Enlil (Bel Enlil, Eilil, Illillos) (storm god) In Near Eastern mythology (Sumero-Akkadian), creator god, storm god, god of earth and air; he was also called father of the gods and king of heaven and earth, as well as the king of all lands, patron god of the city of Nippur, and lord of the underworld. Often Enlil was called Bel (lord) in other Near Eastern mythologies.

In one myth, titled Enlil and the Creation of the Pickax, Enlil separates Ansar (the upper heavens) and Kisar (the earth), taking earth as his portion. He then brings up “the seed of the land” from the earth and discovers the pickax, which he teaches man to use. In a variant myth Enlil is responsible for the creation of trees and grains, as well as for appointing the seasons.

Another myth tells how Enlil was banished to the underworld for rape. Before man was created, Enlil lived in the city of Nippur with the goddess Ninlil and her mother, Nunbarshegunu. One day the mother told her daughter to bathe in the river so “the bright-eyed Enlil” would see her and then marry her. Enlil saw Ninlil and wanted to have sexual intercourse with her, but the girl said:

“My vagina is too small, it does not know how to copulate. My lips are too small, they do not know how to kiss. . . .”

Enlil paid no attention and raped Ninlil. The gods in anger banished him to the underworld. Ninlil became pregnant and followed Enlil to the underworld, giving birth to the moon god Sin.

SOURCE:

Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow
– Copyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante

NOTE:

Since the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians and others all shared essentially the same pantheon and belief systems, these articles are all combined under the Mesopotamian mythology / deities / legendary creatures category.