Q: Read Psalm 104 and the handout from class. The ancient Egyptian Hymn to the Aten and Psalm 104 are quite similar. Using examples from the text, make an argument as to whether Psalm 104 carries a message distinct from the more ancient Egyptian hymn. In other words, to what extent is Psalm 104 a result of direct borrowing, and to what extent does it reflect the world of the ancient Israelites.
A: It's been speculated many times that the Abrahamic god originated from this Egyptian god, and I believe that these two hymns only further my conviction that this is true. I would like to quickly disclaim that I am not suggesting that these are the same gods, merely that they started as the same. Further more, I think that Psalm 104 was definitely drawn from The Hymn to the Aten.
There are many other textual similarities between the two. One that I found particularly interesting was the line in the fourth stanza/verse of The Hymn to the Aten, which is talking about darkness and the night, and reads:
"Every lion comes out of his cave and all the serpents bite, for darkness is a blanket."
Firstly, this line uses a metaphorical blanket, very similar to the use of cloth as a metaphor inverse 2 in Psalm 104 ("Wrapped in light like a cloak, stretching out heavens like a tent-cloth.") and throughout the psalm. More specifically, the reference to a lion and beasts hunting at night can also be seen in verses 20-21, "You bring down darkness and it turns to night in which all beasts of the forest stir. The lions roar for prey, seeking from God their food."
Another major textual similarity is that both gods are presented as creator gods.
In the Hymn, "The earth comes forth into existence by your hand, and you make it."
In the Psalm, "He founded earth on its solid base, not to be shaken forevermore."
Originally I completely rejected your speculation that the Egyptian god may have served as the origins for the Abrahamic god but I can see where it would make sense because both cultures are so close to each other geographically. Nevertheless, I do not believe that they come from the same god. Creation is one of those things that has puzzled humans for as long as humans have roamed the earth and the "how did we get here?" question has been asked countless times by countless groups and individuals and been answered by stories of many creator gods so it would not be difficult to speculate that these two cultures came to the same conclusion from completely separate origins rather than sharing a god that split into their culture's individual god.
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