases.The decision was always recorded in writing, witnessed by judges, elders, and a scribe, and then sealed.

☐

☐

☐☐

☐☐

pUn

ishM

enTs

Accused were innocent until proven guilty.Punishments: fines, flogging, hard labor, mutilation, exile, or death.Ancient World says there were no prisons, but both Joseph and his brothers languished in one.

☐

☐

☐

Fines were the most common punishments.Intention was considered: unintentional crimes had lighter penalties. Branding was used to punish slander.The death penalty frequently applied to theft of all kinds— goods, property, persons (in-cluding theft of slaves, or the illegal purchase thereof), etc.Exile was the penalty for crimes such as incest.

☐☐

☐☐

☐

liTeraTUre: loWer level qUesTions and ansWers

Upper GrammarOptional Discussion questions for Gilgamesh The King, The Revenge of Ishtar, and The Last Quest of Gilgamesh by Ludmila ZemanBook �: Gilgamesh The King

In this story, the god-man Gilgamesh doesn’t know what it is to be human, and he was lonely and unhappy as a result. He grew bitter and cruel. Look up John �:��-�5. How does this account contrast with the Bible’s account of Jesus? Was Jesus ever bitter or cruel? Comparing Gilgamesh with Jesus will be very important, since this version presents Gilgamesh as half man, half God. (Somehow, in the original, he’s 2/3 god and 1/3 human, and mortal into the bargain!) In the opening introduction to this god-king, we are told that he doesn’t know what it is to be human, and is lonely and unhappy because he has no friends, and so he turns bitter and cruel. Jesus, of course, knew what was in men. He had perfect communion with His Father, and was never in doubt about how to relate to men. He was never bitter or cruel. He was also the only One Who was ever truly man and God: not half of each, but fully both.

�.

Teac

her’s

no

Tes

�8

What did Gilgamesh decide to do to show people how powerful and great he was, and cause them to remember him forever? Did Jesus seek to show forth His power and glory? What did He do that we will remember forever? He decided to build a very high wall around his city, using forced labor of his subjects. Jesus never sought His own glory; however, His glory was manifested in His role as a suffering servant. He laid down His life for His enemies, who were also His subjects, since He was always the lawful King of this world.Does this decision of Gilgamesh’s remind you of a Bible story you read this week? How? Yes, it should remind students of the story of the Tower of Babel, where men who did not remember the Lord God sought to make a name for themselves through a great building project.This tale states that Enkidu is sent to learn from the animals, since Gilgamesh learns nothing from humans. What does this say about the pagan view of both animals and people? Animals were seen as creatures who were incapable of malicious evil, and therefore, in ways, superior to humans. See verses in the sidebar, page 5, that show that humankind is the pinnacle of God’s creation, not animals. God should be man’s model for kindness and compassion, not animals.What character trait in Enkidu caused Gilgamesh to change? What character trait did God show us when we were His enemies? Mercy. God’s mercy, expressed in sending His Son to die for His enemies, also changes us but we cannot see it without the Holy Spirit’s help.

Book 2: The Revenge of IshtarWhat does Ishtar want of Gilgamesh? For him to come to heaven and be her husband. (In the full version, he’s to be her lover.)Why does he refuse to go? He says her riches and power cannot tempt him, since he has built a great city, has the love of his people, and a friend who is willing to die for him and needs nothing more. Discuss with your students if this would be enough for them.Why does Ishtar send the sickness to Enkidu? To wreak revenge on Gilgamesh. Ask students what kind of a goddess this is who tempts Gilgamesh to abandon his friends and city and live with her for her own selfish pleasure, and then seeks to hurt him in every way possible when he rejects her. How different from the LORD, our God!Of what does Gilgamesh become aware when Enkidu dies? That he, too, is mortal. Point out that this is surprising since he is partly divine. One wonders what being divine really means to these people.Why does Gilgamesh decide to go on his last quest? He is suddenly terrified of dying just as Enkidu has. He desires to escape death. All humans share this wish; only God has provided a way out of this dilemma through the Cross of Christ!Do you think that Gilgamesh will succeed in finding the secret? Why, or why not? Answers will vary.What have we learned about the true reasons for man’s mortality? The Genesis account we read last week tells us that death is the result of man’s desire to get good and avoid evil apart from God, and his direct disobedience to God’s clear command. How does a person live forever? By accepting the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ for his or her sins.

Book 3: The Last Quest of GilgameshWhat is Gilgamesh’s quest? To find the secret of immortality. Clearly, the pagan world had no idea that a loving God would die so that they might enjoy eternal life with Him. Sad, isn’t it?What do all the beings that he meets along the way warn him of? That his quest will fail, as it then does. The pagan view is that though men may try their hardest to cheat death, or learn by their own means how to avoid it, though they may be brave and worthy, yet in the end, death comes to all and cannot be escaped. What a despairing way to live!Is there any significance to the lion? The last page of this book explains that the author is trying to incorporate visual symbols of the culture. Gilgamesh is often depicted as flanked by two lions, indicating his courage. This author chooses to include the lion cub.

�.

�.

�.

5.

�.

�.

�.

�.

5.

6.7.

�.

�.

�.

Teacher’s n

oTes

�9

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5What are the similarities and differences between the Biblical account of Noah’s flood and this book’s account of Utnapishtim? Because Utnapishtim was a “good man” he was warned of the impending flood. Noah “ found favor with God.” This favor was based on the fact that “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.” The flood in the epic is much shorter than Noah’s flood (and in the fuller version the gods who decreed it cower at its vehemence and repent having sent it). Noah and Utnapishtim both find their boats come to rest on a mountain, they both wait for the waters to recede, and both give thanks (in the fuller version, Utnapishtim also sacri-fices an animal as a thank offering, as does Noah). In the epic, the gods descend to bestow immortality on Utnapish-tim and his wife; in the Bible account, Noah lives on (and sins!) until he is old, and then dies a natural death.Why does he not succeed? He is weak, mortal. He sleeps twice (during the story and after procuring the plant) and twice loses his prize.Why did you think the snake ate the flower? It seems the pagan world really could not support the concept that man would succeed in successfully appropriating the flower of eternal youth. Interesting that the angry and spiteful goddess would assume the shape of a snake, isn’t it?What do you think is the message of the book? Answers will vary. One answer is: that immortality is to be found only in the works we do, not in eternal existence. Also, that immortality is to be found in buildings and in people’s hearts. Discuss this with your child in light of bibli-cal truth: see verses in the sidebars on pages 5-6.

Answers to Upper Grammar Worksheet on The Gilgamesh TrilogyGilgamesh the King

6, �, �, 5, �, 7, �

The Revenge of IshtarThe friendship of Enkidu caused Gilgamesh to learn to care for others.The monster Humbaba had attacked the city.Enkidu comforted him during these dreams and sleepless nights.The men continued their journey on foot.The goddess Ishtar sent the winds to help Gilgamesh and Enkidu.Gilgamesh rejected Ishtar’s offer of marriage.They had saved the city from the monsters.

The Last Quest of GilgameshThe spirit of ShamhatTwo giant scorpionsSiduriWaters of DeathIshtar

Answers to Dialectic Students’ Discussion Questions Your student’s answers could vary slightly if you choose a different version.

Look up the term “epic.” Write out a definition. Does this work fulfill that definition? An epic is a long poem that tells of the adventures of one or more great heroes. (From World Book) This version is written in prose, but point out the fact that the original is considered to be epic poetry.Who are the three main characters? Describe each in a sentence or two. Your student may choose a different character than Ishtar. That will be fine as long as the student displays an under-standing of his/her opposition of Gilgamesh.Gilgamesh-A powerful king who never loses a battle, Gilgamesh is also a “tyrant and a marvel…a blessing and a

curse…a dream and a nightmare.” One of his great desires is immortality.Enkidu-Created out of clay by the gods, he wrestles Gilgamesh, but eventually the two become fast friends. When

Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh experiences rage beyond what he has ever before felt, although he realizes that Enkidu is but mortal.

�.

5.

6.

7.

�.

�.

Teac

her’s

no

Tes

�0

Ishtar-Known as the goddess of love, she tempts Gilgamesh with marriage. Gilgamesh rejects her, and so she declares that she will destroy him.

Compare Gilgamesh to Jesus. Gilgamesh has no perception of the plight of a common man, and is considered part-god, part-man. Contrary to this, Jesus is all-man, all-God, and could relate to all of humankind. How are the gods portrayed? Compare these deities to the Lord our God. The gods are described as being petty, argumentative, and jealous. They lead through terror and cruelty. Jesus Christ is the opposite in that he defines love itself.What are the main points of conflict in this account? Answers could vary, but look for at least these three conflicts.The death of EnkiduThe conflicts between Gilgamesh and the godsGilgamesh’s search for immortality.What do you think are the messages of this epic? Answers will vary, but could be centered on the fact that all men are mortal, or that the quest for everlasting life can only be found through Christ.Do you see parallels with Biblical stories? What differences between these stories did you observe? Creation-In Gilgamesh, man was created to finish the work of the gods. In the Bible, man was created for com-

munion with God.Flood-In this epic, the big boat was built by Utnapishtim, and the flood came because of the noise of the people.

Biblically, the ark was built by Noah, and the flood came because of the sin of the people. This version of Gil-gamesh describes the size of the boat, the number of animals taken on board, and the length of the storm.

What does this literature reveal about the values of the Sumerian culture? How are men, women, leaders, and friends viewed? It is possible that you will have to direct your student toward this answer. Encourage him to think about his history readings for this week to form his conclusion. The Sumerian culture valued daring and profi-ciency in battle more than the people themselves. In addition, women are usually enemies of men.

liTeraTUre: rheToric discUssion oUTline

This discussion outline is for the assigned reading in From Distant Days: Myths, Tales, and Poetry of Ancient Mesopotamia, translated by Benjamin R. Foster, and the Norton’s Anthology of Western Literature, 8th Edition.

Literary Background�

This week we will focus mostly on outlining and understanding key characteristics of Akkadian literature. The time spent on this sort of analysis will serve your student well in upcoming assignments! For example, next week he will take a quiz which encompasses information from Gilgamesh (Norton), and from both the introduction and the glossary of proper names in Benjamin R. Foster’s anthology. Everything your student reads this week is “fair game” for next week’s quiz, so please encourage him to keep the charts that he will make this week. You may also wish to ensure that his charts correspond to the samples found in this discussion outline, which form the body of information from which he will be quizzed.

Discussion Outline This week’s discussion of actual poetry will be abbreviated, because there is so much Literary Background information to consider. First, please make sure that your student has correctly defined the following terms (one of them is already filled in for him, since he will not be able to easily extract it from his text), and has properly filled in his charts for Benjamin R. Foster’s Distant Days introduction (�-8).

� For this week, please consider reading the Norton introduction to Gilgamesh (Norton, �5-�8) and the introduction in Benjamin R. Foster’s From Distant Days: Myths, Tales, and Poetry of Ancient Mesopotamia (�-8). Familiarizing yourself with these few pages will give you a solid grounding from which to teach your student, not only this week and next week, but also in Unit �, when we will return again to Benjamin R. Foster’s anthology.

�.

�.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Teacher’s n

oTes

��

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5Subject for recitation or reading aloud from this week is: Gilgamesh, Tablet XI: lines ��6-�58 (Norton, page �0).

Your student has been asked to define “Akkadian literature” from Benjamin R. Foster’s introduction in Distant Days.Definition of “Akkadian literature”: Literature written in the Akkadian tongue, which is “a Semitic language spoken and written in Babylonia and Assyria from about 2500 B.C. to the beginning of the Christian era” (Benjamin R. Foster, 1).Your student has been instructed to fill in the following charts from Benjamin R. Foster’s introduction in Distant Days. (Italicized answers are those the student should have attempted to supply.)

Norton, �5-��; From Distant Days, �-8, ��-��8.

Formal Elements Definition

ParallelismRepeated reformulation of the same message such that subsequent statements of it restate, expand, complete, contrast, make more specific, complement, or carry further the first statement (Benjamin R. Foster, 4).

Repetition Restatement of a thought in the same words, or with only slight changes (Benjamin R. Foster, 6).

The Akkadian Verse Line

Unlike Egyptian poetry, which commonly employs the “thought couplet” (one sentence or complete thought given in two lines of verse), the Akkadian verse line conveys each sentence in only one line of verse.

Genre or Subject Themes

Acts of GodsRivalry between the godsThe unequal relationship between gods and menSpeeches or writings of gods which are given to men (usually kings)

Kings Kingship and the deeds of kings

Devotional (hymns, prayers, and magic)

Hymns celebrate attributes of deitiesPrayers ask for help and relief for humanityMagic spells seek to relieve personal and social needs, achieve personal and social advancement, or combat demons and black magic.

Love Celebration of marriageCommentary on fornication and prostitution (“casual” and “commercial” sex)

HumorCrude humorAcademic humorFolktale humor

Wisdom Proverbs, advice, and observations“How to” on satisfaction, success, or understanding of morality

3. From the glossary of proper names in Benjamin R. Foster’s anthology (433-4380), your student has been asked to fill out the following chart. If there is no information for a particular box, he has been asked to put an “X” there instead. If your student isn’t sure about a piece of information, he has been instructed to fill it in anyway and put a “?” after it. This can be a challenging assignment, so be sure to help your student to fully fill in his chart from the sample answers after he has attempted it for himself.

�.

�.

Teac

her’s

no

Tes

��

Deity AttributesLocation

Cult City Nation or Region

Anshar/Assur

Father of Anu, later equated with Assur in order to make Assur, chief god of Assyria, seem more important than Babylonian Marduk.

Assur Sumerian/Assyrian

Antu Wife of Anu. X Sumerian

Anu Son of Anshar, sky god. Uruk Sumerian

Dagan/Adad Son of Anu X Middle/Upper Euphrates

Shala Wife of Dagan/Adad X Sumerian?

Girra Son of Dagan/Adad, god of fire X Sumerian

EnlilSon of Anu, chief god of Sumerian pantheon. Ruled earth, was lord of destinies and responsibilities of other gods.

Nippur Sumerian

Ishtar/Innana Daughter of Anu, goddess of love, sex, prostitution, and also goddess of war. Uruk, Arbela Sumerian

Pabilsag/Ninurta Son of Enlil, warrior and vegetation god, who is most famous for defeating Anzu. X Sumerian

Dumuzi/Tammuz Lover of Ishtar, once a human shepherd, god in the netherworld X Sumarian/Akkadian

Ereshkigal Queen of the netherworld (not married to Nergal) X Sumerian?

Nergal/Errakal King of the netherworld X Sumerian?

Shamash God of the sun, patron of truth, justice, and divination

Ebabbar, Sippar Sumerian?

Aya Wife of Shamash X Sumerian?

Ea/Enki God of wisdom, tricks, and clever solutions, as well as magic Eridu Sumerian

Damkina/Damgalnunna Wife of Ea X Sumerian

Marduk/Bel Son of Ea Babylon Babylonian

Sarpanitu Wife of Marduk X Babylonian?

Nabu Son of Marduk, scholar god, patron of scribes Ezida BabylonianBabylonian?

Tashmetu Wife of Nabu Babylonian?

Sin/Nanna Moon god Ur Sumerian

Ennugi Netherworld god X Sumerian?

Belet-ili Birth goddess X Sumerian

Teacher’s n

oTes

��

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 54. The following three topics were chosen, from both Distant Days and the Norton introduction to Gilgamesh, for

discussion. Please be sure to cover these points with your student.

The Relationship between Gods and Men – Distant Days, bottom of page � through top of page � Benjamin R. Foster mentions a number of interesting points about the stance which speakers of the Akkadian

language took towards the relationship between gods and men:�Gods and men are not equals; the gods are far above men.Human beings are created by the gods. They exist in order to serve the gods, housing and feeding them,

and removing any need for the gods to work.Humans are mortal, but the gods are immortal.“Humans can never be certain that their actions, however well-intentioned, are pleasing or even acceptable

to the gods, who may punish, neglect, or destroy their subjects for no apparent or weighty reason”The gods are not required to act with justice and equity, though some of them choose to do so. “The gods

may lie, cheat, steal, and deceive each other, the very actions that human beings may be punished for.” In other words, the gods can act as they choose without punishment, but men must act virtuously if they wish to escape punishment.

These factors introduce both “drama” and “moral bleakness” into one’s concept of the universe.he picture created by these points is indeed one of “moral bleakness,” and it is, thankfully, an untrue picture.

A true depiction of reality shows that God is infinitely superior to man with regard to morality, and is not only man’s creator, but is also immensely worthy of man’s worship and devotion.

Not only does God’s nature make it impossible that He should lie, cheat, steal, or deceive, but also the same na-ture means that He loves His creatures, and, though he may justly punish or even destroy them, He will never unjustly or capriciously punish, neglect, or destroy them. God never does anything for “no reason” (though it is true that His reasons are not always apparent to the limited human mind).

Finally, and most unlike the Akkadian gods, we find that the hallmark of God’s relationship with man is the unparalleled mercy and tenderness which He shows towards us, even while maintaining His divine justice and hatred of sin.

Realism – Distant Days, pages 2 and 8Benjamin R. Foster says in his introduction remarks, concerning subjects found in Akkadian literature, that

“Stories about gods and kings may seem narrative strategies for a culture that assigned little artistic value to the present or to empirically recognizable experience” (2). He develops this point further, warning that “Readers who approach these works as they would modern fiction, seeking dramatic development of a story, character growth, a sense of time and place, probability and verisimilitude, ending with resolution of conflict, are . . . urged to discard their familiar arsenal of expectations” (8). Please read through the following points with your student, in order to help them unpack Foster’s statements:First, let’s define some of our more difficult terms. A “narrative strategy” is a strategy for telling a story, or, more simply, it is a particular way of telling a

story. “Empirically recognizable experience” refers to experiences that we know about (recognize) through our

senses, through observation or experimentation. “Probability” and “verisimilitude” both express a sense of being “in the real world”—they refer to what is

probable (what might easily happen) and what is “similar to veracity” (similar to the true or real state of things).

What Foster is saying in this quote is that modern readers are used to a certain amount of something called “realism,” which, for our purposes, we will broadly define as “a narrative strategy that seeks to represent the world as it usually appears to our earthly senses.” In our definition, “earthly senses” roughly corresponds to what Foster means by “empirically recognizable experience.” Examples of realism in modern fiction would include such works as Anne of Green Gables, but would exclude The Chronicles of Narnia. This is because C.S. Lewis’ stories have elements that are not apparent to our earthly senses, such as, for example, talking animals. Anne of Green Gables, on the other hand, contains nothing that we could not see with our eyes, hear with our

� All of the following subpoints are either paraphrased or quoted from Benjamin R. Foster’s introduction to From Distant Days: Myths, Tales, and Poetry of Ancient Mesopotamia, �-�.

Teac

her’s

no

Tes

��

ears, taste with our tongues, etc. Thus, we would say that Anne is an example of realism, and The Chronicles are not.

Foster’s point, therefore, is that readers should expect to find Akkadian literature more like The Chronicles and less like Anne. Akkadian works are full of magic and gods and fantastic deeds, things that do not usually ap-pear before our earthly senses.

At the same time, we know from Scripture that reality is much more than what usually appears to our five senses—reality, for instance, may include an awareness of God. Furthermore, sometimes God acts in such a way that, though far out of the range of what usually happens, is immediately apparent to our earthly senses (I mean such acts as the parting of the Red Sea, or fire falling from Heaven, or Christ’s resurrection).

There is nothing wrong with realism as a literary term and as a literary technique. It is perfectly appropri-ate to want to depict the world as we see it with our eyes. However, we must be careful that our desire to be “realistic” does not lead to a rejection of elements which, though not usually apparent to our earthly senses, are nevertheless part of a complete picture of reality. We do not mean that animals really talk—however, we insist that God, however much He may usually be invisible to our five senses, is the central point of reality, and permeates it, and is always apparent to our spiritual senses.

Translations: Different Approaches – Norton, Intro to Gilgamesh, pages �7-�8Norton� includes two different translations of Tablet XI in its Gilgamesh selection, which gives us an opportu-

nity to make a comparison between them and between the methods chosen by these two translators. The issue of translation is an important one, since none of the texts which we will study this year were originally written in English, or even in a modern language. If you have studied or are studying a foreign language yourself, then you already understand some of the difficulties associated with translation work. If you have not, consider the following example, in which we will attempt to show the difficulty of translating even a simple Latin phrase like “Amor omnia vincit” into its generally-accepted English equivalent, “Love conquers all”:To begin with, each of these words has multiple meanings. “Amor” means “love,” but it also means “like”

and “Cupid”� and “sexual passion.” In a similar fashion, “vincit” can mean “conquer” or “outlast” or “suc-ceed,” and “omnia” could signify either “all things” or “every thing.”

Thus, two translators may produce divergent understandings of the phrase “Amor omnia vincit.” One might translate it as “Love conquers all,” and the other as “Cupid outlasts every thing.” Although these two are recognizable as cousins, they are certainly not the same “person,” nor even identical twins. One of them implies that love (love of all kinds, whether friendship-love or romantic love or familial love) is able overcome every obstacle, while the other asserts that the god of romantic love will outlast (though not necessarily overcome or conquer) every other thing. The implication is that he, Cupid, or perhaps Cupid as a symbol of romantic love, will still be alive after all else has died away. This is not at all the same idea as that which we found implied in the first translation.

Norton tells us a little bit about the approaches taken by each of these translators. One of them, Benjamin R. Foster, is already familiar to us as the man who authored From Distant Days. Norton tells us that he is “a pro-fessor and translator of ancient Near Eastern languages and literature . . . experienced in the verbal intricacies and stylistic peculiarities of Akkadian texts; his aim is to provide, in readable English, a close approximation of the ancient epic” (Norton, �7). The fact that we have chosen Foster as the translator whom we will be using for most of our studies in Akkadian literature indicates that we approve of his method and aims.

The other version of Tablet XI printed here is the brainchild of Stephen Mitchell, a “poet and acclaimed trans-lator of the twentieth-century German poet Ranier Maria Rilke,” whose aim is “not to reconstruct an ancient text but rather to transpose the epic of Gilgamesh into a fluent modern narrative that keeps the spirit of the original poem” (Norton, �7). Mitchell himself “does not read Akkadian,” and prefers to call his translation a “version” of Gilgamesh (Norton, �7). This is also a legitimate approach to the work, because it does not claim to be an authoritative translation, but does seek to be an accessible version, a “modern narrative” which, hope-fully, modern readers can understand and enjoy.

Although both of these methods are legitimate, they are not both appropriate for all translation projects.

� For the sake of brevity, we will always refer to the Norton editors simply as “Norton.” It should be understood, however, that what we mean by “Norton says” or “Norton comments” is that we are making reference to the particular editor who wrote the introduction or note under discussion. � In Greco-Roman mythology, Cupid is the god of romantic love.

Teacher’s n

oTes

�5

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5Mitchell’s method, for example, would not be appropriate for a work like the Bible, which must be preserved exactly “as it is,” since it is not the product of human imagination, but the very Word of God.

Please ask your student to give a few examples of differences between these two translations of Tablet XI, in order to demonstrate the variety of possible interpretations.

Gilgamesh – page 18Consider the following chart with your student. The purpose of this chart is to demonstrate that the biblical ac-count of the flood is not “just another version” of Gilgamesh, but rather that it articulates a view of men that is quite dissimilar to the one found in Gilgamesh, and that it displays God as being utterly different from the man-made Akkadian gods. This chart is intended to be used as an in-depth study which will support points made in the section above on “The Relationship between Gods and Men.”

Gilgamesh (Tablet XI) Biblical Account of the Flood (Genesis 6-9:19)

Characters and names

Gilgamesh, Utanapishtim/Atrahasis, his wife, and a number of deities. Noah, Ham, Shem, Japheth, their wives, and God.

SituationThe situation is “life as usual” in the ancient city of Shuruppak, where the “great gods” once dwelt (lines ��-��).

“The wickedness of man was great in the earth, and . . . every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5 [ESV]).

Problem There is no “problem,” since there is no indication that the gods are angry with mortals for any reason.

“And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart” (Genesis 6:6 [ESV]).

Reason for the Flood

No specific reason is given for the flood; we are simply told that “The great gods resolved to send the deluge,” and given the names of the gods who agreed to this plan (lines ��-�9). Enlil seems to have been instrumental (lines �7�-�7�).

“So the Lord said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them’” (Genesis 6:7 [ESV]). God uses the flood to do this.

Why is One Man Spared?

No specific reason is given, but presumably because Ea is friendly towards mankind and wishes to spare Utanapishtim.

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord . . . Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:8-9 [ESV]).

Reactions of Other Men

Ea gives Utanapishtim an elaborate lie to tell to the other inhabitants of the city. They have no chance of being saved.

We are given no information at all about Noah’s interactions with other people during the period of the ark’s construction.

The Ark and the Animals

Ea gives general instructions for the construction of the ark and the animals (lines �7-��), but it is Utanapishtim who gives detailed comments on the building process and provisioning (lines 50-87).

God gives Noah precise directions for building the ark and gathering the animals, which Noah carries out exactly. God then shuts Noah and his family into the ark (Genesis 6:��-7:�6).

The Coming of the Flood

The gods cause the flood, but then they cower in fear of it and lament their action, weeping for mankind (lines 99-��9).

God brings the flood to earth (Genesis 6:�7 [ESV]).

Reason for the End of the Flood

The flood ceases of itself, not by any action of the gods (lines ��-��5).

The flood ended because God remembered Noah, and caused it to end (Genesis 8:�-� [ESV]).

Sending Out the Birds

Utanapishtim sends out first a dove, then a swallow, and last a raven (lines ��9-�58).

Noah sends out first a raven, and then a dove (Genesis 8:6-�� [ESV]).

Landing and Sacrifice

Utanapishtim comes out of the ark and makes an offering, whereupon the gods cluster around him and argue with one another about his survival (lines �60-�00).

When the earth is dry, God commands Noah and his family to come out of the ark, and makes a covenant with them (Genesis 8:�6-�� [ESV]).

�.

Teac

her’s

no

Tes

�6

What do you think of the rest of the story told in Tablet XI? Why do you think that Gilgamesh’s ability to stay awake for a long time would give him favor in the eyes of the gods (lines ��0-��)? And, since Utanapishtim is a fellow-human, why do you think he seems so uninterested in helping Gilgamesh stay awake (lines ��5-��)? Note 5 tells us that Gilgamesh’s ability to stay awake for long periods of time is part of his “godlike strength”

(Norton, 23). Thus, the probable explanation is that, by staying awake for a week, Gilgamesh will prove his strength and worthiness to be considered as a candidate for eternal life.

Utanapishtim’s unwillingness to help Gilgamesh stay awake, as his wife urges him to do, is harder to understand. Perhaps it is important that Gilgamesh proves his worth without help. At any rate, Utanapishtim is right to say “[Gilgamesh will] endeavor to dupe you” (line 222), for that is exactly what Gilgamesh does; he pretends in lines 234-235 that he had only been asleep for a moment, when actually he slept for a week.

Do you think that Utanapishtim’s gift of a plant that will allow the one who consumes it to become young again is actually the immortality which Gilgamesh seeks? Does it mean that Utanapishtim does want to help Gilgamesh? Or is he just prompted by his wife? Do you think that Gilgamesh deserves to lose the plant? The description of the plant’s properties in lines 299-304 would seem to suggest that it can at least cure illness,

and may perhaps give perpetual youth. Utanapishtim is certainly prompted by his wife to give Gilgamesh a present (277-279), but the fact that he acts on

this suggestion (whereas he rejected her last idea) seems to indicate that he has goodwill towards Gilgamesh.Gilgamesh certainly does not seem to have been careful, either to stay awake and so pass his first test, or to guard

this precious plant. His carelessness certainly seems deserving of punishment, though one might also interpret the snake’s thievery as an act of fate. It seems as though Gilgamesh is simply not destined to gain immortality.

Consider lines ��5-�� carefully. What is Gilgamesh’s lament? What do you think this ending conveys? Does Gilgamesh seem to be, for example, comforting himself with the grandeur of the city, Uruk, which he has built and now rules?

Gilgamesh laments the waste of all the effort which has brought him to this point, and moans because he has gotten nothing for himself, but has only benefited a snake Moreover, he cannot go back (presumably to the place where he got the plant).At the end of the poem, Gilgamesh is boasting of Uruk to the boatman called Ur-Shanabi, who has been with him for the last part of his journey home. The implication (or, at least, one interpretation) seems to be that, even though Gilgamesh has lost his chance of eternal life, he is still a mighty king on earth, and his great city is a mag-nificent achievement which assures that Gilgamesh will be remembered, and thus achieve a kind of immortality. It is, of course, an entirely self-seeking kind of immortality, and this ending conveys the self-centeredness which has characterized Gilgamesh from beginning to end of Tablet XI.

geography: BackgroUnd inforMaTion

World Book on Mesoptamian geographical features�

Mesopotamia, pronounced mehs uh puh TAY mee uh, was an ancient region in which the world’s earliest civilization developed. Mesopotamia included the area that is now eastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and most of Iraq. It extended from the Taurus Mountains in the north to the Persian Gulf in the south, and from the Zagros Mountains in the east to the Syrian Desert in the west. But the heart of the region was the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The name Mesopotamia comes from a Greek word meaning between rivers.

Northern Mesopotamia was a plateau that had a mild climate. Parts of it received enough rain for crops to grow. In southern Mesopotamia, a plain of fertile

� Excerpted from a World Book article entitled Mesopotamia. Contributor: John A. Brinkman, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Mesopotamic History, Oriental Institute, University of Chicago.

�.

�.

�.

Teacher’s n

oTes

�7

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5soil left by floodwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers provided rich farmland. But the long, hot summers and little rain in this area made irrigation necessary for agriculture.

Remind the student(s) that Earth was created for a purpose: namely as a setting, or stage, for history. It not only provides a place for humans and animals to live, but also often affects how they live and how history unfolds. This week, begin studying the environ-ment, or the geography, of Sumerian lands. How did the environ-ment affect different peoples’ food, housing, occupations, and trade with, or knowledge of, other nations? Here are some ideas to get you started:

Ancient Egyptians had little commerce with Sumerians early on. Why? Because the desert and cataracts cut them off. The two cultures developed side by side, and very similarly! Desire for fertile land in Mesopotamia caused wars between Semites and Sumerians. Because the land was fer-tile, crops grew, and farming was developed to such a degree that all were fed and could settle, build houses, and specialize into “civilized” society. Because the land was flat and fertile but had little rain, the farmers learned to irrigate. This allowed more land and increase of crops, which again, meant greater population and more free time for “civilized” development. Houses were built of sun-baked bricks—why?

fine arTs and acTiviTies: BackgroUnd inforMaTion

If you plan to give your high school-aged child either a half-credit in Art or a full credit in History of Fine Arts, you should assign him some work this week. Information on Sumerian art is fairly extensive, and there are many projects your child can undertake in connection with this credit. Don’t forget to require that he record his time, either working on hands-on projects or reading about art history, on his Weekly Assignment Sheet or planner.

Adding to our Art Note cards Add the following two art terms to your growing pile of note cards. As you look at art history this week, review

through the terms you’ve learned and look for prominent examples of them. Texture (element of design): tactile surface composition (how the surface feels).Real Texture – actual tactile texture in artwork.Implied Texture – the illusion of texture in artwork. For example, a dog may appear furry in a painting. But if

you were to touch the painting, it will not feel soft and furry.Brainstorm a list of a variety of textures. You might include: scaly, soft, smooth, pebbled, and bumpy. Form and Space (elements of design): Space – a �-dimensional extent. Form – a �-dimensional volume that takes up space. Foreground, middle ground, background. Front, middle, and far away spaces. Negative Space – The background shape between and around foreground objects.How does an artist create a sense of form in a drawing or painting? This almost always requires a variety or

transition of values on the objects. This could include shadows, highlights, and transitions of middle gray.Look at The Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, online or in Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting by Wendy

Beckett. What do you think contributes to how solid the tower appears and how deep the space is? Point to the foreground, middle ground, and background.

World Book on art in early Babylonia:�

Making and decorating pottery probably constituted the earliest arts of the Babylonian people. Many broken pieces of early pottery with painted patterns and designs still remain. By �000 B.C., the Babylonians had begun carv-ing stones and shells. They began making statues at about the same time. They also produced beautiful jewelry and other art objects in gold and silver. The people sealed jars and documents with stamp seals or cylinder seals, which


Teac

her’s

no

Tes

�8

were engraved with simple designs or religious scenes. The stamp seals were like the rubber hand stamps used today. The cylinder seals were rolled in clay while it was wet. The seals often gave the name of the owner or producer of the sealed object. Although no examples remain, Babylonian business records describe elaborate and expensive textiles.

Details on projects you might choose from the Weekly Overview Charts:Plan to get some extra art books from the library, which contain sections on the ancient art of Sumer, or look at websites linked to the Year � Arts/Activities page of the Tapestry website. All grades enjoy looking at pictures!Have your students create their own writing and commu-nicate in it for an entire day. Students must use pointed sticks (that they sharpen by rubbing them on the driveway) and clay tablets (PlaydohTM or salt dough) to communicate. Sumerians used clay cylinders as personal signatures for trading records and accounts. Students can make models of these on large or small scales (see sidebar, right). Note: when making any seal, the image will need to be put onto the seal backwards in order for it to come out forwards. Take a picture for your portfolio, annotating it with expla-nations of its use in Sumerian culture.For younger students: larger scale models of cylinder

seals (which are easier for little hands to work with) can be made from toilet paper rolls and yarn. The stu-dent chooses a personal pattern of symbols and glues yarn to the tube. When glue is dry, spread paint on a plate, roll cylinder in the paint, then roll cylinder on paper to see pattern (which will print backwards from the one on the seal). Save a sample in your portfolio!

For older students: smaller scale models (more realis-tic) we recommend the use of polymer clay (that can be baked into a hard/permanent model)� and carved with symbols. After baking, these can be rolled onto soft clay (or salt dough) for a very realistic signature on the tablets they create.

Students can dramatize the story of the Epic of Gilgamesh for your family or discussion group. They can write a play or dramatic reading to share. Be sure to take pictures and include the photos and the script in your portfolio.Find a picture of the so-called Royal Standard of Ur. There are also several pictures linked to the Year � Arts/Ac-tivities page of the Tapestry website. This work was originally an inlaid work made of shell, lapis lazuli, and pink limestone. Your student could choose one of the following:Sketch the Standard of Ur pictures in colored pencil and write an annotation explaining what we learn from

viewing this piece.Attempt some inlay work. This will probably require specialized help from a friend (or parent) who has some

experience with inlaid woodwork. Any form of inlay—wood, mosaic, or even soft FimoTM will give the student fresh appreciation for the achievements of ancient Sumerians.

There should be a great set of websites that show both the shape of the original Royal Game of Ur and how to make and play a copy of this ancient game, which was found in the excavation in Ur by Sir Leonard Woolley in �9�6-�9�7 linked to the Year � Arts/Activities page of the Tapestry website. They could make it out of wood, a cereal box, or poster board. Students can also teach their siblings or friends to play! Don’t forget to take a picture of the finished project.

� A popular brand is FimoTM. Polymer clays are available at most craft stores and come in a variety of colors. We recommend you choose a brown color to simulate the clay that Sumerians would have used.

Inlay� is a type of decoration usually created by cutting a design into the surface of one material and filling the pattern with another, often contrasting, material. Inlay is generally associated with the pro-duction of wooden furniture. The most common type of inlay has narrow stripes or bands of a light colored wood set into a darker ground wood, such as mahogany.

Inlay is often confused with marquetry, a related technique. In marquetry, a decorative veneer (outer layer) of variously shaped wooden pieces is applied over the wooden framework of a piece of furniture. These pieces form a pattern of fanciful designs, flow-ers, or figures. French cabinetmakers of the �700’s excelled in the arts of inlay and marquetry. In a form of inlay called mosaic, small colored pieces of glazed ceramic, glass, or other material are set in a binding material, such as plaster, to form a pattern or picture.

� There is extra information on inlay work in the sidebar from a World Book article entitled Inlay. Contributor: John W. Keefe, M.A., The RosaMary Foundation Curator of Decorative Arts, New Orleans Museum of Art.

Teacher’s n

oTes

�9

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5BiBle sUrvey and chUrch hisTory: BackgroUnd inforMaTion

World Book on religion in early Babylonia:�

Babylonians believed that changes in nature and in the fortunes of people were ruled by events that occurred in the heavens among the many gods. On earth, the king reigned as the representative of the gods, especially blessed by them. Babylonian religions combined scientific observation of the sky and the weather, prayer to the various gods who were believed to be in control of these things, and magic. This eventually led to the study of astrology.

Sumerian religion, like Sumerian literary forms, was adopted in part by the Semites. But the Semites emphasized the gods of their own cities rather than earlier Sumerian gods. Babylonians never really rejected earlier gods, however, so the number of gods they worshiped grew into the thousands. There were patron gods and goddesses of each city-state as well as gods representing such things as the sun, moon, and stars, the weather, crops, rivers, and the land.

Note that the Mesopotamian cultures were basically polytheistic, and their pantheons (array of deities) grew in complexity as their civilizations developed. Be sure to discuss this fact with older students this week.

Dating Methods and the BibleIt is interesting that some resources date the beginning of writing as �000 BC in Sumer and ��00 BC in Egypt.

This would have been 700-�000 years before Noah’s Flood, if we take the Biblical genealogies as our guide for dating the creation of the world.

If you add up all the numbers in the Old Testament to arrive at a time line, Adam was created in the year �975 BC. The flood happened in the year ��9 BC. To demonstrate the radical end of the spectrum of thought on recon-ciling the Bible with secular dating systems, here is a quote from Frank R. Klassen, author of The Chronology of the Bible. “I discovered the date of Creation by accounting for each year from Creation to the anointing of Christ. From the year Adam was created, a mature man, to the baptism of Jesus, a mature man, is exactly �000 years.”

Pastor John Loftness, our Bible Survey author, says he thinks that all of Genesis is a picture Moses wrote of the Promised Land, into which he was attempting to lead Israel, and that the dates therein are not necessarily literal. In the Hebraic literature, �0 days means “a long time” more than it means a literal �0-day period. As the parent-teacher, when you are directing the reading and time line activities of your students, you will have to decide how you are going to approach the matter of ancient dates.

No matter what source you use, your secular sources will certainly disagree with Creationist ones. For instance, the Bible dates the Tower of Babel very soon after the flood, and more than �50 years before Abram’s time, according to the genealogies recorded in Genesis, while World Book dates the Tower events in 600 BC and Abraham somewhere between �800 and �500 BC! All scientifi-cally based early dates are, at best, guesses. Archaeology is a blunt instrument as far as time is concerned, and many Bible scholars agree that Biblical dates are not to be understood literally. You must decide your method of dating and then, taken with the discussions of dating in Week �, you and your students need to hold to the agreed-upon standard for the rest of the year, and beyond.

Some secular sources may state that Moses (avowed author of the Penta-teuch) got his account of the flood from the Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh. Ruth Beechick’s ideas in Adam and His Kin neatly counter that assertion. Similarly, some sources state that the Mosaic Law (and indeed, the whole Pentateuch) was written in Babylon during the captivity and influenced by Hammurabi’s written code of laws. This is a classical argument of liberal Biblical criticism and not considered accurate by most conservative Christian denominations. Mosaic law and the Mosaic Tabernacle follow forms that were present in other bodies of writing and in surrounding cultures during that time period, but this should not cloud the central, internal consistency of the Bible. The Bible states that Moses wrote the Pentateuch (except the account of his death) and that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteous-ness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” in � Timo-thy �:�6-�7. The Christian accepts this assertion only by faith; it cannot be proven. But, neither can those who attack this belief prove their assertions. They, too, believe that God’s Word is false by placing their faith in scientific research or (ultimately) themselves.


Genesis 11:4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

Genesis 11:6-7 “The Lord said, ‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impos-sible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.’”

Teac

her’s

no

Tes

50

Rhetoric-level Bible Survey lecture:Start with this question, “Why did men want to build a big tower in Babylon?” Have someone read Genesis ��:�. God had commanded them in Genesis 1:28 and 9:7 to multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. Clearly, they

were:Seeking what they saw as good (a great name and a great building project, plus staying together) and avoid-

ing what is evil (again, in their eyes—being scattered) apart from the direct teaching of God.Being disobedient: they were seeking self over the Kingdom of God. Remind students of the Lord’s Prayer:

THY Kingdom come; THY will be done.Seeking their own way instead of the way of the Lord, so soon after the flood. Amazing.

Ask, “What do you think the Tower of Babel might have looked like?” A Sumerian temple. A ziggurat. They would, no doubt, have sacrificed offerings to pagan gods there as well.Ask, “What did God say of their plans?” Have someone read Genesis ��:6-7 Note again the preeminent role of WORDS. Confusing men’s words made them unable to work together, to plan,

and to build. Note that they were also unable to communicate findings and build on one another’s discoveries, as we do today.

This ability did not come back to the human race until the invention of the printing press. Our language barriers still separate us today.

Note again that the genealogies listed are selective: they follow the line of Abram, and don’t list many women. This is because the ancients felt perfectly comfortable listing genealogies and stories to make their point about character or descent, not to make exhaustive and all-inclusive lists. Therefore:One cannot reliably date ancient events by counting up lifetimes recorded in geneologies, therefore, except to

say that a minimum of years passed while recorded people lived. More years may have also passed. There are about �9� years between the Flood and Abram’s birth, if you go by the genealogies. The Tower of

Babel would have been in those years somewhere.Be sure your students remember that we are flashing back to a time way before Moses’ day, which we were studying for the first three weeks of this Year-Plan.Try to help students apply what they’ve learned in history about Sumerian culture and beliefs to Abram’s childhood. In comparing Moses and Abram, cover at least these facts: Abram and Moses both grew up wealthy. They would both have been men of culture and standing in their communities. Abram and Moses would both have been taught a polytheistic religion. Both would have grown up with only oral traditions of God and of the early Bible stories: Creation, Noah’s

flood, and the Tower of Babel.

philosophy

The Old Testament does not tell us when Job lived, but he may be among the earliest characters to appear in the Bible. The book may have been written around the time of Solomon, or even later, but Job seems to have lived much earlier. According to Nelson’s Bible Dictionary: “The events described in the Book of Job must have occurred many centuries before they were finally written. Job probably lived during the time of the patriarch Abraham, about �000 to �800 B. C. Like Abraham, Job’s wealth was measured in flocks and herds. In patriarchal fashion, Job’s married children were a part of his household, living in separate tents but subject to his rule as leader of the family clan.”

World Book on Job�

Job, pronounced johb, Book of, is a book of the Bible. Jewish editions of the Bible place the Book of Job in a series of books called the Writings. Christian editions place the book in a group called Wisdom books. The Book of Job is named for its central figure, a pious and upright man. The book raises a number of important religious questions. These questions include why righteous people suffer and why evil exists in a world that is governed by an all-powerful God.

The Book of Job consists of a prologue in prose (chapters �-�), a series of dialogues in verse (�:�-��:6), and a prose epilogue (��:7-�7). In the prologue, God allows Satan to test Job’s faith by inflicting a series of misfortunes on the man.

� Excerpted from a World Book article entitled Job, Book of. Contributor: Eric M. Meyers, Ph.D., Professor of Religion, Duke University.

�.

�.

�.

�.

�.

5.6.

Teacher’s n

oTes

5�

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5In the dialogues, Job’s friends cannot believe that his misfortunes are undeserved, and they urge him to repent. But Job firmly insists that he is innocent of sin. God then appears to Job in a whirlwind and criticizes Job for daring to question His will. Job finally realizes that he is nothing compared to God. Job accepts God’s judgment of him even though he cannot understand it. In the book’s epilogue, God restores Job to prosperity.

There have been numerous interpretations of the Book of Job. Many scholars believe that the book teaches that there is no direct relationship between right actions and reward in human history. Humanity can question God’s will but never truly understand God’s ultimate design.

The present form of the Book of Job dates back to the period from the 600’s to the �00’s B.C. However, the story may go back as far as �,000 years earlier.

philosophy discUssion oUTline

The following instructions should be followed every week:Ask whether your student has read the script on his own. If you permit him to underline, ask to see what material, if any, he finds interesting. If you do not allow your student to underline, then he should keep a notebook or commonplace book.� Take a look at what, if anything, he has noted from this week’s script.

Next, read through the script with your student. You should play the part of Simplicio, and your student should read Job. Once this is accomplished, you may discuss the reading for this week, using the following outline. Refer to highlighted text for points of discussion:

“Does God pervert justice?” (KJV)Some families have experienced tragedy, but most high school students have not. How much does your stu-dent know about suffering? Talk about what he thinks he has suffered. Has this ever led him to question God?Job is an example of “ultimate suffering.” The Bible does not say he suffered more than any other sinner who ever lived, but he must be close. His suffering led him to question God. The Bible does not suggest that he questioned whether God existed; instead, he wondered whether God was good. Job’s friends responded to his questions with theodicy, which means a defense of God’s justice. (The English word comes from the Greek words for “God” and “to justify.”) John Milton’s Paradise Lost is a good example of a theodicy: Milton says his goal was to “justify the ways of God to man.” The basic question of theodicy is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”How do Job’s friends defend God from Job’s questioning? (They say that since God is just, Job must be wicked. They falsely accused him of specific sins.)Job suffered about as much as any individual sinner could, but Hitler killed six million Jews in World War II. Very few people publicly claim nowadays that since God is just, all these Jews must have been wicked. What is the modern response to ultimate suffering? (Deny the existence of God.)

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?” (KJV)How does God respond to Job’s questioning? (Instead of answering Job’s questions, He questions Job.)Job wanted to appear before God, but God appeared to Job. A revelation of God is called a theophany. (The English word comes from the Greek words for “God” and “to appear.” A related word is epiphany, which can refer to any revelation, but is particularly used for the visit of the wise men to Jesus in the Christmas story.)Take a look at how God revealed Himself to Job. Could He reveal Himself to you in the same way? (It appears that God revealed Himself through nature—He spoke to Job in a whirlwind, He challenged Job with questions about creation. According to the Apostle Paul, God’s invisible attributes are revealed in what has been made. Romans �:�0.)Ultimate suffering leads some people towards atheism, but theophany eliminates that option. When God reveals Himself, it just isn’t possible to wriggle out of the question of theodicy by atheism. But does the mere existence of God prove that He is just?Thomas Jefferson and other �8th Century Deists believed that God created the world and all the laws of nature

� Commonplace books were frequently used by our Founding Fathers. These small blank notebooks were a place to record observations, interesting quotations, and nuggets of wisdom. Your student should begin to keep such a notebook for Philosophy (at least), but better yet for all his reading.

Teac

her’s

no

Tes

5�

in the beginning but then left the world running on its own. The Deists solved the problem of suffering by rejecting the idea of God’s Providence.Albert Einstein was a �0th Century Jewish scientist who spoke often of his religious faith in “God,” but rejected the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was awed by the invisible attributes of God that are revealed in nature but he believed that everything was determined in advance by the iron laws of physics. As a result, he could not accept the Biblical account of a personal God of justice. Einstein solved the problem of suffering by treating God as a “force” rather than a “person.”“Open Theism” is a ��st Century theological movement within the Evangelical church that claims that God knows everything and controls everything that exists, but says bad things still happen because “the future” is not something that “exists.” They answer the question of theodicy not by limiting God, but by limiting time.

“Would you condemn me to justify yourself?” (KJV)The question of theodicy is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” This is only a problem if you think there are any “good people.” How many truly “good people” are there? (Answer: Jesus is the only really “good person” that bad things ever happened to, and we know why bad things happened to Him.)Job’s friends accused him of things he never did (“you sent widows away empty-handed”) in order to justify God. Those allegations weren’t true, but that doesn’t make Job guiltless. Many people who think they are going to Heaven just because they haven’t murdered anybody will be surprised on judgment day. Can you be guilty before God even if you haven’t done anything obviously wrong? (Answer: Yes. God judges the secrets of the heart, not just the actions of the body.What is unusual about Job is not the extent of his suffering, but the evidence of his real righteousness. Was Job being punished for his sins? (Answer: We don’t just have to take Job’s word for it that he was blameless: Scrip-ture tells us that he was not being punished for anything he did wrong. God was proving Job’s faithfulness to Satan.)God lets us in on the secret of why Job was suffering, but He never told Job. Can you think of any other ex-amples in Scripture where God keeps a secret from His people? (Answer: Old Testament Jews waited for many generations for the Messiah to come the first time, and New Testament Christians have been waiting for two thousand years for Him to come back.)When you stand before God on the last day, do you think He will have good answers for all your questions? (Yes, of course!)Are you tempted to question God today for the things you can’t understand? (Answers may vary.)

Teacher’s n

oTes

5�

BaBel To Ur: early hisTory of MesopoTaMia 5glance inTo nexT Week...

Week 6: The paTriarchs

Low

er G

ram

mar

For History: In-Depth, look in your Bible storybook for an introduction to the Patriarchs.

Uppe

r Gra

mm

ar

History and Bible will count double this week.

Dia

lect

ic

Find additional hands-on projects in Great Civilizations of the East. On the bottom of some two-page spreads, you’ll find instructions for these.History and Bible will count double this week. If your student is pushed for time this week, the easiest thing to omit would be the last three stories in the literature selection for this week: “The Story of the Greek Princess”, “The Treasure Thief”, and “The Girl with the Rose-red Slippers.”

Rhet

oric

History and Bible will count double this week.

Teac

her If you have access to the DVDs listed on our page of alternate resources, all levels will benefit.

Some resources mention that Abraham worshipped a moon-god before coming to know Yahweh. Don’t forget to read the Teacher’s Notes for Scripture references and explanations of this oft-held view.

BUdgeT Tips

All

Leve

ls

All levels can use the maps in Holman Bible Atlas.

babel to u : e history of mesopotamia 5 · t hreads babel to ur: early history of mesopotamia 5...

Documents