Similarities Between Genesis And Gilgamesh Flood

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Comparing the Genesis and Gilgamesh flood stories brings us to realize that they are similar in many ways. There are a few differences that stand out. Although the plots are essentially the alike, both Genesis and Gilgamesh have different reasons and a different account of how the story played out. Despite the many similarities between the two stories, the differences are revealed in a number of different topics that distinguish the biblical version of the story from the ancient version.
The first difference that comes to mind deals with God’s justification to destroy the world (Genesis), compared with the ancient gods justification (Gilgamesh). While God felt he had no choice but to eradicate the whole world (Genesis), he only did so in order to get rid of the wicked. He felt that the world had become full of sin and seeked to end it, only keeping the righteous alive. In the “Epic of Gilgamesh”, the gods were perturbed by how noisy the world had become. Since they did not seem to see any other options, the gods chose to destroy the world with a …show more content…
This was the point in which the stories have the biggest difference. In Genesis, Noah was not granted anything other than a new chance at life when the flood ended. In Gilgamesh however, the gods gathered and discussed what was to happen to Utnapishtim because he survived the flood. The god Enlil, son of Anu, started the flood without the permission of the other gods, who complained that it was wrong and unjust to destroy mankind. Utnapishtim was granted immortality because he helped prevent the god's plan to exterminate humanity. The flood was presented in Gilgamesh as a tragic mistake, not a punishment for sin. In Genesis there is a much more acceptable reason for God to eliminate mankind. The humans are so wicked and evil that "It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart" (Gen.

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