The Hebrew Flood And The Mesopotamian Epic Of Gilgamesh

Introduction Throughout history the myth of a world covering flood covering the earth has been known by many cultures and disregarded by scientists or realists. recently, the idea of a flood covering parts of the world, evidence found in soil erosion, has been more accepted in the scientific community. One main reason many would consider it true is the widespread of one idea in multiple cultures around the world; all varying in details but having the main focus of a flood. We all have heard stories passed down from generation to generation each time slightly different from the last. two different people can tell the same event, and have two different stories; Which is why many people don’t trust documents or stories from as 700 BCE., there is so much room for error in the oral or written statements.There is one story in particular that has many variations and widely known: The Flood of the earth. Many cultures have bits of this story in their history or mythology, but the more famous two are the Hebrew Flood and The Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh.In this paper I will be comparing these two because “the Gilgamesh version of the Deluge has remarkably close parallels to the Genesis flood story”(Harris, Exploring the Bible),using Texts and even references …show more content…
One in particular is about his companion Utnapishtim and gaining eternal life. many of the gods wanted to get rid of humanity but one, Ea, “warns Utnapishtim to build a boat, into which he brings his family and servants, as well as animals”(Harris, 37). It storms for 6 days, and when it becomes calm he sends out a raven, a swallow and a dove to search for dry land.once landed on mount Nimush, Utnapishtim then makes an offering that has a “pleasant fragrance” and the gods are then satisfied. one goddess throws her necklace in celebration causing a rainbow to appear as to never