Nbu

This article is about the Mandaean deity. For other uses, see NBU.

ʿNbu
Member of the Seven Planets
Other names	Maqurpiil, Mšiha, ʿaṭarid
Affiliation	Jesus and Christianity scribes and Dinanukht
Abode	World of Darkness
Planet	Mercury
Parents	Ruha and Ur
Equivalents
Akkadian	Nabu

In Mandaeism, ʿNbu (Classical Mandaic: ࡏࡍࡁࡅ), Nbu, or Enbu is the Mandaic name for the planet Mercury. Nbu is one of the seven planets (Classical Mandaic: ࡔࡅࡁࡀ, romanized: šuba, lit. 'The Seven'), who are part of the entourage of Ruha in the World of Darkness.^[1][2] This name was borrowed from the Mesopotamian god called Nabu.^[3]

Nbu is associated with learning and scribes, as well as Jesus and Christianity. Other names for Nbu include Maqurpiil, Mšiha (i.e., Jesus the Messiah), and ʿaṭarid (of Arabic origin). Nbu's name is derived from the Akkadian Nabû.^[4]

Buckley (2010) suggests a connection between Dinanukht and Nbu. For instance, in the Zrazta ḏ-Hibil Ziwa (Drower Collection Ms. 44), Nbu is the Lord of Book and ink and wisdom. Similarly, Dinanukht is called the "ink-book of the gods" (Mandaic: spar diuta ḏ-alahia^[5]) in Right Ginza 6.^[6]

References

1. Aldihisi, Sabah (2008). The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba (PhD). University College London.
2. Gelbert, Carlos (2011). Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books. ISBN 9780958034630.
3. Bhayro, Siam (10 February 2020). "Cosmology in Mandaean Texts". Hellenistic Astronomy. Leiden: Brill Publishers. pp. 572–579. doi:10.1163/9789004400566_046. ISBN 9789004243361. S2CID 213438712. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
4. Bhayro, Siam (2020-02-10). Cosmology in Mandaean Texts. Brill. pp. 572–579. doi:10.1163/9789004400566_046. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
5. Gelbert, Carlos (2021). گینزا ربَّا = Ginza Rba (in Arabic). Edensor Park, NSW, Australia: Living Water Books. ISBN 9780648795407.
6. Buckley, Jorunn J. (2010). "New Perspectives on the Sage Dinanukt in Right Ginza 6". ARAM Periodical. 22: 15–29. doi:10.2143/ARAM.22.0.2131030.