The Sumerian King List

The Sumerian King List (SKL) was initially composed during the Third Dynasty of Ur (late 3rd millennium) and extended during the reign of the first dynasty of Isin (Early 2nd millennium). Many scholars maintain that the pre-flood king list is in fact a later addition to the SKL document. According to the SKL (WB 444/Weld-Blundell Prism), kingship is divinely ordained by the gods and lowered down from heaven, passing successively to the eight pre-flood kings of Eridu, Badtibira, Larak, Sippar and Shuruppak, who reign for a total of 241200 years. This time comes to an end when “The Flood swept over”.

King – City – Years of Reign

1. Alulim Eridu 28800
2. Alalgar Eridu 36000
3. Enmenluanna Badtibira 43200
4. Enmengalanna Badtibira 28800
5. Dumuzi Badtibira 36000
6. Ensipazianna Larak 28800
7. Enmenduranna Sippar 21000
8. Ubartutu Shuruppak 18600

Total years of reign 241200 years

John Van Seters (Prologue to History: The Yahwist as Historian In Genesis: 1992) highlights at least three similarities shared by both the Sumerian King List and the Sumerian Flood Story: a) Kingship is lowered down from heaven; b) The five pre-flood cities, Eridu, Badtibira, Larak, Sippar and Shuruppak are presented in the same order, and c) the similarity in the wording of the flood, “Sweeping over,” and “After the flood Swept over.” These three similarities seem to indicate a certain amount of dependence of SKL on the The Sumerian Flood Story.

The Sumerian Flood Hero Ziusudra is further listed as the last pre-flood king on two Old Babylonian SKL tablets from Diyala (listing eight kings) and Sippar (listing ten kings). According to Jean-Jacques Glassner in ‘Mesopotamian Chronicles: 2005, the SKL tablet from Sippar is as follows:

King – City – Years of Reign

1. [Alulim] Eridu 36000
2. [A]lalgar Eridu 72000
3. [X]kidunnu Larsa 72000
4. [X]alima Larsa 21600
5. [divine Dumu]zi the shepherd Badtibira 28800
6. [Enm]e(n)-lu-ana Badtibira 21600
7. [En]-sipazi-ana Larak 36000
8. Enme(n)-dur-ana Sippar 72000
9. Suruppak son of Ubar-Tutu Suruppak 28000
10. Ziusudra son of Suruppak Suruppak 36000

Total years of reign 38800 years

In the 3rd Century B.C.E., a Babylonian priest called Berossos, clearly aware of both the SKL tradition and the Flood myth of Ziusudra, compiled another Pre-Flood king list. This list was part of a history of Babylon (Babyloniaca), which survives partially now in extensive quotations found in the writings of historians Josephus and Eusebius (the latter via Alexander Polyhistor and Apollodorus). Berossos’ list is as follows:

King – Years of Reign

1. Aloros 36000
2. Alaparos 10800
3. Amelon 46800
4. Ammenon 43200
5. Amegalaros 64800
6. Daonos 36000
7. Euedorankhos 64800
8. Amempsinos 36000
9. Otiartes 28800
10. Xisouthros/Sisuthros [i.e. Ziusudra] 64800

Total years of reign 432000 years

A further comparison can be made between the ten Pre-Flood kings of the Sumerian King List with the ten pre-Flood Patriarchs of the Hebrew book of Genesis. There are obvious similarities, however, Hamilton (The Book of Genesis: Chapters 1-17: 1990) points out there are notable differences. The SKL deals primarily with the divine gift of kingship. Those kings are not necessarily descended by blood, rather by divine prerogative. The Genesis account deals with the descendants of Adam and is strictly Geneology and measured by the length of life rather than kingly reign. What is striking is that all men are pre-deluvial, live extraordinary lifespans and the last pre-deluvian according to some of the lesser SKL tablets (as well as Berossos list) is also, like Noah, a flood hero.

pre-Flood Patriarchs of the Hebrew book of Genesis

1. Adam Lived 930 years
2. Seth Lived 912 years
3. Enosh Lived 905 years
4. Kenan Lived 910 years
5. Mahalalel Lived 895 years
6. Jared Lived 962 years
7. Enoch Lived 365 years
8. Methuselah Lived 969 years
9. Lamech Lived 777 years
10. Noah after the World Flood Lived to be 950 years

A further Parallel between the Mesopotamian and Hebrew traditions concerns Enmenduranna the king of Sippar, also known as Enmeduranki, and again called Euedorankhos according to Berossos. His name appears at least twice as the seventh Pre-Flood king on the SKL tablets. Berossos also places Euedorankhos seventh. According to a tablet recovered at Ninevah (circa 1100-900 B.C.E.) published by W.G. Lambert (Enmeduranki and Related Matters JCS: 1967) as King of Sippar, the city of the sun deity Shamash, Enmeduranki was transported to heaven by the sun god and Adad and brought before the divine assembly where he was sat upon a golden throne and bestowed all the mysteries of divination, the tablets of the gods and a cedar rod, precious to all the great gods. Enmeduranki was taught mathematics and became a long-haired priest of the sun god Shamash and custodian of the secrets of the gods. The person of Enmeduranki, the seventh king of the Sun god’s city of Sippar, may well be the prototype for the seventh Pre-Flood biblical patriarch Enoch, who according to Genesis 5:24 “walked with God; then he was no more because God took him away.” Enoch’s 365-year lifespan may also be symbolic of the solar year, adding another possible link with the Mesopotamian priest-king Enmeduranki and his solar deity.