Comparing Utnapishtim And Noah 's Ark

“The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the lord said, ‘I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created-people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord.”(Genesis 6:5-8)

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.

The floods in The Epic of Gilgamesh and Genesis 6-9 are very similar. In both the flood were sent to wipe out all humankind. Both floods however could be seen as symbols as a rebirth or a new beginning to what was see by God and the gods as a crumbling world. Both heroes in the story were chosen to build a boat to save a

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

God decided to wipe out mankind with a flood. In order to help repopulate the earth after the flood was over, God called upon Noah. God told Noah to build himself an ark out of cypress wood, with room inside. He told Noah to cover the ark, both inside and out with pitch to protect it from the waters. God instructed Noah as to the size of the ark, and what it was to look like. “The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Make a roof for it and finish the ark within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle, and upper decks.” (Genesis 6: 15-16)

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

In the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’ and ‘The Biblical Flood Story’ have a very similar plot line, but many several key differences. In both stories a flood occurs, which were caused by the God/s( This shows that in Gilgamesh they were polytheistic while in the Biblical version they were monotheistic. ) to destroy the people of the earth. For both flood stories, a specific person is chosen to build an arc but for different reasons. In the Biblical story, Noah builds the arc due to his righteous character but in Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim built the arc to save himself. Later on in both stories birds are released making them seem very similar. In the end, the stories are separated because of the covenants

The presence of fundamental storytelling methods across the globe establishes a universal connection between societies. Contrasting cultures influence variation among symbolism and moral values, however collective literary essentials exist. For instance, an abundance of flood stories that expand across the world verifies a connection among the traditions of mankind. The strong resemblance between the flood accounts in the ancient Mesopotamian myth The Epic of Gilgamesh and the biblical narrative of Noah’s Ark in The Genesis propose a closer relationship that encourages further analysis. The major plot points are echoed in both texts despite differentiation of detail, however the crucial distinctions are observed through the contrasting religious themes. In contrast to Gilgamesh, the Genesis is a religious narrative that promotes monotheistic ideals. Both texts articulate nearly identical scenarios, however the Genesis adaptation provides a Christian perspective by offering moral interpretation. Further exploration of both assists in the determination of significance between the differences.

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.

On the other hand in The Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim’s, the one Enlil called to build the arch, name means “He Who Saw Life” (The Flood of Noah). Utnapishtim was forced to carry a heavy load of guilt mainly because unlike in Genesis Noah was awarded the power to survive, and also did every task God asked of him alone. While in the Epic of Gilgamesh the gods were upset with mankind because they couldn’t get any restso they sent Utnapishtim to build an arc. He doesn’t know why Ea, another god chose him to live, but he does know that he tricked hundreds of his neighbors into laboring day and night to build the boat that would carry him and his family to safety while he abandoned them. He received a promise from the gods that from now on only individuals would be subject to death and that humankind as a whole would endure. Both stories are based on a flood and humankind being sinful, but their point views differ dramatically. God’s plan was valid and he did not regret it the action he took because he felt it was his fault and that it had to come to a stop, but the gods plan was injustice and evil. In the very prologue of the Epic of Gilgamesh, we see a reference to the number seven. Throughout Gilgamesh, as is throughout the Bible, the number seven appears continually throughout the text. The Epic of Gilgamesh is

The world before the flood was already in turmoil and ruin, enveloped in sin and chaos; it is in this world that Noah’s faith made him the only righteous man. God had entrusted in Noah to complete a very important task that would test his faithfulness to Him. God’s plan was to destroy the world by way of flood as the result of mankind’s misdeeds. He instructed Noah to construct an ark to save his family and all species of animals, two of each kind - male and female. All of them would survive in the ark while God sent down a watery wrath to be swept across the earth, wiping out everything in its path. Noah was obedient; his life revealed qualities of patience and persistence which made him the perfect candidate for the building of the

Both Gilgamesh and Noah build arks because of an impending devastation of the earth by rain and flooding. Shamash had warned, "In the evening, when the rider of the storm sends down the destroying rain, enter the boat and batten her down." (p. 147) God told Noah, "For in seven days' time I will make it rain upon the earth, forty days and forty nights, and I will blot out from the earth all existence that I created." (p. 172) Both boats were built to detailed specifications in order to withstand the torrents of rain. Following the cessation of the rain, both Noah and Gilgamesh send out birds as a test of the recession of the waters so that they can safely exit onto the land. Gilgamesh sends first a dove, then a swallow, and then a raven, who, "…saw that the waters had retreated, she ate, she flew around, she cawed, and she did not come back." (p. 148) Noah first sends a raven which, "…went to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. " (p. 173) He then sends a dove that returns to the ark having found no resting place. After seven days Noah again sends the dove which returns with an olive leaf in its bill. "Then Noah knew that the waters had decreased on the earth. He waited still another seven days and sent the dove forth; and it did not return to him any more." (p. 173) Both Noah and Gilgamesh, immediately upon leaving their boats, make a sacrifice. Gilgamesh says, "Then I threw everything open to

The two great floods in both the Gilgamesh story and in the Hebrew Bible have many similarities and have many differences. In both stories the gods planned to destroy the Earth because they did not like the way that people were behaving and felt that they should be punished for their actions. Like the story of Noah in the Hebrew Bible, Utanapishtim was warned by a god that a great flood was coming and that he should build a boat to protect himself, his family and the animals (81). Both gods instructed the two men to build a boat in specific cubit measurements. After both floods they boats landed on the mountains and birds were used to find land. Although these two great flood stories have many similarities they also have a few differences. For instance, in the great flood in Genesis the length of the boat was 300 cubits, the width was 50 cubits and the height was 30 cubits. In Gilgamesh, the boat was ten dozen cubits in height and ten dozen cubits square (82). The two floods also did not last the same amount of time; the flood in Genesis lasted for 40 days and 40 nights whereas the flood in Gilgamesh only lasted for 6 days and 6 nights. The flood in Gilgamesh was not determined by just one God like in the story of Noah, but was determined by a group

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.