The Biblical Flood of Genesis Based Upon the Flood of the...

Biblical Flood Based Upon the Flood of Gilgamesh In the middle of the nineteenth century, archaeologists unearthed twelve clay tablets. Around the turn of the twentieth century, archaeologists finally managed to decipher the tablets written in Akkadian, the language of ancient royalty and diplomacy. The tablets tell of the story of Gilgamesh. (1) The eleventh tablet tells that Gilgamesh, in his quest for immortality set out on a long journey to look for his ancestor, Utnapishtim. Utnapishtim was already bestowed with eternal life by the gods. Upon reaching the island of Utnapishtims abode, Gilgamesh was told a story by his ancestor of a great flood that once swept the world. (2) The similarity between this story and that†¦show more content†¦The floor was 200 feet square. The walls were 200 feet high. I gave it six stories and divided the breadth seven times. Its interior I divided into nine. Six sar of bitumen I poured into the kiln.† (Utnapishtim then proceeded to built his ship. he continues his story): ‘All that I had I loaded, of the seed of all living things. I brought into the ship my whole family and kinsfolk. The cattle of the field, the beasts of the field, all craftsmen-I made them go up into it. I went into the ship and closed my door.† Genesis 6:14-16 â€Å"Make room in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it; the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits and height 30 cubits. Make a roof for the ark and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side; make it with the lower, second and third decks.† Genesis 7:13-16 On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, they and every beast...and all the cattle...and every creeping things...and every bird...And they that entered male and female of all flesh, went in...and the Lord shut him in. â€Å"Six days and six nights raged the wind, the flood, the cyclone devastated the land. When the seventh day came, the cyclone, the flood, the battle was over...theShow MoreRelated Comparing the Great Flood in Epic of Gilgamesh and the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark1162 Words   |  5 PagesComparing the Great Flood in Epic of Gilgamesh and the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark Many of the same ancient stories can be found in different cultures. Each story differs in a small way, but the general idea remains synonymous. One story that is paralleled in several cultures is the legend of a great flood. The epic of Gilgamesh resembles the Bible’s story of Noah’s Ark, but specific details differ in several aspects.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story of Gilgamesh originates from twelve fire-hardened,Read MoreThe Purpose of the Biblical Flood narrative1977 Words   |  8 Pagesrelationship with God. The first book of the Old Testament is known as Genesis, which is highly concerned with the world’s creation and its initial stages. It is also the origin of the biblical Flood Narrative concerning Noah and the Ark. The story is characterised by a man that is instructed to build an ark under the guidance of God, and take with him family members and pairs of animals, to survive a catastrophic universal flood. â€Å"The flood narrative belongs to the genre of myth. We are meant to read itRead MoreCompare and Contrast Between the Flood in Gilgamesh and the Old Testament1975 Words   |  8 PagesOutline Thesis: The flood stories in the Epic of Gilgamesh and Genesis have many points of agreement, suggesting that they are somehow connected. Yet, there are also many differences. This term paper will identify similarities and differences in both. I. Introduction II. Gilgamesh a. What is the Epic of Gilgamesh? b. When was it written? c. What is it about? d. Describe the beliefs of the people. III. The Old Testament a. When was it written? b. Describe the flood? IV. Comparison of the TwoRead MoreBiblical Vs. Classical Phenomenon2078 Words   |  9 PagesBiblical vs. Classical Phenomenon Throughout the semester, we have analyzed various texts that constitute some of the most important publications in the history of humankind. These myths and legends are known as the oldest in centuries and possibly the first sight of written text that humans have encountered. Dating back to the times of traditional oral-based stories, texts such as The Epic of Gilgamesh have given humankind a sense of emergence in the old times of script and literature. The EpicRead MoreThe And Indian Passage Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay1384 Words   |  6 PagesReligion is one of the most effective ways to have a positive impact on complex societies, whether it is obeying a religious figure, or following a set of rules. This is seen to be true in the Mesopotamian literature of the â€Å"Epic of Gilgamesh†, the Egyptian text of ‘Negative Confessions’, and the Indian passage of Ashoka’s â€Å"Pillar Edicts†, where religion is the central theme throughout these do cuments. Even though, these documents have many differences, including time, place, and overall objectiveRead MoreCultural Diffusion1521 Words   |  7 Pageseastern cultures that still exist today and ancient texts. One example is the flood story told by the Mesopotamians compared to the flood story told by the Hebrews. In the Mesopotamian flood story from The Gilgamesh Epic, Gilgamesh builds a ship, survives a devastating flood, and in the end earns immortality from the gods. In the Hebrew version, Genesis 6:5 through 8:22, Noah builds a ship, survives a Page 2 devastating flood, and creates a covenant with God when he finds dry land. These stories areRead MoreCompare and Contrast the Biblical Creation Myths with Other Creation Myths from Greece and the Ancient Near Eas2116 Words   |  9 PagesCompare and contrast the Biblical creation myths with other creation myths from Greece and the Ancient Near East. This essay will compare and contrast the Biblical creation myths with other creation myths from Greece and the Ancient Near East. It will first discuss the initial creation of the universe followed by the creation of mankind and finally the recreation of man whilst drawing parallels to Sumerian and Babylonian texts, The Old Testament and Hesiods Theogony. In paying particularRead More Beowulf and Grettirs Saga Essay3715 Words   |  15 PagesMeanwhile, the strangers posse thinks the hero is dead and abandons him. The heros surprising return marks the end of his mission. Excluding the underwater cave, the plot line of Beowulf and Grettirs Saga is the premise for countless songs, sagas, epics, stories and movies (especially western and horror films). Likewise, Christianity contains the story of a redeemer rescuing mankind from evil. Although these two oral tales contain similar action sequences, differences can be found in the details andRead MoreBook Summary of John H. Walton, An cient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament:4623 Words   |  19 Pagesdepth history of this battle of wits is given as well. One of the specific debates touched on is that of the flood account. The Bibles flood account has shown many parallels to the Gilgamesh flood account and the account in the Atrahasis Epic. However, the validity of this claim lies in the accurate dating of the Book of Genesis. Those on the secular side of this debate generally give Genesis a much later debate than those on the theological side. Scholars are now perplexed with the same conundrumRead MoreAncient Eastern Thought and the Old Testament Essay10692 Words   |  43 PagesAssyriologist Freidrich Delitzsch claimed that the Bible was plagiarized from Mesopotamian literature. This was an important statement as it would indicate that the Old Testament was not divine and that Christianity was rooted in mythology. As biblical scholars came to the defense of the Bible, a sharp division was created between a confessional standpoint and the secular view. Over a century of time allowed scholars to recognize that Delitzsch was quite biased in his assertions. W. W. Hallo