In the last class, I wrote in the outline (item "IV. Polytheism, It characteris features" . One student pointed out that my examples were from a monotheistic religion, and wondered if I were perhaps overstating the case.

I should have written "Religion in the Ancient Near East: its characteristic features" for the points I was trying to make about the dynamics of ancient religion apply both to Judaism and to the polytheistic practices found in Egypt and Mesopotamia. There is in fact substantial overlap.

As to the selection of evidence.

• The examples chosen came from the Old Testament but also from the Omen literature; moreover, the Mesopotamia flood story is very similar to the biblical version.
• I also gave several examples from the archaeological evidence to illustrate the role of gift-giving and the pursuit of divine favor.

I add here is an prayer to Mesopotamis diety, Ishtar, that is very close to what one finds in the Old and New Testaments, namely, after extolling the virtues and power of the goddess [the gift of honor], the hymn conludes by enumerating the blessings she has bestowed on the king. While these are represented as facts, the statements should be taken has expressions of hope for their fulfillment.

"praise the goddess, the most awsome of the gods; let one revere the mistress of the peoples, the greatest of the gods
...
she is clothed with pleasure and love. She is laden with vitality, charm and volupuousness
...
the fate of everything she holds in her hand.
...
the king Ammaditana is her favorite, beloved of her heart, [because] he magnificently offers to her his pure sacrifices
...
and she [Ishtar] has granted him a long and enduring life
and subjects [to him] the four world regions and all their peoples