Comparison Of Genesis And The Epic Of Gilgamesh

Both of these valuable works of literature have similar storylines and cause/effect. Throughout the two stories of the flood, it is shown that both Noah, from Genesis, and Utnapishtim, from Gilgamesh, are asked to build a boat to survive the flood. This boat, although different sizes, will both carry their

This quote describes how long God will have the rain go for. It also gives orders to Noah from God to collect all the animals. Noah and his family are the only ones chosen by God to survive the massive flood. After living right outside Houston for so many years, the flood in Gilgamesh seems more realistic because it only rains for 6 days and nights. I can’t imagine it raining here for 40 days and nights. God Promises Noah he will never flood the earth again by creating a rainbow. He describes it by saying:

The Flood Narrative (Genesis 6-9) and the Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet XI have certain parallels that are undeniable, yet many noticeable differences. The parallels are strange yet oddly common in any flood narrative and the differences often lie behind the reasons, responses, and decisions made by the main characters.

In the flood story of Genesis and Gilgamesh there is a flood that happens. In the story of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim told the story of the flood. In the story of Genesis it tells the reader of the flood story but different details. In

The source of the waters and the duration of the excursions were not the same. The Bible states that it rained for forty days and forty nights with the water coming from heavy rain and ground water. It also says that after Noah landed on a mountain it took a long time for the Earth to dry up. During this time Noah sent out a raven and three doves until the last of the three doves did not return and then he knew the land was dry. In Gilgamesh the rain only lasted for six days and six nights and after stopping on the mountain the land did not take as long to dry up. Utnapishtim also sent out birds to see if the water was still standing but he sent out a dove, a swallow, and a raven. When the raven did not return Utnapishtim knew the Earth was clean. Both Noah and Utnapishtim made sacrifices at the end of the flood and both were blessed but in different ways. Noah was told his family was blessed and to go out and multiply while Utnapishtim was made a god and given eternal life.

The Epic of Gilgamesh has many similarities to the Bible, especially in Genesis and it’s not just that the both begin with the letter “g”’! One major similarity being the flood story that is told in both works. The two stories are very similar but also very different. Another being the use of serpents in both works and how they represent the same thing. A third similarity being the power of God or gods and the influence they have on the people of the stories. Within these similarities there are also differences that need to be pointed out as well.

Multiple differences are seen in between the two stories of the flood; as stated, a major difference is that Gilgamesh is a an epic told to entertain, when Genesis is a religious text. Another difference is the length of the rains and floods. In The Epic of Gilgamesh the rains only

“I will make it rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights” (Genesis 123). That being a rather extensive flood, Gilgamesh’s experience in his story was far shorter only lasting 6 days and nights. In both stories, an ark was built. Though they were built differently, they were both giant arks. These ark’s happened to be different shapes, “three hundred cubits, the ark’s length; fifty cubits, its width, thirty cubits, its height” (Genesis 122).

After reading both literary works, it seems that the Babylonians worshiped and feared many Gods, while the Ancient Hebrews worshiped only one God. In Gilgamesh, the God Enlil summons up a terrible storm along with other Gods to punish the humans on Earth. When the storm came Enlil and several other Gods worked together to bring the storm to the people. In the story of Genesis, the people believed in one God, Yahweh. Yahweh, like Enlil, brought on a storm to wipe out the people but worked alone.

There are differences and similarities between Noah’s flood story and Epic of Mesopotamia’s flood story. The similarities include both characters being righteous. The differences are the durations of the flood. That being said, Mesopotamia’s flood lasting almost a week while

Although the stories are similar they are not identical. In Genesis God sent the Flood to destroy humankind because of man’s wickedness. Unlike The Gilgamesha where the reason was never said however the sender of the flood was a secret council of gods the idea was brought up by Enlil , the god of earth wind and air. God favored Noah because he was a righteous man therefore, he was chosen to build the ark that was three hundred cubits long, fifty cubit wide, and thirty cubits high, about three stories. Utnapishtim was chosen out of the cleverness of Ea, the god of wisdom and crafts. God came directly to Noah to tell him about the Flood where as Ea was swore to secrecy so “he repeated their plans to the reed fence” so he would no break the oath to the group. The boat Utnapishtim was directed to build was a rectangle shaped measuring one acre and about 6 stories high. When the floor came in Gilgamesh it was only rainwater however the Flood in Genesis was rain water as well as ground water. Both floods did indeed wipe out all of humankind but the did not last equal as long. After the flood Utnapishtim was gifted the gift of eternal life where as Noah was to multiply and have rule over the animals.

More differences between the stories include only minor details. Noah only invited his family and the animals onboard, but Ut-Napishtim invited additional people such as a pilot and some skilled workmen. Noah's ark landed on Mt. Ararat, but Ut-Napishtim's ark landed on Mt. Nisir, which is only a few 100 miles away. In the Babylonian account, the water came only in the form of rain; however in the Biblical account water came from beneath the earth in addition to rain. Noah released a raven once and a dove twice, but Ut-Napishtim released three different birds; a dove, a swallow, and a raven (Comparison). Perhaps the differences were intentional in order to make the two stories more unique in their own way. Perhaps the differences are simply two different people's renditioning of the same story.

The Book of Genesis and The Epic of Gilgamesh have many clear similarities. One major, noticeable similarity is that in both stories, there are flood legends. There is the legend of Noah and the Ark in The Book of Genesis and the story of Utnapishtim in The Epic of Gilgamesh. In both stories, a higher power wants to wipe out the human race and decides to save one person who is then assigned to build an ark to hold himself, his family, and one of each animal. There are also many specifics about this flood that the two stories have in common, not just the basis of the tale. For example, both stories tell of a long storm. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, it says: "Six days and seven nights the wind and

The stories of “Genesis” and Gilgamesh were written centuries a part, yet there is one undeniable similarity between them. There is a section of each text that talks of a flood that the gods brought down upon the earth to kill all living things, but there was an ark that saved each species. The flood stories within these two texts have analogous events within them, but there is one difference that sets the two stories apart. There are many elements of the stories that gives the reader a deeper understanding of just how different the two stories are. These include the reason for the flood, how the individuals were chosen to be saved, how they were awarded, and the ultimate acts of the individuals at the conclusion of the flood. The relationship between the gods and the humans is the pivotal difference between the two stories by the fact that it encompasses all these differences.

In the Biblical Flood story, once the forty days of flooding had finally come to a stop, Noah opened the window and released a bird. The first bird released was a raven. The second was a dove. Now in the story of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim set free a dove first. The second bird released was a swallow and last was a raven. In both stories the bird were released to find out when the water had receded. They both conclude their evidence in different ways and the order of the release of the birds is opposite.