ABSTRACT
The physical structure of the universe as outlined in Genesis parallels what is found in Near Eastern literature: the earth is conceived as a thin disk floating in the surrounding ocean; the heavens are a dome holding back the upper waters; under the earth is located the domain of the dead. Like the gods of ancient literatures, the God of Israel is conceived anthropomorphically. A comparison of texts from the Babylonian flood story and the Hebrew Bible forcefully illustrates the demythologizing intention of the Biblical authors. The ancient Israelites, like those among whom they lived, believed in the power of blessings and curses. By refashioning the myths of the ancient Near East, the Israelites proclaimed the God of Israel as the creator and ruler of all things: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
