s are identified with the gods. The
gods have their 'stations' and their 'pictures' in the starry sky. The
stars are the 'drawings' or 'designs of heaven.' It is Marduk again who
is represented as arranging these stations:

He established the stations for the great gods.[744]
The stars, their likeness,[745] he set up as constellations.[746]
He fixed the year and marked the divisions.[747]
The twelve months he divided among three stars.
From the beginning of the year till the close (?)
He established the station of Nibir[748] to indicate their boundary.
So that there might be no deviation nor wandering away from the course
He established with him,[749] the stations of Bel and Ea.

An epitome of the astronomical science of the Babylonians is comprised
in these lines. The gods being identified with stars and each of the
latter having its place in the heavens 'to establish the stations for
the great gods' is equivalent to putting the stars in position. The
regulation of the year forms part of the astronomical science. The three
stars that constitute 'divisions' to aid in marking off the months are
Nibir, Bel, and Ea. That the Babylonians had such a system as is here
outlined is confirmed by Diodorus Seculus.[750] The position of Nibir,
or Jupiter, whose course keeps closer to the ecliptic than that of any
other planet, served as an important guide in calendrical calculations.
The stars are represented as clinging to their course through
maintaining their relationship to Nibir, while at the side of Nibir and
as additional guides, Bel is identified with the north pole of the
equator and Ea with a star in the extreme southern heavens, to be sought
for, perhaps, in the constellation Argo. The description concludes:

He attached large gates to both sides,
Made the bolt secure to the left and right.

The heavens are thus made firm by two gates, fastened with bolts and
placed at either end. Through one of these gates the sun passes out in
the morning, and at evening enters into the other. But the most
important body in the heavens is the moon. Its functions are described
in an interesting way:

In the midst[751] he made the zenith[752] (?)
Nannar[753] he caused to go forth and handed over to him[5] the night.
He fixed him[754] as the luminary of night to mark off the days.

The passage is made clear by a reference to the Book of Genesis, i. 16,
where we are told that the moon was created 'for the r