Comparing and Contrasting the Floods in Genesis and The...

The floods in Genesis and The Epic of Gilgamesh are in no doubt different but in so many ways similar. The two men are given a task to save humankind from a flood and succeed and are rewarded. The major basic events that take place in the stories a similar however the smaller details of them and how they are carried you are different. They two also tells us a lot about the relationship between humans to Divinity. 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†¦show more content†¦Both heroes were rewarded for there obedience. 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 â€Å"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 wate r 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. The relationship between humans to Divinity based on the comparing of the two stories is in Genesis as well as Gilgamesh is that humankind was to be wiped out,Show MoreRelatedSimilarities Between Gilgamesh And Noah818 Words   |  4 Pagesbooks of the Pentateuch, and the Confusion of Tongues compared to the Tower of Babel. However, I will focus on the Epic of Gilgamesh, comparing and contrasting it to the Biblical narrative of Noah. While both the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Biblical narrative of Noah explore a global flood, there are key differences in their use of gods and the specific details of the flood. Gilgamesh and the Biblical narrative of Noah seem to parallel each other. First, both have a significant protagonist, UtnapishtimRead More Flood in Epic of Gilgamish and Book of Genesis of the Holy Bible873 Words   |  4 PagesThe Flood in The Epic of Gilgamish and The Bible The story of the great flood is probably the most popular story that has survived for thousands of years and is still being retold today.   It is most commonly related within the context of Judeo-Christian tradition.   In the Holy Bible, the book of Genesis uses the flood as a symbol of Gods wrath as well as His hope that the human race can maintain peace and achieve everlasting salvation.   The tale of Noahs Ark begins with Gods expressionRead More Comparing and Contrasting Epic of Gilgamesh and the Bibles Noahs Ark642 Words   |  3 PagesComparing and Contrasting Epic of Gilgamesh and Noahs Ark Many cultures have stories of a great flood, and probably the best known story is of Noahs Ark. The next most notable is the Sumerian story of Ut-Napishtim found in the Epic of Gilgamesh. In the ancient Babylonian depiction of the flood story, the god Enlil creates a flood to destroy a noisy mankind that is disturbing his sleep. Gilgamesh is told by another god, Ea, to build an ark (Monack 1). The Epic of Gilgamesh has broadly theRead More Comparing The Epic of Gilgamesh and Noah and the Flood Essay1058 Words   |  5 PagesComparing The Epic of Gilgamesh and Noah and the Flood It is said that life is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it. It is not the circumstances of life that determine a persons character. Rather, it is the way a character responds to those circumstances that provides a display of who he is. From the Epic of Gilgamesh, as translated by N.K. Sandars, and Noah and the Flood from the Book of Genesis, both Gilgamesh and Noah face similar circumstances, but don’t always respond to themRead MoreAncient Eastern Thought and the Old Testament Essay10692 Words   |  43 Pagesfrom how modern society thinks. Thus understanding literary genre is vital to perceive the authors intents. Similarities do not disprove uniqueness; instead you may find distinctiveness in the understanding or environment of the literary work. Contrasting differences between the ancient Near Eastern genres and the Bible help make significant points clearer. Nuances can be missed if the reader is unaware of the contrasts. Cultural Dimensions of Religious Practice Identifying similarities and differences