Nimrod was not merely a tyrant. He was the seed of the world's first false religion. According to the Chronicles of Jerahmeel, a 12th-century Hebrew chronicle translated by Moses Gaster in 1899, the compiler Jerahmeel drew on the ancient geographer Strabo of Caphtor to record an alternative tradition: Nimrod was actually a son of Shem, not Ham. He began his reign in Babylon and fathered Bel.
Before seizing power, Nimrod traveled to Jonithes, a son of Noah who possessed the spirit of the Lord. Jonithes foresaw through astrology that Nimrod would come seeking counsel on how to obtain sovereignty. He revealed to Nimrod the vision of four kingdoms that Daniel would later see. And told him that the descendants of Ashur, the children of Shem, would rule first.
After Nimrod died, his son Bel succeeded him in Babylon. After Bel came Ninus, who conquered Assyria and built the great city of Nineveh, which stretched thirty days' walking distance. Ninus defeated Zoroaster the Wise, who had inscribed seven sciences on fourteen pillars of brass and brick to protect them against flood and fire. Ninus burned those books of wisdom.
When Bel died, Ninus was so grief-stricken that he made an image in his father's likeness and called it "Bel." Anyone whom Ninus hated could be pardoned by approaching the image of Bel and supplicating it. Soon the whole world worshipped the god Bel, and variations appeared everywhere. Ba'al Pe'or, Ba'al Zebub. This, the chronicle claims, is how idol worship spread across the earth. In the forty-third year of Ninus's reign, Abraham was born, and on that very same day, the first Pharaoh began to rule in Egypt.
XXXII. (1) I, Jerahmeel, have found in the book of
Strabon of Caphtor that Nimrod was the son of Shem; and
when Noah was one hundred years old a son was born to
him in his form and in his image, and he called his name
70 [XXXII. 1
Jonithes (Dn^j'r). His father, Noah, gave him gifts, and
sent him to the land of Itan (in^x), of which he took posses-
sion as far as the sea of Ehochora (i<"]i:3iNv;s). And Nimrod
the wicked went to Jonithes to learn of his wisdom, for the
spirit of the Lord was with him. But Jonithes foresaw by
means of astrology that the wicked Nimrod would come
to him to take counsel with him how he could obtain
sovereignty; he gave him the explanation of the four kings
whom Daniel saw. And Jonithes said to Nimrod that the
descendants of Ashur would reign first, i.e., the children of
Shem, as it is said: ' And the sons of Shem were Elam and
Ashur.' (2) The beginning of Nimrod's reign was in
Babylon, and there Nimrod begat Bel. At the time of the
dispersion Nimrod departed thence, and allied himself with
the children of Ham; therefore it is said, ' And Cush
begat Nimrod.' (3) After Nimrod, Bel, his son, succeeded
to the kingdom in Babylon, in the days of Serug. And
Bel went to the land of Ashur, but did not capture it.
When Bel died, Ninus, his son, succeeded him, and,
capturing the land of Assur, reigned over it, and built
Nineveh and Eehoboth; and the length of the city was
a distance of thirty days' walk; it became the royal
residence of Assur. From this land Assur, that is, Ninus,
the son of Bel, the son of Nimrod, went forth. (4) Ninus
vanquished Zoroastres the Wise, who discovered the art of
Nigromancia, i.e., Nagira {^y},^). He reigned in Bractia
(Bactria), and had written down the seven sciences (or
arts) on fourteen pillars, seven of brass and seven of brick,
so that they should be proof against the water — of the flood
— and against the fire— of the day of judgment. But Ninus
vanquished him, and burnt the books of wisdom. (5) And
Ninus wrote (?) another book of wisdom. When Bel, his
father, died, he (Ninus) made an image in the likeness and
form of his father, and called it Bel, after the name of his
father; and he was always grieving at the loss of his father.
He called all the gods Bel, after his name, as it is said,
' Nebo bowed Bel bent down.' Whosoever Ninus hated
was pardoned when he came in the name of Bel and sup-
xxxiii. 1] 71
plicated him for mercy. Thus, all the world honoured
and worshipped the god Bel, and made obeisance to him.
Some gods were called Ba'al, and there is a Ba al Pe'or and
a Ba al Zebub. (6) In the forty-third year of the reign of
Ninus Abraham was born, and on that very day the first
King Pharaoh began to reign in Egypt, who was called
Tibei C^^^^O); and after him all the kings of Egypt were
called Pharaoh until the reign of Ptolemy, the son of
Lagos, in Egypt, after whom all the kings of Egypt were
called Ptolemy (^Dhn). All the kings of Assyria were called
Antiochus; and all the kings of Eome were called Csesar,
after the name of Julius Caesar, until this very day.
(7) When Abraham was ten years of age, Ninus, the son
of Bel, died, and his wife, Semeramit, reigned after him in
Assyria forty-two years. After her there reigned Shim'i
C'VW), the son of Ninus, who built the city of Babylon. At
that time all the kings were under the king of Assyria, i.e.,
under Shim'i, the son of Ninus, and whoever had greater
power than his fellow-man forced the other to serve him
(Shim'i).
