Friday, June 25, 2021

Ante-diluvian Portion of Sumerian King List Explained

This is a project I have been working on for a few days now.  It is not the easiest read, but worth it especially in the latter half when the names of the kings are explained and matched up with Adam's line through Methuselah.  Hope you enjoy it.


Sumerian King List (ante-diluvian) Interpreted
By:  Marshall Ramsey II


"After the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Eridug."
In Eridug, Alulim became king; he ruled for 28,800 years."
("...Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven...Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings:..." Dan 2:19b-21b) When God set up Adam as ruler over all the Earth, ref. Gen. 1:26, he made the capitol city in Eridug, a.k.a. Nunki.  Eridug/Eridu is now called Tel Abu Shahrain in Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq, originally part of ancient Mesopotamia and about 100 miles west of the center of the ancient Garden of Eden.  Adam is called Alulim in the Sumerian King List (SKL).  A sar is a unit of 3,600; a ner, 600; a sossa 60.  A ner is a period of 8.571 years. A sar therefore would be 51.428 years, and a sossa would be 0.857 years.  Adam, then, having ruled for 8 sars, would have ruled as king of the Earth for 411.428 years (8 sars).  Acccording to Professor William Hallo of Yale University, the word Alulim means "stag".  A few things can be inferred from this:  1) Alulim was male, thus identifying himself with Adam; 2) Alulim/Adam was fast and able to jump like a stag (deer); 3) Adam, after the fall, ate meat, most notably stag (presumed deer) meat.  It should be noted that Prof. Hallo does not identify Alulim with Adam but rather a certain Uanna-Adapa (Oannes).  Professor William H. Shea however, believes Alulim to be a contemporary of the biblical patriarch.  This fits more line with my own assertion that Alulim is Adam.  Eridu, also called Nun.ki, means "object/prince(metal) abyss/earth".  This seems to suggest not only a hole in the ground reaching to the center of the Earth but also a metal core at the center.  This is an amazing discovery since the first known mention of Earth having a metal core came in 1898 from Emil Wiechert.  What is amazing about this is that it backs up and expounds on the Bible, specifically Revelation 9 which speaks about the bottomless pit. 

"After Alulim, Alalngar reigned 10 sars"(this quote not found in SKL; was used as add-on to preserve continuity)
Alalngar (alt. Alalgar, Alaljar) was the second ensi, "lord of the world" (from 'en' meaning "lord" and 'ensi', a luganda word meaning "a country or world").  Alalngar is identified with the biblical Seth.  His reign as 'king of the world' lasted for 514.28 years (10 sars).  When Seth began his reign, the capitol of the world was in Eridu.  Something happened that caused the need to move Earth's capitol to Bad-tibira.  The only information we have comes from the SKL which states: "Then Eridug fell and the kingship was taken to Bad-tibira."  Alalngar appears to mean "destroyer of drink(alcohol)".  This is gotten from the words "alal" meaning 'destroyer' and "nag" meaning 'to drink'(alcohol).  The impression given is that Seth was a lover of alcoholic beverages in his day but became put out with them in his day due to rampant excess of their consumption.  He appears to have done something to counteract alcoholism, perhaps he enacted laws of some sort forbidding drunkenness in public or set up rehabilitation clinics for them that wanted help breaking their addiction to it.  Bad-tibira means "wall of the copper workers".  This means that copper smelting was prevalent in the area.  It is identified as modern Tel al-Madineh (city on a hill), which is located between Ash Shatrah (capital of the Dhi Qar Governorate) and Tel as-Senkereh (ancient Larsa), both in southern Iraq.  This use of the term 'wall of copper workers' brings to mind the story of Perseus, how his mother, Danae (pronounced De-nee), was thrown into a room made of bronze because she became pregnant.  It should be noted at this point that, in equating the antediluvian kings mentioned in the SKL with the antediluvian Biblical patriarchs there are some serious time differences.  For starters, the antediluvian patriarchs lived at most hundreds of years, with none reaching one thousand years of age.  This is in stark contrast with the mere span of the reign of the antediluvian kings of SKL whose reigns alone lasted for thousands of years.  The error comes when interpreting the use of the terms sars, ners, and sosses as being years rather than just units of measure.  Additionally, even when using the correct formula for the sars, ners, and sosses, it would be impossible for the length of the reigns of the patriarchs to be run consecutively.  The more likely explanation is that an overlapping of reigns took place, in which the current king would name his successor and, perhaps, give him a section of the kingdom to rule on his own.  Then, after such a time as pleased the current king, he would retire from kingship and pass complete control to his successor, in these cases, their sons.  The Egyptians were known for doing this, which is why they have so many dynasties for so short a time.  Alalngar's real name was Seth, the child God gave Eve in place of Abel.

"En-men-lu-ana reigned for 12 sars." (statement used for continuity; Not part of SKL)
Enmenluana's real name was Enos.  It was in his day that men began to call upon the name of the Lord.  This is generally taken, and I agree with it, to mean organized religion.  In the society of the day, a priestly caste would have been set up.  En-men-lu-ana means "I the LORD will send the man to the pit" 
from en "Lord"; men "I"; lu "person/man"; ana "abyss/earth".  Not much is known about Enos' reign except that his reign was the longest on record - 12 sars.  12 sars equals 617.136 years, longer than any on  the SKL.  Enos' name in Sumerian translated as it is suggests that the LORD Jehovah is talking about a very specific person.  Given the closeness of his Son's return to Earth, only one type of person comes to mind, an antichrist.  Since Cain was still alive during Enos' reign, it could be construed to mean him.  This assertion is further solidified since there are persons today that believe that Cain was not of the seed of Adam but of Satan himself, just as Antichrist is.

"En-men-gal-ana reigned for 8 sars." (statement used for continuity; Not part of SKL)
Enmengalana is known in Scripture as Ca'inan.  Ca'inan reigned over the Earth for 411.428 years (8 sars).  Enmengalana means "I the LORD will be great in the Earth" (en - Lord; men - I; gal - great; ana - earth).  This tells us that in Ca'inan's days God had respect among all the peoples of the Earth.  This does not mean that he was worshipped by all, but rather that his name was respected during this time.  This is comparable to Malachi 1:11, which reads in part, "For fromt he rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same MY NAME SHALL BE GREAT AMONG THE GENTILES; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for MY NAME SHALL BE GREAT AMONG THE HEATHEN, saith the LORD of hosts." (emphasis added).

"Dumuzid, the Shepherd"
Dumuzid, also called the Shepherd, is fifth in line of the SKL.  The name given him in Genesis 5 is Mahalaleel.  Mahalaleel was the last king to reign over the Earth at Bad-tibira.  Like Eridug, something happened there that caused the need to move the capital of Earth.  Mahalaleel reigned for 10 sars (514.28 years).  Of all the antediluvian names listed, we know the most about Dumuzid, a.k.a. Mahalaleel.  He was the primary consort of Inanna.  He had a sister named Geshtinanna, who was called a goddess of agriculture, fertility, and dream interpretation.  This means that she had skill in farming techniques, reproductive health, and interpreting dreams.  Another Dumuzid is mentioned after the Flood, but is not considered by some to be the same person.  In the poem, "Inanna Prefers the Farmer", Mahalaleel must compete against a certain Utu for Inanna's hand in marriage, eventually winning it.  Dumuzid's mother's name was Sirtur and may have been the mother of Geshtinanna.  Inanna at some point travels to the Underworld (middle Africa and lands below).  She gets in trouble with the widow of the previously deceased king, winding up on meat hooks.  She gets rescued but gives Dumuzid up to suffer in her place.

"Then Bad-tibira fell and the kingship was taken to Larag."

After leaving Bad-tibira, the seat of world government was transferred to Larag (may be pronounced Larak).  Being the center of world government, this was obviously an important city.  It is believed to have been located on the west bank of the Tigris river (Hiddekel in Hebrew) to the east of Kish, although one map has it on the east bank, almost due north of Shurrupag.  After checking out a map found on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kish_(Sumer)#/media/File:Cities_of_Sumer_(en).svg), I believe the lost city of Larag has been found.  It currently lies approximately 35 miles E of ancient Kish and 4 miles WNW of Numaniyah Airport in Iraq at 32°31'56.81"N, 45°13'51.81"E.

"After the kingship was taken to Larag, En-sipad-zid-ana reigned 8 sars." (statement used for continuity; Quote not found in SKL)

En-sipad-zid-ana's real name was Jared (see Genesis 5).  Jared reigned over the Earth for 411.428 years (8 sars).  Jared's name, En-sipad-zid-ana, translates as such "Lord (en) shepherd (sipad) truth (zid) upper (ana).  As a sentence, En-sipad-zid-ana's (Jared's) name would translate to "The Lord is my shepherd.  He gives me the truth of Heaven.)  As you can see, this is very close to the opening verse of Psalm 23: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."

"Then Larag fell and the kingship was taken to Zimbir."

After the reign of Jared, the kingdom was taken to Zimbir.  Zimbir (tell Abu Habbah) is located near Yusufiyah in Baghdad Governorate, Iraq, approx. 60 km N of Babylon and 30 km SW of Baghdad.  It's sister city, Sippar-Amnanum, (Zimbir is also called Sippar), is located on the west bank of the Euphrates River while Zimbir lies on its east.

"After the kingship was taken to Zimbir, En-men-dur-ana reigned, for 5 sars and 5 ners." (statement used for continuity; Quote not in SKL)

En-men-dur-ana was the seventh to reign over the whole earth according to the Sumerian King List.  When compared to the pre-Flood patriarchs of Genesis 5, En-men-dur-ana is identified as Enoch.  Enoch was 65 years old when he began to reign; and Enoch reigned as king for around 300 years.  This is the equivalent of 5 sars and 5 ners.  En-men-dur-ana is translated thus: Lord (en) men (myself) dur (abode, gathering place) ana (upper) "I the Lord will gather you to my home in Heaven."  This is extremely fitting conerning what Scripture has to say regarding Enoch.  "And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: AND HE WAS NOT; FOR GOD TOOK HIM." (Gen. 5:21-24; emphasis mine) As you can see from the text of the aforementioned Scripture, when it is compared with the translation of En-men-dur-ana, the two match up perfectly!  After Enoch was taken up into Heaven, war seemed to have broken out and the capitol of the world was moved to Shuruppag.

"Then Zimbir fell and the kingship was taken to Shuruppag."

Shuruppag is now called Tell Fara.  It is located about 35 miles south of Nippur on the banks of the Euphrates river in Iraq's Al-Qadisiyyah Governorate.  After Enmendurana (Enoch) was taken up into Heaven, and the kingship moved to Shuruppag, Ubara-Tutu his son took over as king.  Ubara-Tutu reigned for 5 sars and 1 ner (265.711 years).  Ubara-Tutu is known in Scripture as Methuselah.  It means, "When he is dead, it shall come."  He was named so by his father Enoch specifically as a prophecy concerning a great Flood that was to cover the Earth.  At that time, there was a great water canopy covering the Earth and there was much speculation as to when it would fall and cover the Earth.  The Lord told Enoch around the time of the conception of his son Methuselah (Ubara-Tutu) that the canopy would collapse and the Earth would be flooded.  Ubara-Tutu means "sleep - U; outside - bar; water - a; Tutu - born born (meaning of tu borrowed from tud which translated means "to give birth")".  As a sentence it means "he died before the Flood - he shall be born again." This is a direct statement regarding the resurrection of the dead and of our need for salvation, that is, forgiveness of our sins.  Among other places in the Holy Bible, the one closest to the events of the Flood is the testimony of Job:  "And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me." (Job 19:26, 27)

"Then the flood swept over."

The flood being spoken of here refers to the Great Flood of Genesis 7.  While others will undoubtedly dispute this, saying that many different cultures speak of a flood, even a flood that covers the whole earth, it must be said that those same people will with almost absolute certainty, exclude the Holy Bible's account of the Flood, dismissing it as fantasy, even more so than other stories.  It must also be said that many persons will accept the flood legends of old as authentic and reject the Bible's because the gods and goddesses of old do not hold us eternally accountable for our actions here on Earth.  This is probably the single greatest reason people do not put their trust in the Lord.

As you will notice, neither Noah nor his father Lamech are mentioned here.  Lamech is usually given the name Shuruppag.  Noah is mentioned in the Sumerian King List but in a slightly later part under the name Jushur.  Note that Jushur is similar to the Hebrew word yashar, which means upright, just, meet, etc...  This is same word used to describe Noah in Genesis 6:9 "These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a JUST man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." (emphasis mine)

(go here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumerian_King_List, https://glosbe.com/sux/en/gal, Holy Bible, KJV, other sources)

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