Comparison Of Atrahasis, Epic Of Gilgamesh

Comparison of the texts Atrahasis, Epic of Gilgamesh, and J and P stories in Genesis 6 – 9 can be used to show malleability in the flood stories. Atrahasis involves stories that account for creation and flood stories. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an adaptation of the flood story from Atrahasis and holds a strong similarity to the Genesis flood stories. The J and P stories contain two flood stories that explains the theme of Noah and the ark. The purpose of the flood stories in each text differs from one another in a literary, social, and geographical context. To begin with, the malleability of the flood stories in a literary context can be observed by viewing the cause of the flood to occur. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, there was no reason for the flood to take place. Utnapishtim was in search of immortality and Ea (god of water, Sumerian Enki), offered it to Utnapishtim after he offered Ea a sacrifice after the flood. “Until now Ut-napishtim was immortal, but henceforth, Ut-napishtim and his woman shall be as we gods are” (Tablet XI, pg. 116). Utnapishtim can also be referred to Atrahasis; Ea tells Utnapishtim of the flood, Enki tells Atrahasis of the flood. “I did not disclose the secret of the great gods, I …show more content…
In the P story, God made a covenant between Himself and the people on the Earth. “I have set My bow in the clouds, and it shall serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember My covenant between Me and you and every living creature among all flesh” (Genesis 9: 13-16). God puts a rainbow in the sky to remind himself of the promise He made to His people, to never let the waters become floods to destroy flesh. Therefore, the purpose of this social context was for God to remember the pact he made between Himself and His