Transcriber’s Notes Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. Variations in hyphenation have been standardised but all other spelling and punctuation remains unchanged. In footnote 8 the star Benelnash is usually called Benetnash. This may be an alternative spelling so is unchanged. In Chapter XIV it is possible that “change” should read “chain” in 32. thou didst strike him; to a pillar thou didst change him, Italics are represented thus _italic_. THE CHALDEAN ACCOUNT OF GENESIS. [Illustration: Izdubar (Nimrod) in conflict with a lion] THE CHALDEAN ACCOUNT OF GENESIS CONTAINING THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CREATION, THE DELUGE, THE TOWER OF BABEL, THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM, THE TIMES OF THE PATRIARCHS, AND NIMROD; BABYLONIAN FABLES, AND LEGENDS OF THE GODS; FROM THE CUNEIFORM INSCRIPTIONS. BY GEORGE SMITH, FORMERLY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ORIENTAL ANTIQUITIES, BRITISH MUSEUM, AUTHOR OF “HISTORY OF ASSURBANIPAL,” “ASSYRIAN DISCOVERIES,” ETC. ETC. A NEW EDITION, THOROUGHLY REVISED AND CORRECTED (WITH ADDITIONS), BY A. H. SAYCE, DEPUTY-PROFESSOR OF COMPARATIVE PHILOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD. _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS._ NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS 743 AND 745 BROADWAY. PREFACE BY THE EDITOR. It is now five years since the present volume was first laid before the public by Mr. George Smith, just before setting out on his last ill-fated expedition to the East. It naturally awakened extreme interest and curiosity. The earlier chapters of Genesis no longer stood alone. Parallel accounts had been discovered by the author among the clay records of ancient Babylonia, which far exceeded in antiquity the venerable histories of the Bible. All those who had a theory to support, or a tradition to overthrow, turned eagerly to the newly-discovered documents, which possessed an equal interest for the students of history, of religion, and of language.