Meaning of HAMMURABI

Sixth king of the first dynasty of Babylon. In the past he had been identified with Amraphel (see Gen. 14:1), but this identification is no longer possible due to the discovery, in 1937, of thousands of tablets in Mari, a city on the middle Euphrates.

The chronology is highly debated among various experts, although the most commonly accepted one (according to Albright 1728-1686 BC) already leaves it well removed and after the time of Abraham. Other authors place it between 1792 to around 1750. Courville, for his part, places it at 1430-1375 BC.

At first, Hammurabi controlled only a small region. He then captured Larsa from the Elamites and proclaimed himself lord of all Babylon (see BABYLON). Hammurabi sought the good of his subjects; He repaired the old canals and built new ones, in order to fertilize the north and south of Babylon.

He strengthened fortifications, built and beautified temples, presided over the administration of justice, and codified the laws of the land. The Code of Hammurabi is the oldest known collection of laws.

It is written in cuneiform on a 2.25 m stele. high, discovered in 1901-1902 by J. de Morgan, and kept in the Louvre Museum. It is black basalt. At the top, a relief shows the king in an attitude of worship, receiving the laws from the right hand of the sun-god (shamash).

On the stele there are 28 columns of cuneiform text, comprising: (a) An introduction that recalls the benefits granted to the temples and cities of Babylon by the king. (b) The text of the laws collected and ordered by Hammurabi, comprising 282 precepts.

These laws deal with everyday life, and all classes of society are subject to them. The law recommends work to its subjects, and orders parents to teach their children their trade and to teach them mathematics. They presuppose a society developed artistically and scientifically, but also dissolute, materialistic and cruel.

There is no doubt that there are some common characteristics between this code and the Law of Moses, as there can be between all legislations. But it is unacceptable to make Hammurabi the inspirer and precursor of the Mosaic code. On the one hand, Hammurabi's laws are often inspired by common sense and a true spirit of justice, but they cannot compare with those of the legislator of Sinai in his moral and spiritual elevation.

The Code of Hammurabi is essentially utilitarian, devoid of any sense of the dignity of the human person. Furthermore, he is extremely harsh towards the poor, and very severe towards those who show compassion towards slaves. His favors are given to the great, to the favorites of this world.

There is no care for children, the elderly, the weak or foreigners. There is no notion of a single, all-powerful, personal God. Furthermore, the god of this code seems to be Hammurabi himself who, in his prologue, seems to find no expression strong enough to proclaim his own glory.

The Code of Hammurabi is of pure pagan inspiration, and allows only a very limited comparison, as far as its legislative content is concerned, with the admirable revelation of moral faith and divine holiness of the Decalogue.

On the other hand, the chronological question remains, since it is not at all proven that the Code of Hammurabi was much earlier than the exodus, and it is also very feasible that Courville's very well-founded position that was contemporary with Moses.