Gilgamesh and the Bible There are many similarities between the Epic of Gilgamesh and the events that occurred in the Old Testament book of Genesis. The most well-known of these events is the floods of Noah and Utnapishtim. This paper will look at the similarities and differences between The Epic of Gilgamesh and the books of Genesis. Some scholars believe that the Babylonian flood that occurs in the Epic of Gilgamesh predates the flood of Genesis by a number of years. However, a number of Christian scholars believe that the flood of Genesis was passed down through oral tradition prior to the creation of the Babylonian flood myth. They believe that all of the flood myths that came from the Middle East were derived from the Genesis flood. The Epic of Gilgamesh was first discovered in the ruins of the great library located in Nineveh. The Epic dates back to around the third millennium BC. (Vos pg. 34) The Epic of Gilgamesh was written on twelve tablets as well as rewritten on a number of others. The story which was written in poetic form was translated into a number …show more content…
Enkidu spirit becomes trapped there but Shamash and Ea help his spirit to escape. When he returns Gilgamesh questions him about his experience in the underworld The Similarities and Differences between the two flood stories The Biblical account of the flood in Genesis 6-9 tells of god telling Noah a righteous man to build a boat and to gather up his family along with two of every species of animal. God sends a flood that lasts for forty days and nights. Afterwards the ship lands on a mountain top. Approximately a year goes by and Noah sends out a raven and three doves to see if there is any dry land. The last dove comes back with an olive branch. There is then a rainbow in the sky that acts as a covenant from god that he will never flood the Earth again. Noah then makes a sacrifice and is blessed by god.