Passing then through the heavens, he beheld that wide domain, and opposite the abyss, he built an abode for the god Nudimmud, that is, for his father Aa as the creator.
"Then measured the lord the abyss's extent, A palace in its likeness he founded:--Êsarra; The palace Êsarra, which he made, (is) the heavens, (For) Anu, Bêl, and Aa he founded their strongholds."
With these words, which are practically a description of the creation or building, by Merodach, of the heavens, the fourth tablet of the Babylonian legend of the Creation comes to an end. It is difficult to find a parallel to this part of the story in the Hebrew account in Genesis.
Plate II. Fragments of tablets (duplicates), giving the words for the different fasts, festivals, etc., of the Babylonians and Assyrians. Line 4 of the small piece, and 16 of the large one, have the words _ûm nûh libbi_, "day of rest of the heart," explained by _sapattum_ (from the Sumerian _sa-bat_, "heart-rest"), generally regarded as the original of the Hebrew _Sabbath_. _Sapattum_, however, was the 15th day of the month. The nearest approaches to Sabbaths were the 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, and 19th, which were called _u-hul-gallu_ or _ûmu limnu_, "the evil day" (the 19th being a _week of weeks_, from the 1st day of the preceding month), because it was unlawful to do certain things on those days.
The fifth tablet of the Babylonian story of the Creation is a mere fragment, but is of considerable interest and importance. It describes, in poetical language, in the style with which the reader has now become fairly familiar, the creation and ordering, by Merodach, of the heavenly bodies, as the ancient Babylonians conceived them to have taken place. The text of the first few stanzas is as follows--
"He built firmly the stations of the great gods-- Stars their likeness--he set up the Lumasi, He designated the year, he outlined the (heavenly) forms. He set for the twelve months three stars each. From the day when the year begins, ... for signs. He founded the station of Nîbiru, to make known their limits, That none might err, nor go astray. The station of Bêl and Aa he placed with himself, Then he opened the great gates on both sides, Bolts he fixed on the left and on the right, In its centre (?) then he set the zenith (?). Nannaru (the moon) he caused to shine, ruling the night, So he set him as a creature of the night, to make known the days, Monthly, without failing, he provided him with a crown, At the beginning of the month then, dawning in the land, The horns shine forth to make known the seasons (?), On the 7th day crown (perfect)ing (?). The [Sa]bbath shalt thou then fall in with, half-monthly, When the sun (is) in the base of the heavens, at thy [approach?]. ...... hath caused to be cut off and ... nearing the path of the sun. [The ...]th [day] shalt thou then fall in with, the sun shall change (?)... ...... the sign seeking its path. ... cause to approach and give the judgment. ........................ to injure (?) ........................... one."