Comparing Epic Of Gilgamesh And Hebrew Scripture

There have been numerous flood stories identified from ancient sources found all around the world. Two of these flood stories come from The Epic of Gilgamesh and Hebrew Scripture. The Epic of Gilgamesh follows a Sumerian King, Gilgamesh, who searches for immortality and finds the answer from a man named Utnapishtim. The flood story in the Hebrew Scriptures follows a man named Noah. Although they bear some minor similarities, the differences between The Epic of Gilgamesh and Hebrew Scripture are clearly evident. The Epic of Gilgamesh and Hebrew Scripture share a few common traits. The flood stories involve a God deciding to flood the earth. Both lead to a man building a boat to survive the flood and to ensure the continuation of mankind. However, the reasoning behind the floods differ between the two stories.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, God flooded the earth because of the wickedness of men. Consequently, both gods flooded the earth. In both stories, both gods realized that ending the human race would be a mistake. This is where another difference arises between the two stories. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, after the gods had flooded the earth, the gods realized that ending mankind would not end well for them. Utnapishtim said, “When the gods smelled the sweet savor, they gathered like flies over the sacrifice” (26). Since the gods wiped out the rest of mankind, no one but Utnapishtim could make a sacrifice. The gods regretted the flood immediately, since they rely on peoples’ sacrifices for their sustenance. In contrast, God in the Hebrew Scripture decided not to end mankind and instead use the flood to teach a lesson and deliver the world from the evil that had taken