In
Sumerian and
Akkadian mythology
Akkadian literature is the ancient literature written in the East Semitic Akkadian language ( Assyrian and Babylonian dialects) in Mesopotamia ( Akkadian, Assyria and Babylonia) during the period spanning the Middle Bronze Age to the Iron Age (r ...
(and
Mesopotamian mythology in general) Hanbi or Hanpa (more commonly known in western text) was the lord of evil, lord of all evil forces (
Udug) and the father of
Pazuzu
In ancient Mesopotamian religion, Pazuzu () is a demonic deity who was well known to the Babylonians and Assyrians throughout the first millennium BCE. He is shown with "a rather canine face with abnormally bulging eyes, a scaly body, a snake-h ...
.
Aside from his relationship with
Pazuzu
In ancient Mesopotamian religion, Pazuzu () is a demonic deity who was well known to the Babylonians and Assyrians throughout the first millennium BCE. He is shown with "a rather canine face with abnormally bulging eyes, a scaly body, a snake-h ...
, very little is known of this figure.
Some have connected Hanbi to
Helel, the
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
name generally equated to
Lucifer
The most common meaning for Lucifer in English is as a name for the Devil in Christian theology.
He appeared in the King James Version of the Bible in Isaiah and before that in the Vulgate (the late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bib ...
in Christian thought. However, Hanbi's characteristic of being a shadow born in the underworld, different from the Sumerian gods (
Dingir) of the underworld, would make him more similar to the concept of the Jewish
shedim and
se'iri or the
Islam
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
ic
shaitan
Iblis (), alternatively known as Eblīs, also known as Shaitan, is the leader of the devils () in Islam. According to the Quran, Iblis was thrown out of heaven after refusing to prostrate himself before Adam. He is often compared to the Chri ...
.
See also
*
List of Mesopotamian deities
Deities in ancient Mesopotamia were almost exclusively Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic. They were thought to possess extraordinary powers and were often envisioned as being of tremendous physical size. The deities typically wore ''melam'', a ...
References
Mesopotamian gods
Mesopotamian demons
Evil gods
Pazuzu
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