Genesis Vs Gilgamesh Research Paper

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

The general idea of both stories follows the idea of punishment for one’s unacceptable behavior. In the first flood myth, the idea of four monsters morphing into one large beast is presented. This large beast is supposed to represent society as a whole. When society adapts malicious intentions and negative traits, a higher being decides whether or not a “cleansing” of society is necessary to improve the planet. Similarly, the story of Genesis follows the idea that humans have begun to behave in an irrational and shameful manner, so God creates a flood to punish the humans who had behaved poorly. “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.”

When comparing the Genesis Flood narrative to that of the Gilgamesh Flood narrative, there are many similar symbols throughout both narratives. In the Genesis version of the flood, God had chosen to send the flood because the humankind he had created was evil and he saw their wickedness. “For my par, I am going to bring a good of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die” (Genesis 6:18). This excerpt from the narrative shows that one God had chosen to send the flood to destroy all humankind that he had originally created. Just like this narrative, the Gilgamesh Flood narrative, a God by the name of Enlil orders a flood to destroy humankind. “Decided that the great gods should make a flood” (Gilgamesh XI 109). This quote states how that a flood was to be sent for the city of Shuruppak. In the Genesis narrative there was a righteous man by the name of Noah that was chosen to build the ark. “Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and out with a pitch” (Genesis

In Gilgamesh we were told about a great flood that struck Shurrupak. A god called Enlil became mad at the city because it was very noisey due to its growing population, he complained that he can't sleep at night. He told the other gods about his complaint and they agreed they should wipe out the mortals. In an attempt to destroy mankind he creates a flood. Ea, another god, tells a man called Utnapishtim to build a boat out of his house in a dream. Utnapishtim does as he was told. Utnapishtim asks Ea how to make the others believe him. Ea says to tell the others that Enilil was angry with Utnapishtim, so Utnapishtim may no longer live on land. Utnapishtim builds a seven deck boat. When the boat was set into water he took his family, relatives, animals, and craftsmen who helped him build the boat. The flood lasts for six days and six nights. Utnapishtim sees a mountain, the boat floats towards it. Utnapishtim realeses three birds, one after the other, in an attempt to find shore. The first two birds return but the third, a raven, doesn't return. Utnapishtim then knows that there is shore for him to go to. Utnapishtim gives sacrafices of cane, cedar, and myrtle. Ishtar tells the others gods about Enlil and how he started the flood. Utnapishtim was then blessed with eternal life. This story is very similar to the story of Noah in Gensis. The flood in Noah was also to a punishment for mankind. Utnapishtim and Noah were chosen to build an ark to survive the flood and then

Both the story of “Noah and the Flood” in the book of Genesis in The Hebrew Bible and the flood story in The Epic of Gilgamesh detail a grand flood in which a man saved life from extinction by building an ark, earning fame and immortality in some form. The theme of completing this grand task for a moral purpose holds true to both stories, but the depiction and actions of the divine and mortal characters in the stories contain different similarities and differences.

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.

In both Gilgamesh and Noah and the Flood, man’s wickedness leads to death, destruction, and rebirth all caused by billions of gallons of water sweeping the earth’s surface. The flood in both stories destroys most of mankind. The floods represent rebirth and a new beginning for mankind, as well as the gods and God’s wrath. In Gilgamesh the gods decide to destroy mankind by flooding the earth for six days and nights. Utnapishtim is chosen to build a boat in order to restart mankind after the flood. In the Bible God also decides to flood the earth due to the increase in wickedness. God chooses Noah to build an ark and store seven pairs of every clean animal and two of every other kind of animal on it

The Hebrew Flood story of Noah and his obligation to preserve man kind after God had punished all living creatures for their inequities parallels The Epic of Gilgamesh in several ways. Even though these two compilations are passed on orally at different times in history the similarities and differences invoke deliberation when these stories are compared. Numerous underlining themes are illustrated throughout each story. Humans are guilty of transgressions and must be punished, God or Gods send a flood as punishment to destroy this evil race, a person is selected by the gods to build a craft that will withstand the flood and allow this person to create a new race. An

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.

God said to Noah, “And I behold, I establish my covenant with you and with your seed after you; and with every living creature with you. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there anymore be a flood to destroy the earth.” That’s when God made an everlasting covenant between himself and every living creature of all flesh on earth. Even though, in the story of Gilgamesh, the Gods decided that it was wrong to punish mankind, they still did not make a covenant with man. Instead of making a pact with humans they granted immorality to Utnapishtim and his wife. In both stories they settled the flood in different ways separating the stories.

The similarities between The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Bible are prevalent, especially when taking into account the historical and geographical significance in each text. The best example highlighting the similarities between the two works lies within the flooding stories; both Utanapishtim and Noah experience a flood that destroys everyone and everything on earth except for them and those they save. Both stories follow a related path along the divine decision to destroy human kind. While the storylines essentially mirror each other, the wording is seems to reflect across the works as well. In Gilgamesh, Utanapishtim describes that "when the seventh day arrived, [he] brought out a dove and set it free.

Someone once wrote “The Lord saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how every plan devised by his mind was nothing but evil all the time”(Noah and the flood pg.171). “ The uproar of mankind is intolerable and sleep is no longer possible by reason of the babel” (the Epic of Gilgamesh pg.147). Both stories from two different cultures but despite the differences in the heroes, their gods, and the flood stories in “Noah and the Flood” and “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” both of these stories appear to refer to the same historical event the great flood.

In the beginning, in Zeus’s account, humans came from a stone age whereas in Genesis, humans came from Adam and Eve. Also, in preparation for the flood and who and who wasn’t going perish, God (in Genesis) wanted to save the creatures while in Zeus, all would perish with humanity. Though in both accounts certain people were saved, in Genesis they’re safe haven was is a boat whereas in Zeus, in a box. In both floods told in both stories, it is told that all was swept under the waters leaving nothing behind; conversely, in Zeus’s account, it explains that only the peak of mount Parnassus was dry and untouched by the waters, acting as an escape from the destruction, while in Genesis, the only way to survive was to be on the boat for there was no land above the surface of the water. Finally, while in the Genesis story it rained for forty days and forty nights while in mythology, it only rained for nine days and nine nights, thus contributing to the amount of damage both stories

In The Story of the Flood it took him seven days to finish the boat. Then in Genesis 6:9-8:23 God said that he would send the rain in seven days. Also in Genesis 6:9-8:23 it put more emphasis on the cubic diameter of the ark, in the other narrative they put more of an emphasis on how the boat was made and what is consisted of. In the narrative of The Story of the Flood it explains how even the gods were terrified of the flood that they fled to the highest heaven. (76) But both of the narratives they brought their families and some animals. Noah was only allowed on set of each animal one male and one female. While in the other narrative they stated, “take up into the boat the seed of all living creatures.” (71) During the flood there were many differences, in The Story of the Flood the attention was more set on the darkness of the flood and how the Queen of Heaven stated “Alas the days of old are turned to dust because I commanded evil; why did I command this evil in the council of all the Gods? I commanded wars to destroy the people, but are they not my people, for I brought them forth? Now like the spawn of fish they float in the ocean.” (72) Also stated in the both of the narratives the wind blew to have the floods subside. They also both seen the tops of the mountains. They both also set forth birds to see if the floods were

Throughout human existence, different cultures share stories that may have many meanings; from explaining why mankind exists to how a hero defeats a forest monster. Two well known stories are Genesis and Gilgamesh. Both stories contain a part where there is a flood that wipes out mankind. Although two different stories, the flood story from Genesis and the flood story from Gilgamesh share a plethora of similarities that connect the two stories. Some key similarities include the cause of the flood, the animals on the boat, and the way of how each hero in the two stories find dry land.