The Epic of Gilgamesh Flood Account vs.
This essay will explore the similarities and differences in the Flood account of Genesis and the Flood account of Tablet Eleven of the Epic of Gilgamesh. It will compare the two, tell the similarities and how they relate to one another. It will also contrast the other, and account for the visible differences of the two texts. In this essay I hope to explain how the two texts, the Epic of Gilgamesh Flood account and the Genesis Flood account, relate to one another and how a reader can draw conclusions about the trustworthiness of the Bible.
There are many similarities between the Genesis Flood account and the Epic of Gilgamesh Flood account on how the two boats were crafted. The first one is very evident, which is both Noah and Utnapishtim both have to build a great boat because both know of a flood that is coming. In building the boat they both build roofs on the boat to not let rain come in, they both use tar to seal the wood, they make various decks to hold people and creatures, and they both put windows or ports around their boats. In both texts the orders to build the arch are divinely ordained. The Epic of Gilgamesh the god Ea tells Utnapishtim to build a boat, and in Genesis God tells Noah to build a boat.
Many comparisons can also be drawn from both texts about how and what happen to the earth, who was on the boat, and how they stepped onto dry land. The Epic of Gilgamesh tells how Utnapishim takes with him on the arch his whole clan (T.XI col.II), which is also true of the Biblical account of the Flood, Noah takes with him his wife, his son's and his son's wives (Gen. 7:13). Both in the Epic of Gilgamesh and in Genesis Noah and Utnapishim are to bring with them food for their stay on the great boat. A great comparison arises from the texts also, Utnapishim takes alone for the ride, "beasts and birds and babies wet and loud" (T. XI col.
