Noah Vs Gilgamesh Essay

Once they are able to leave the ark, Noah and Utnapishtim prepare a sacrifice to their divine being(s). When God smells the aroma from the sacrifice, he is pleased with the sacrifice and blesses Noah. Similarly, when the gods in Gilgamesh smell the aroma, they also bless Utnapishtim. After the flood, the Babylonian gods and the God of Noah both regret creating a flood.

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.

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 Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim is chosen to survive the great flood because he too is faithful to his lord, God Ea. They each prepare for their journey by building a large boat, and bringing with them two of every animal and their families. Noah’s ark is thirty cubits high, and three stories while Utnapishtim’s boat is two hundred feet tall, with six

God also told Noah about the plan for the flood, and what he was to do with the ark. Noah, his wife, his sons, and his sons wives would all be on the ark an spared from the destruction the flood would cause. Along with his family, God wanted Noah to bring two of all living creatures, one male, and one female. Brining a male and a female of each kind of creature would allow them to reproduce and repopulate their species. The last thing God commanded Noah to do was to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and stored for his family and the creatures.

Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” This was God’s command to Noah, unlike Utnapishtim who was told the secret of the flood by one of the gods.

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.

Everything was destroyed and after the flood Noah sent out a raven the first time, a dove and then waited seven more days and sent out another dove who came back with an olive branch showing growth but he waited another seven days before sending out another dove and decided to open the ark.

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

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.

The Old Testament God says, that the world which he created was turning evil and knew he had to destroy man and all the living things on the earth. Noah was the only man who “found grace in the Lords eyes” Old Testament pg 57. The lord realized that Noah was full of good and decided to spare him his wife and Noah’s three sons and their wives. God also decided to save a male and a female of each animal that walked the earth. God told Noah to build an Ark that would fit all these animals,

Noah and Utnapishtim were both righteous men. They were both told to build a boat and they both complained about it. The flood was a result of man’s wickedness. Utnapishtim said “the world teemed, the people multiplies, the world bellowed like a wild bull, and the great god was aroused by the clamour”. The noise was so harsh that they agreed to “exterminate mankind”. Genesis states that “the earth was filled with violence” and that the world was “corrupt” . So God told Noah that “the end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth”. The difference here is the way that the way the gods/Gods got the idea to destroy the Earth. Since man was sinning and making all

In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month – on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in. For forty days the flood kept coming on earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. The water rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.

Utnapishtim was granted immortality for the simple fact that Enlil hated him and wanted to punish him with eternal life. Utnapishtim was told by Ea that the flood was coming, and he knew that would be the end of mankind. Utnapishtim said to Ea “Your command, my lord, exactly as you said it, I shall faithfully execute.”(pg73 line 33) Ultimately he developed a plan to save himself and the people. His plan was to construct a huge boat and when the floods came the people would be on the boat and not be killed. Utnapishtim knew he had to have a plan in order for the construction of the boat to be completed. He was very smart with his plan and knew how to bring the people together and for the boat to be finished in time. In order for his plan to work he had to come up with a story to tell his people. He had to have a believable story so they would follow him and not think he was crazy. He asked Ea for advice on this matter, and asked what he should tell the people. He was told to tell the people that Enlil is angry with him and that he must find a new place to live. The story works and the people stand blindly behind him. For seven days straight Utnapishtim sacrificed a lamb or a bull in a celebratory manner and the people feasted until the bellies were full. There was also plenty of beer and wine to keep the people happy. After the 7 days the boat was complete.

promised Noah that he and his family would not be destroyed with the evil people. “Build an Ark” God told Noah. “When he finished you and your sons and your wife and your son’s wives will go into the Ark,” God added. “You will live there until the flood is over.” God told him to bring one male and female of every kind of animal into the Ark and enough food for all the people and the animals.