Comparing Biblical Flood Story And The Epic Of Gilgamesh

The Biblical flood story and The Epic of Gilgamesh are surprisingly similar. The Epic of Gilgamesh, the Biblical flood story, and the story of Atrahasis are some of the most well known Mesopotamian literature pieces. In Atrahasis, the god Enlil has trouble sleeping since the population of man on earth grew large and decides along with the other gods to flood the Earth. The god Enki who loves mankind tells Atrahasis about the Gods’ plans and tells Atrahasis to build an ark. He survives and saves mankind. The Epic of Gilgamesh is the longest and most famous work of Akkadian literature about a journey of a hero to immortality, friendship and sorrow. Gilgamesh’s, the main character, final adventure includes the flood story, in which parts were

taken from Atrahasis and slightly reworded. (Petersen 1976, 349) Lastly, the Biblical flood story features Noah, the only righteous man out of all evil on Earth. He is instructed by God to build an ark and to save animals by taking two animals from each species. He makes a covenant with god when the flood is over, and God promises he will never let such a flood recur. Mesopotamian myths had a large impact on other ancient records and religious stories, as shown in the similarities between the Epic of Gilgamesh, The Deluge in the Genesis, and the Story of Atrahasis.
The similarities between the myths are controversial and insignificant. The only main similarity between The Epic of Gilgamesh, Atrahasis, and the biblical flood story is that all three mention a flood. Although each story mentions a flood, that is the only major similarity, and is not enough to prove the stories origin is the same, or if the stories are similar at all. Even if those stories did originate from the same source, it does not hold any significance, since it did not affect any present day religion or cultures. In addition, there is no scientific record of large enough flood happening on Earth. It is recorded It is insignificant since there is no evidence such large flood ever happened even if multiple sources mention it. Studies show that there are no signs of a large enough flood happening all around the world in ancient times, and instead this flood may have been occurred as another one of the tigris and euphrates river floods. Lastly, the stories’ idea of a flood could have been more likely copied from one another than taken from the same origin, and ____ simplies. This suggests that not only are the similarities unimportant, controversial, and non- universal.
All three stories feature a main character building an amphibious vehicle in the form of an ark as commanded by a godly being, while all other human beings drown due to their wickedness.

In Atrahasis’ version of the flood, Enki, the god who loved mankind and by telling Atrahasis about the flood went against the other gods commands Atrahasis to “The boat that you build… Roof it like the Apsu so that the sun cannot see inside it! Make upper decks and lower decks.” (Myths from Mesopotamia, Atrahasis, p. 30) The god Enki gives Atrahasis very detailed instructions on building the ark. Similarly, in the Genesis version, God instructs Noah to “Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks.” (Genesis 6:16, How the Babylonian Flood Became the Story of the Great Deluge in the Genesis, p.19) In both stories, the instructions on building the amphibious vehicle both men are to use escaping the flood greatly resemble each other, specifically in the instructions of building a roof, and even more alike in mentioning to add upper and lower decks. These instructions repeat themselves in both stories and in the same order, suggesting the Babylonian version either impacted the Genesis story, or that both were recorded from the same

event.
Another major similarity between the mesopotamian and biblical flood stories is the occurrence of sending out a dove to search for dry land. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim the wise-man tells that “When the seventh day arrived, I put out and released a dove. The dove went; it came back, for no perching place was visible to it, and it turned round. (Myths from Mesopotamia, The Epic of Gilgamesh, p. 114) Utnapishtim also sends out a raven that ate and drank and did not return. In the Genesis, Noah sends out a raven thats goes to and fro until the waters recede. He also “Sent out the dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground... But the dove found no place to set its foot, and returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the earth.” (Genesis 8:9) After seven more days Noah sends the dove out twice more, the first time it returns with an olive branch in its beak, and the second, it does not at all. Noah and Utnapishtim both send out a dove and a raven, but at opposite times. While Noah releases a raven first and the dove twice after that as opposed to Utnapishtim, the details of both stories are highly alike in both facts and sentence structure. The Genesis version of the flood seems like a more structured rendition of the Babylonian flood story, and it is highly likely that the Babylonian and Biblical versions of the flood story not copied but rather a one large story passed by the generation, making its way to the bible.
The morals displayed in the Biblical Flood story emphasize the animosity towards evil and the consequences of its existence. The storyline of the biblical flood signifies the Hebrew God’s relationship with evil in mankind, showing his enmity towards it by deciding to end mankind. In the Genesi God says to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth.” (Genesis 6:13) One of the main morales the flood story teaches is that the Hebrew god would rather end all human existence over evil existing in the world, meaning if evil becomes widespread enough, there is no longer a purpose to human existence. The Hebrew god hates all evil, and whenever there is evil it must be abolished. It teaches mankind that evil in our world will cause to its destruction, and should be destroyed by all costs. Not only does the hebrew god despise evil, but he also values good above all, proven by the repetitiveness of Noah’s characteristics, as stated, “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations” (Genesis 6:9) The Another moral is how goodness should be valued above all, especially in God’s eyes. Noah was the only righteous and just man who did not resort into evil ways, implying that people who are just and good will, too, receive just treatment and live a better life.
Other morals taught in the Genesis flood story where the value of goodness in god’s eyes and the purpose of the the flood. After God floods the Earth and Noah and his family are the only survivors, upon the waters leaving the earth God makes a covenant with noah. In the covenant made, he promises he will never again let such a flood happen, saying, “I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.”(Genesis 9:15) The covenant is extremely important. The humankind that lived on Earth at the time had no kind of moral instruction or code to go by, resorting to evil deeds. By God bringing an end to the uneducated part of humanity he was able to establish a new generation with a new set of morals to follow. By promised to never bring such destruction again with a covenant and later providing The Ten Commandments to guide the humans he ensured that the human race will now act differently, and not wickedly.