Yam: Tyrannical Hydra-Like Sea Monster God Cast Out Of Heaven

MessageToEagle.com –  Yam (Yamm), (in Hebrew, means ‘sea’) is best known from Canaanite tablets unearthed at Ugarit, and related in myths to Baal, the son of the supreme god El, and the universal god of fertility who was titled ‘Prince, Lord of the Earth’.

The tablets inform that at the beginning of time, Yam was awarded the divine kingship by El, the chief god of the pantheon – father of all the other gods “Creator/Possessor of Heaven and Earth” (with the exception for Baal).

A tyrannical, monstrous deity of the sea and other watery realms, Yam was in constant conflict with Baal and these two gods met each other in combat on the plains of heaven and, after his defeat, Yam was cast out of heaven and into the depths of chaos.

Yam: Tyrannical Hydra-LiKe Sea Monster God Cast Out Of Heaven
Some myths found in a fragmented ancient papyrus, say that the goddess Astarte was deeply discontented by tributes, Yam demanded from other gods and threatened to flood the whole earth, if he did not get what he wanted.

Despite what happened to him, he still remained in conflict with Baal and wished to dethrone him to rule in heaven. So he came back from the depths beneath the seas to battle for heaven’s gates.

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In some versions of the myth, Yam and Baal repeatedly kill each other, resurrect, fight again and die, only to return to life once more. This repeating mythological battle may symbolize furious winter sea storms, which usually calmed in the spring.

Destruction of Leviathan
Destruction of Leviathan, engraving by Gustave Doré, 1865.

Some myths found in a fragmented ancient papyrus, say that the goddess Astarte was deeply discontented by tributes, Yam demanded from other gods and threatened to flood the whole earth, if he did not get what he wanted.

god baalEl instructed the craftsman-god, Kothar wa-Khasis to build a palace on his (El’s) grounds and officially announced that his (eldest or favorite?) son is to be known as ‘El’s Beloved Yam’ and as Master, he probably authorize Yam to banish Baal from his throne.

But Yam still wanted more. He requested that the gods surrender Baal to be his bond servant. El finally agreed, but Baal refused and instead decided to meet Yam in a decisive battle.

After a furious fight, using two special weapons delivered to him by the craftsman Kothar, Baal managed to defeat Yam, scattering the pieces of his body. The battle was won and now the kingship finally belonged to Baal.

In the Egyptian version of the story, the monster god Yam was defeated by Seth with whom Baal was identified in the Ugarithic myth.

Yam is not clearly described in the available sources and has no clear appearance, though he seems to be serpentine in form.

Some believe that Yam may have had a great, seven-headed sea monster in his following or he could also himself have been that monster.

According to some scholars, Yam is identical with the god Lotan (Hebrew: Leviathan) – representation of a serpent or a many-headed dragon, and is the model for Satan in the Biblical Book of Revelation (12:9).

Yam seems entirely motivated by rage, his actions are apparent and he makes no secret of his disrespect for the other gods and their weak and clearly imperfect creations – humans.

Additionally this figure is also associated with the Christian devil, with a serpent present in the Garden of Eden in the Book of Genesis, chapter 3.

Scholars know of no ancient Egyptian cult was related to the monstrous Yam, however, it is known that Yam was widely feared by Egyptian seafarers. However, if we assume that Yam was also Satan, he must have been feared by many others as well.

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