Compare And Contrast The Genesis Flood Story From Bible With The Epic Of Gilgamesh From Ancient Mesopotamia

In the Mesopotamian account, Gilgamesh searches for a man named Utnapishtum (the equivalent of the biblical Noah), whose story is then recounted. In this story, Enlil, one of the highest Mesopotamian gods, decides to destroy all humans with a flood, being annoyed with their noisy nature. Enki, the god of the waters, tells Utnapishtum of Enlil's plans, and instructs him to build an enormous boat and load it with pairs of animals. Utnapishtum is told to keep this project a secret, but is commanded later to take his wife aboard this ship. The flood came, and last seven days and nights, and at the end, Utnapishtum sends out a dove, a swallow, and a raven. The raven does not return, and Utnapishtum takes this as a sign that the bird has found land. Utnapishtum then offers sacrifices to his gods, who reward him by granting him eternal life.

You can read the biblical account of the Great Flood by clicking on the link I've provided, as translated in the NIV Bible.

To anyone who knows the story of the Great Flood, the similarities are obvious, but some of the basic differences are as follows:

1. In the Bible, God's ''heart was filled with pain'' (Gen. 6:5-7) by the sin of man. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enlil is simply irritated.

2. In the Bible, God chose to preserve both animal life and human life through Noah. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, one deity thwarts the plan of another.

3. In the Bible, God tells Noah, ''never again will I curse the ground because of man,'' (Gen. 8:21) and makes a covenant with him, but in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtum is given the promise of immortality.