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The theme of unidentified transgression is common to both to magical text Šurpu and to expiatory sacrifice in Leviticus, which suggests that these were prescribed under similar conditions.
Šurpu 2.32-34, 82, 98-103, 3.1-2, 130-138:
He does not know what is a crime against god, he does not know what is a sin against the goddess. He scorned the god, despised the goddess, his sins are against his god, his crimes are against his goddess. … Be it released, because he has sworn to facts of which he was ignorant … (because) he went straight toward an accursed person, an accursed person went straight toward him, he slept in the bed of an accursed person, he sat in the chair of an accursed person, he ate at the table of an accursed person, he drank from the of an accursed person … The effect of any oath this man, son of his god, [is under], [Asalluhi], exorcist among the gods, will undo … the oath of talking to an accursed man, the oath of eating an accursed man’s food, the oath of drinking an accursed man’s water, the oath of drinking an accursed man’s leftovers, the oath of talking to a sinner, the oath of eating sinner’s food, the oath of drinking a sinner’s water, the oath of drinking a sinner’s leftovers, the oath of interceding for a sinner.
Leviticus 5:1-5:
If any one sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity. Or if any one touches an unclean thing, whether the carcass of an unclean beast or a carcass of unclean cattle or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him, and he has become unclean, he shall be guilty. Or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it he shall be guilty. Or if any one utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that men swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it he shall in any of these be guilty. When a man is guilty in any of these, he shall confess the sin he has committed, and he shall bring his guilt offering to the God for the sin which he has committed.
Sources (list of abbreviations) (source links will open in a new browser window)
Leviticus 5:1-5
Šurpu 2.32-34
Šurpu 2.82
Šurpu 2.98-103
Šurpu 3.1-2
Šurpu 3.130-138
Bibliography
| Geller 1980 | Geller, Mark J. “The Šurpu Incantations and Lev. V. 1-5.” Journal of Semitic Studies 25 (1980) 181-192. [Oxford Journals (requires subscription)] |
| Reiner 1958 | Reiner, Erica. Šurpu. A Collection of Sumerian and Akkadian Incantations. Archiv für Orientforschung, Beiheft 11. Graz: E. Weidner 1958. |
Amar Annus
URL for this entry: http://www.aakkl.helsinki.fi/melammu/database/gen_html/a0001208.php
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