Comparing The Epic Gilgamesh And Navajo Flood Myth

In both Gilgamesh and Noah and the Flood, man’s wickedness leads to death, destruction, and rebirth all caused by billions of gallons of water sweeping the earth’s surface. The flood in both stories destroys most of mankind. The floods represent rebirth and a new beginning for mankind, as well as the gods and God’s wrath. In Gilgamesh the gods decide to destroy mankind by flooding the earth for six days and nights. Utnapishtim is chosen to build a boat in order to restart mankind after the flood. In the Bible God also decides to flood the earth due to the increase in wickedness. God chooses Noah to build an ark and store seven pairs of every clean animal and two of every other kind of animal on it

The Hebrew Flood story of Noah and his obligation to preserve man kind after God had punished all living creatures for their inequities parallels The Epic of Gilgamesh in several ways. Even though these two compilations are passed on orally at different times in history the similarities and differences invoke deliberation when these stories are compared. Numerous underlining themes are illustrated throughout each story. Humans are guilty of transgressions and must be punished, God or Gods send a flood as punishment to destroy this evil race, a person is selected by the gods to build a craft that will withstand the flood and allow this person to create a new race. An

Two similar great floods occur in both mythical and historical stories known as Noah’s Ark

In creation myths, a flood of some sort is not an uncommon occurrence. In “The Creation Legend of the Sun Worshippers,” Ra decides to flood the earth after the humans he created speak ill of him. Similarly, in “The Creation,” Viracocha cleanses the earth of all human beings after he is upset by their behavior. Also, in The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh learns from his conversation with Utnapishtim that the god Enlil sent a flood to the earth “to destroy all of humanity” because “they are too noisy.” All of these flood myths have one key similarity: human beings do something to make the gods feel that wiping them out with a flood is necessary.

The non-conceding waters wash over the lands, destroying all in their path. This is one thing constant in all three stories of the flood. Yes, these stories are similar, but their differences are great. How many days of destruction and chaos ensued? How was the boat of salvation constructed? Who was chosen to survive? These stories all have different answers to these questions. These differences, as well as the similarities, will be seen and the reasons these stories have survived through history, revealed.

Both stories involve one man being spoken to be their respective god to build a boat to prepare for the flood (Genesis 11) (Gilgamesh 108). Noah and Gilgamesh had families that also helped build their boats. These two men were also instructed to bring aboard all living creatures (Gilgamesh 108) (Genesis 12).

The similarities, for example, can be explained with the proposition that the Great Deluge was a historic event or with the theory that the flood myths are variations of an original account, which would most likely be the Epic of Gilgamesh. In contrast, the discrepancies between the Hindu and Christian versions of the myths can be explained as varying due to the different beliefs central to their respective religions. Thus, the topic to be explored henceforth is the impact that the differences in the Hindu and Christian cultures had on their retellings of the Great Flood. By completing a thorough analysis of the Great Flood myth, one can gain a better understanding of the beliefs of each culture and how they manifest in their religious manuscripts and affect their societies as a

Similarly God says to Noah; “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth. Make yourself and ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it:” (Gen 6:13 - 15, NRSV). Later in the chapter God reveals to Noah; “For my part I am going to bring a flood of water to the earth” (Gen 6:17, NRSV) and instructs Noah to bring into the ark “of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you:” (Gen 6:19, NRSV). Another example of the parallels within each story is the description of everything being submerged by water. In the Epic of Gilgamesh it reads “The sea calmed, fell still, the whirlwind (and) flood stopped up. I looked around all day long – quiet had set in and all the human beings had turned to clay! The terrain was as flat as a roof.” (The Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet XI). The

First of all, the reason for the flood presented in The Epic of Gilgamesh is not quite exactly the same as the reason in the Old Testament. Although the gods in The Epic of Gilgamesh were angry with the people, Noah’s God knew the people were wicked, full of violence, and deserved the flood. It was not altogether the same circumstances. The gods in the story of Gilgamesh were simply annoyed with the people. In the story, Ea gave Utnapishtim a message to give to the people of Shurrupak saying, “you had learned that Enlil the war god despises you and will not give you access to the city anymore,” (Tablet XI.) This message that Utnapishtim would deliver to the people of Shurrupak would express the annoyance of the gods towards them all. The gods

Not doing suitably what you are advised to do, are human downfalls having no recompense; whereas, following the rules on timely basis will be the most worthwhile outcome. Contrasting the Benjamin R. Foster’s and Stephen Mitchell’s translation “Gilgamesh,” to the Robert Altar’s translation “The Flood,” each story has a very different emphasis and draws a different moral. The emphasis of “Gilgamesh,” becoming eternal and what steps can be taken to receive it. However, the emphasis of “The Flood” is true righteousness will give a prolonged life. The different emphasis of each story causes the moral of each story to be different. For instance, “Gilgamesh” teaches; not doing what is advised will cause lost opportunities and “The Flood”

Noah’s Ark, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and Evan Almighty all have the idea of a flood coming to destroy an area of land and a boat/ark to save a certain few people. They all include the idea of divine favor from God or a god. The Epic of Gilgamesh, however, received divine favor from the “ocean god” named Ea. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a polytheistic-based story, where as Noah’s Ark and Evan Almighty portray a monotheistic-based idea. The Epic of Gilgamesh is unique from the other two stories because they believe in the idea of immortality and polytheism.

In the beginning, in Zeus’s account, humans came from a stone age whereas in Genesis, humans came from Adam and Eve. Also, in preparation for the flood and who and who wasn’t going perish, God (in Genesis) wanted to save the creatures while in Zeus, all would perish with humanity. Though in both accounts certain people were saved, in Genesis they’re safe haven was is a boat whereas in Zeus, in a box. In both floods told in both stories, it is told that all was swept under the waters leaving nothing behind; conversely, in Zeus’s account, it explains that only the peak of mount Parnassus was dry and untouched by the waters, acting as an escape from the destruction, while in Genesis, the only way to survive was to be on the boat for there was no land above the surface of the water. Finally, while in the Genesis story it rained for forty days and forty nights while in mythology, it only rained for nine days and nine nights, thus contributing to the amount of damage both stories

12. What is the theological importance of the biblical Flood story? There were varies story about the depths of human sinfulness that result in the Flood (Tullock & McEntire, 2012, pg. 42). God chooses Noah to be his vehicle of the message. Ancient beliefs that marriage, between divine, men and human women, produced a race of giants. God looked upon the earth, saw all flesh corrupt (KJV). God said to Noah that the end of all flesh had come because the earth filled with violence. He also told Noah to build an ark. God told him how to build the ark also the building material to use. He told him to bring his family

The account with Noah and his family is based solely around the Great Flood; God caused a Great Flood to come upon the face of the earth because man had become evil. His thoughts, desires, and heart was filled with wickedness. Nothing that remained was not evil, everything humankind were doing was an abomination to God. In Genesis 6:11-13 Moses said,"That the earth was corrupt and filled with violence; for all flesh had become corrupted in their ways." And God said to Noah, for the end of all flesh has come before Him, and that earth was filled with violence through them and behold, He will destroy them with the earth. In my opinion God sent the flood, because they were wicked and beyond the hope for changing and this was something He could

The accounts of the floods that destroyed the world due to the sins and wickedness of humans are similar and different in many important ways. Historians and scholars in religious studies have conducted comparative studies to examine both flood accounts. According to Fleming and Sara, the tablet of the Epic of Gilgamesh that contained the account of the Flood wrote that Utnapishtim was commanded to build a ship that would be big enough to weather the