What Is A Nimrod?!

"Nimrod", by Biblical accounts, was a "mighty hunter before the Lord", and according to the Old Testament he established a great kingdom and founded many important Babalonian and Assyrian cities.

After the great flood, when men began to multiply again, most of Noah's decendents settled together in the valley of Mesopotamia, though a few spread out into Palestine and north-west Africa. After about a thousand years (exact date unspecified in the Bible), Nimrod was born in what is now Ethiopia.

According to tradition, Nimrod set out to establish himself an empire and began by conquering the cities (most revagely) which had become established in Mesopotamia. Among these were Babel, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh in Sumeria, and in Assyria the cities of Rehoboth, Calah, and Resen. Besides conquering these seven cities he also founded Ninevah. The Bible is specific in stating that he was the first man after the flood to become an emperor. He seems to have been impelled and empowered by super-human force and his onslaught was irresistible.

After their deaths, Nimrod and his wife Semiramis (the ancient "queen of heaven") were confirmed by their priests as gods and given homage as Marduk and Astarte. The name Marduk was not revealed to the masses but his attributes were set forth under pseudonyms of various gods constructed for the public interest.
Some of his alter-egos include:

• ENKI The god of wisdom, incantations, and the deep waters of the oceans. This god was
  also called APSU, from which comes the name Poseidon.
  
• ASTALLUHI The son of ENKI/APSU was the god of healing and exorcism.
  
• BEL/BAAL This was the primary name by which other nations (including Israel) were introduced to the worship
  of Marduk. Baal means "lord" or "master". Under this name with many prefixes and suffixes he was
  worshiped by the Canaanites, Phoenicians, Syrians and to some extent by the Egyptians. Later, the Greeks
  associated him with Hercules under the name Melkarth which is a transliteration of Marduk.
  
• NABUL/NEBO The prophet. This god was the son of Marduk associated with prophecy received by singing,chanting and muttering (in "other tongues"); as well as oracles. He was the original of both Apollo (Nabul) and Hermes as the Greeks knew them.
  

  According to the American Heritage Dictionary ©:
  Nimrod - In the Bible, a mighty hunter and king of Shinar who was a grandson of Ham and a great-grandson of Noah.
  

  
  Image courtesy of Skip Cady, Metalsmith www.skipcady.com