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how did ancient near eastern cultures understand 'dominion' in relation to the gods and creation?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Genesis 1:26-28

“26 And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.””

This passage is from the opening chapter of the Bible, Genesis, which describes the creation of the world. It sets the scene for humanity's role within that creation, made in God's image and given a specific task.

What does it mean to exercise 'dominion' in a way that reflects the image of the Creator?

Then — the setting

In the Ancient Near East (ANE), the concept of 'dominion' (often associated with kingship or divine rule) was central to how societies understood order and power. Gods were typically seen as having absolute dominion over creation and humanity. Human rulers (kings) were often considered intermediaries or 'images' of the gods, exercising dominion on their behalf, typically through conquest, administration, and maintaining cultic order. This biblical text, written likely in the first millennium BCE, presents a radical idea: all humanity, not just kings, bears the divine image and is given dominion, democratizing a concept previously reserved for monarchs and deities. This dominion, however, was generally understood as a responsibility for stewardship, not exploitation, consistent with the idea of a king tending to his kingdom's welfare.

Across the Testaments

The Old Testament, particularly in Genesis, establishes the foundation for human dominion over creation. This charge is framed as a blessing and a responsibility within a divinely ordered world. The New Testament, while not explicitly re-issuing this command, develops the concept through the lens of Jesus Christ. Jesus, as the 'image of the invisible God' (Colossians 1:15), perfectly embodies divine dominion, not through power over others, but through servant leadership and self-sacrifice (Philippians 2:5-8). His redemption also extends to 'all things' (Colossians 1:20), suggesting a renewed creation under his just and loving rule. This reframes human dominion as participation in Christ's restorative work, emphasizing care, justice, and sacrificial love towards creation.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Psalm 8:4-8
Echoes humanity's exalted, yet dependent, place in creation, just 'a little lower than God'.
Genesis 2:15
Describes humanity's task in the garden as 'to work it and to keep it,' elaborating on 'dominion'.
Romans 8:19-22
Connects humanity's fate and redemption to the suffering and hope of the whole creation.

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