Spätbronzezeit, neuassyrische Zeit oder babylonisches Exil

What is it about?

This paper explores how ancient cuneiform writing from Mesopotamia influenced biblical texts. It focuses on three periods: the Late Bronze Age, the Neo-Assyrian period, and the Babylonian Exile, to determine when this influence likely occurred. The evidence points to the Late Bronze Age as the key time, when Akkadian was widely used, and cuneiform schools operated in the Levant. During this period, West Semitic scribes likely encountered Mesopotamian stories like the Gilgamesh Epic and legal codes like Hammurabi’s. In contrast, the Neo-Assyrian period shows little evidence of cuneiform education in Israel or Judah, and the Babylonian Exile offered limited access to Babylonian scribal training. Recent discoveries suggest that scribal traditions from the Late Bronze Age continued into the Iron Age, laying the groundwork for early Israelite writings. Thus, the Late Bronze Age is the most likely time for cuneiform’s influence on the Bible.

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