Flood Myth of Epic of Gilgamesh and Book of Genesis of...

A Comparison of the Flood of Gilgamesh and the Bible People grow up listening to the story of Noah and the flood. They remember the length of the flood, the dove, and the rainbow very vividly. However, most people do not realize that the story is told throughout many different cultures and with accounts older than Genesis ¹s version in the Bible. Although each of the accounts tells of the flood, there are many variations to the story. One such story can be found in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Although the Epic of Gilgamesh is similar to the Genesis version, there are some differences in the days leading to, during, and after the flood. The days leading to the flood are different as well as similar in the Epic of Gilgamesh and the†¦show more content†¦After 7 days, Noah ¹s flood began. During the flood there are several similarities between the two stories. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the flood lasted six days and nights. The whole world looked like an ocean except for the top of a mountain where the boat ultimately landed. In Genesis,  ³the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights ² (p. 69). The water covered the entire earth including the mountains for 150 days. Eventually the ark rested on a mountaintop, but the mountaintops were not shown for three months. To test to see if the waters had receded, Utnapishtim waited for six days to see if his boat would hold onto the mountaintop. Then on the seventh day, Utnapishtim released a dove from a hatch in the boat. The dove came back. Then he released a swallow that also came back. Lastly, he  ³loosed a raven...and she did not come back ² (p. 38). After the flood ended, Noah also released birds. First, he sent a raven, which flew around until the water dried up. Then he sent a dove, which came back. No ah waited seven days and released it again. This time the dove came back with an olive leaf. Noah waited seven more days; he released the dove again, which did not return. After testing the earth to see if it was dry, both men disembarked and began their new lives. Utnapishtim made sacrifices to his gods on the mountaintop. Noah also made sacrifices to his god. Utnapishtim ¹s gods decided that a flood as a means of destruction was not a good idea. They alsoShow MoreRelated The Biblical Flood of Genesis Based Upon the Flood of the Epic of Gilgamesh1650 Words   |  7 PagesBiblical  Flood Based Upon the Flood of Gilgamesh      Ã‚  Ã‚   In the middle of the nineteenth century, archaeologists unearthed twelve clay tablets. Around the turn of the twentieth century, archaeologists finally managed to decipher the tablets written in Akkadian, the language of ancient royalty and diplomacy. The tablets tell of the story of Gilgamesh. (1) The eleventh tablet tells that Gilgamesh, in his quest for immortality set out on a long journey to look for his ancestor, UtnapishtimRead MoreEssay on Gilgamesh vs. Genesis1436 Words   |  6 PagesGilgamesh vs. Genesis In our society, which is overwhelmingly Judeo-Christian, students often find it difficult to compare Bible stories with tales from other cultures, because our own belief system is wrapped up in the prior, and it is hard for many of us to go against our traditional faith to evaluate them objectively. But in a comparison of the Biblical book of Genesis with the ancient Sumerian text, Epic of Gilgamesh, many parallels suggest that the same type of spiritualRead MoreBiblical Vs. Classical Phenomenon2078 Words   |  9 Pageshumankind. These myths and legends are known as the oldest in centuries and possibly the first sight of written text that humans have encountered. Dating back to the times of traditional oral-based stories, texts such as The Epic of Gilgamesh have given humankind a sense of emergence in the old times of script and literature. The Epic of Gilgamesh was one of the many classical publications that were printed, including the epistles of the Old Testament and Gospels of the New Testament in the Bible. Both setsRead MoreBiblical Flood Story Vs. Gilgamesh Flood1981 Words   |  8 PagesBiblical Flood Story versus Gilgamesh Flood Story The Biblical Flood story and the Gilgamesh Flood story include similarities and differences. There are two versions we know of the flood story in Babylonian literature, and both have different hero’s in each, although the cause of each flood is different. I will prove that I understand the task at hand by reading both of the stories, and taking it apart piece by piece to understand it in a whole. By doing this, I am able to know what I am readingRead MoreModern Influences Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh2276 Words   |  10 PagesThe Modern influences of The Epic of Gilgamesh â€Å"Who says Gilgamesh ever died?† (Ziolkowski 57). The Epic of Gilgamesh has remained a widely read story throughout the years. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story of an imperfect hero on a journey for everlasting life. It features Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, and Enkidu, a wild beast man, on a journey of heroic quests and misadventures. This story has inspired many new literary and visual works in many languages; it has also inspired modern archeologistsRead MoreThe Purpose of the Biblical Flood narrative1977 Words   |  8 Pagesand early Judaism† (Coogen 2008) that contains many forms of writings and stories which address not only myth, main historical events and laws, but also those that follow the Israelites unique relationship with God. The first book of the Old Testament is known as Genesis, which is highly concerned with the world’s creation and its initial stages. It is also the origin of the biblical Flood Narrative concerning Noah and the Ark. The story is characterised by a man that is instructed to build anRead MoreGENESIS AND ANCIENT MYTHS OF THE NEAR EAST930 Words   |  4 PagesWhen one approaches the biblical text, it is important to explore the cultural context in which the text occurs. With regard to the Book of Genesis, it is important to examine the writing with other contemporary works of similar geography and topics. The people of ancient Mesopotamia, where the oldest civilizations originated, produced a number of stories of creation and natural occurrences. It is important to note that many of the stories of the Sumerians, Akkadians and Hebrews began as oral traditionsRead MoreEssay on Flood Legends From Around the World1695 Words   |  7 Pages There are flood stories from many cultures. The flood stories usually consist of a higher power that floods a civilization due to some act that has made the higher power angry. The stories talk about one specific family and how the flood consumes the entire globe. So many cultures have a story about a great flood that have many similar details that it is hard to not believe that it is not true, but whether the story of a great flood is true or not, it is up to the individual to decideRead MoreCompare and Contrast the Biblical Creation Myths with Other Creation Myths from Greece and the Ancient Near Eas2116 Words   |  9 PagesCompare and contrast the Biblical creation myths with other creation myths from Greece and the Ancient Near East. This essay will compare and contrast the Biblical creation myths with other creation myths from Greece and the Ancient Near East. It will first discuss the initial creation of the universe followed by the creation of mankind and finally the recreation of man whilst drawing parallels to Sumerian and Babylonian texts, The Old Testament and Hesiods Theogony. In paying particularRead MoreEssay on Egyptian, Babylonian, And Hebrew Religions993 Words   |  4 Pagessimilarities as much as it is in the differences that distinguish the cultures from each other and their views on life. I would like to point out each civilizations creation and flood story. By analyzing these stories we can come to a better understanding of their world views. The Hebrew creation story from the book of Genesis is one that most people know well. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. The earth was without form and void. God said, quot;let there be light,quot; and there