Comparing Gilgamesh And Genesis

Why do this major flood in The Epic of Gilgamesh and Genesis occur? “What is the purpose for? The Gods weren’t pleased with humankind because of their awful behavior on earth. Both The Epic of Gilgamesh and Genesis had widespread flood stories; some similarities are wickedness of mankind, which causes the flood, they Gods both build Arks, they use the birds to help them find land, and make sacrifices to God after the flood. The events that took part during the flood stories are very similar although there are some differences in their too.
In what ways are the stories similar? The wickedness of men destroyed the old world that causes the flood in Genesis and Gilgamesh. God saw the wickedness of mankind was great on earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time (Genesis 6:5). The reason for the flood in Gilgamesh was a way to kill the people who were living a sinful life. The flood was supposed to be a punishment for their sin. The flood of Gilgamesh was a slaughter of humanity (Tablet 11). The flood heroes were Noah and Utnapishtim both of them were righteous men. Both of the floods

were a global disaster that occurred during ancient times.
In addition, Noah built the ark in Genesis and Utnapishtim built the ark for Gilgamesh.

Building the arks or the boat was a way to save the people from the flood. However in Genesis a storm starts up and wipes out everything that wasn’t on board. Gilgamesh flood lasted for only 6 nights, but rained for 7 days while Genesis flood for 260 days and rained for 40 days (Genesis 7). The flood in Genesis was so powerful, “After seven days the water of the waters of the flood was upon the earth” (Gen.7:10). As you can see the flood in Genesis lasted longer than the one in Gilgamesh did. Noah’s ark was higher than a three-story-building 450x75x45 feet (Gen.6:15). Upnapishtim ark was 200x200x200. The roof top of Noah’s ark was wooden and Upnapishtim roof was slate. On both arks were humans and Noah’s and Upnapishtim’s families, animals and

food.
Noah’s ark landed on top of Mountain Ararat and Utnapishtim’s landed on top of Mountain Nisir. Both Noah and Utnapishtim send out a raven and a dove to find land. When Utnapishtim sent out the dove it returns it nothing, and he sends out the raven it found land and other things to eat, but it didn’t return back to the ark (Gilgamesh 13). Noah’s Dove returns back to the ark when he sends them out and one return with an olive branch. God promises Noah and the people that he would not send another flood again. The god in Gilgamesh argues with the peoples while Ea told Enil lies, Upnaptishtim and his wife were given immortality. Whereas in Genesis earth was rebuilt by Noah and his family. “Noah built an altar to the clean animals and clean birds; he sacrificed burnt offerings on it” (Genesis 8). Utnapishtim sacrificed a sheep, then he offered incense and he wish that all men could be destroyed. From the sacrifices of Noah and Utnapishtim God promise them that he wouldn’t send another flood.
In both stories the global flood happened in ancient times (BC). The similarities between the flood in The Epic of Gilgamesh and Genesis were are both considered to be history. The God’s in Gilgamesh and God in Genesis both chose a righteous man to complete the mission of surviving the flood. Genesis widespread flood story had an impact on Christians. Both flood stories are interesting, the parallels between the floods and the cleansing of humanity. The stories are similar in many ways from building the ark, the humans being sinful, use the same birds to find land, and the sacrifices made in the end to thank God or the gods for letting them survive.