The Epic of Gilgamesh and its Similarities to the Biblical Flood
by Owen Omid Borville
November 8, 2018
Scholars describe the many similarities of the Genesis flood story to the older Epic of Gilgamesh, which originated from ancient Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq and Syria) in 2100 B.C. and is considered the first written story and first great work of literature in history. However, the similarities are likely because of a common source and not because the Genesis story was taken from the Epic of Gilgamesh. It is also notable that the believed origin date of the Epic of Gilgamesh, 2100 B.C., is after the believed date of the Genesis flood, which is around 2500 B.C. If the Epic of Gilgamesh was written shortly after the Flood in an area very near the flood landing site, this gives greater evidence that the Flood itself was a real event. Remember, the transition from the common language to the many different languages after the Tower of Babel likely changed the names of characters and words in the story.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the gods were angry with man and brought a global flood that consumed the whole earth, while a boat is built to save certain humans and animals during the flood. The hero of the story, Utnapishtim, was ordered by the god Ea in a dream to build a boat and was told how to build the boat. In the Gilgamesh account, the boat is seven stories tall while the Ark of Noah is only three. Like the Ark, the Gilgamesh boat had many rooms to house the passengers. In both accounts, there was only one door to the boat and at least one window. In both accounts, pitch was used in the construction. While the Ark of Noah was in the shape of an elongated box, the Gilgamesh boat was in the shape of a cube. Both accounts include the hero and his family as passengers but the Gilgamesh boat also included a few others. In addition, both accounts included land animals as passengers. Heavy rains caused the flood in both accounts but the Genesis account also included the "springs of the deep." In addition, while the Book of Genesis describes 40 days and nights of rain, the Gilgamesh account only describes six days of rain. The Gilgamesh epic even includes the description of birds being used to find dry land, similar to the Genesis account. The boat of Gilgamesh landed on Mount Nisir, similar to the Ark landing on Mount Ararat. There was also a sacrifice performed by Utnapishtim, like Noah. The Gilgamesh account also describe the gods blessing Utnapishtim after the flood, just like God blessed Noah and his family after the flood.
The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the most similar flood stories in the world to the Genesis account. Another point is that if the Genesis story was taken from the Gilgamesh story, as it is accused of, then where did Gilgamesh or the ancient Mesopotamians get the story? That is even more evidence of the possibility of a real flood event. Despite the similarities in the two stories, there are enough differences that imply that the Genesis account was not copied. The truth is that the Genesis account was passed down orally until several centuries later when Moses produced the written version and the Gilgamesh epic was likely taken from the Genesis account. The flood stories found in multiple cultures and societies were likely passed down by Noah's decedents as they spread throughout the world simply because these stories were based on a real earth-changing event that actually happened. Therefore, it does not matter if the Epic of Gilgamesh is older than the Genesis account if both stories were based on an actual event that really happened.
by Owen Omid Borville
November 8, 2018
Scholars describe the many similarities of the Genesis flood story to the older Epic of Gilgamesh, which originated from ancient Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq and Syria) in 2100 B.C. and is considered the first written story and first great work of literature in history. However, the similarities are likely because of a common source and not because the Genesis story was taken from the Epic of Gilgamesh. It is also notable that the believed origin date of the Epic of Gilgamesh, 2100 B.C., is after the believed date of the Genesis flood, which is around 2500 B.C. If the Epic of Gilgamesh was written shortly after the Flood in an area very near the flood landing site, this gives greater evidence that the Flood itself was a real event. Remember, the transition from the common language to the many different languages after the Tower of Babel likely changed the names of characters and words in the story.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the gods were angry with man and brought a global flood that consumed the whole earth, while a boat is built to save certain humans and animals during the flood. The hero of the story, Utnapishtim, was ordered by the god Ea in a dream to build a boat and was told how to build the boat. In the Gilgamesh account, the boat is seven stories tall while the Ark of Noah is only three. Like the Ark, the Gilgamesh boat had many rooms to house the passengers. In both accounts, there was only one door to the boat and at least one window. In both accounts, pitch was used in the construction. While the Ark of Noah was in the shape of an elongated box, the Gilgamesh boat was in the shape of a cube. Both accounts include the hero and his family as passengers but the Gilgamesh boat also included a few others. In addition, both accounts included land animals as passengers. Heavy rains caused the flood in both accounts but the Genesis account also included the "springs of the deep." In addition, while the Book of Genesis describes 40 days and nights of rain, the Gilgamesh account only describes six days of rain. The Gilgamesh epic even includes the description of birds being used to find dry land, similar to the Genesis account. The boat of Gilgamesh landed on Mount Nisir, similar to the Ark landing on Mount Ararat. There was also a sacrifice performed by Utnapishtim, like Noah. The Gilgamesh account also describe the gods blessing Utnapishtim after the flood, just like God blessed Noah and his family after the flood.
The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the most similar flood stories in the world to the Genesis account. Another point is that if the Genesis story was taken from the Gilgamesh story, as it is accused of, then where did Gilgamesh or the ancient Mesopotamians get the story? That is even more evidence of the possibility of a real flood event. Despite the similarities in the two stories, there are enough differences that imply that the Genesis account was not copied. The truth is that the Genesis account was passed down orally until several centuries later when Moses produced the written version and the Gilgamesh epic was likely taken from the Genesis account. The flood stories found in multiple cultures and societies were likely passed down by Noah's decedents as they spread throughout the world simply because these stories were based on a real earth-changing event that actually happened. Therefore, it does not matter if the Epic of Gilgamesh is older than the Genesis account if both stories were based on an actual event that really happened.
