Gilgamesh Flood Story vs. Biblical Flood Story
The amazing stories of the great flood that are described
in, The Epic of Gilgamesh which is translated by N.K. Sandars and "The
Story of the Flood" which is the King James version, both stories similarly.
Many of the events of each story are very similar in ways and very different in
some of them. From reading both stories I concluded that there was a huge
flood that took place in that area of the world. Even though the way both
stories describe the flood; The Epic of Gilgamesh is more imaginable. I say
that because it is more realistic to have rain for six days, six nights than for
forty days, forty nights. Both flood stories have a major similarity and
difference though. Both stories described the same flood but they did it in
different ways. One difference that backs it up is in The Epic of Gilgamesh the
rains that cause the floods only last six days, six nights and in "The Flood
Story in Genesis" the rains last forty days, forty nights. A quote that tells about
the flood is when Utnapishtim said, "For six days and six nights the wind blew,
torrent and tempest and flood overwhelmed the world, tempest and flood
raged together like warring hosts (pg. 25)." This quote by Utnapishtim
describes how bad the weather, rains, and wind were during the six days and
six nights of the storm. On the other hand in "The Story of the Flood" it rained
for forty days, forty nights. While God was talking to Noah he said, "For yet
seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty
nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the
face of the earth (pg. 48 line 4)." This quote describes how long God will
have the rain go for. It also says that he is doing it to destroy all of mankind.
After reading the two stories I concluded that forty days and forty nights was
too long for it to rain without stopping; that is why the flood in Gilgamesh is
more realistic. The length of the rains in the flood story in
in, The Epic of Gilgamesh which is translated by N.K. Sandars and "The
Story of the Flood" which is the King James version, both stories similarly.
Many of the events of each story are very similar in ways and very different in
some of them. From reading both stories I concluded that there was a huge
flood that took place in that area of the world. Even though the way both
stories describe the flood; The Epic of Gilgamesh is more imaginable. I say
that because it is more realistic to have rain for six days, six nights than for
forty days, forty nights. Both flood stories have a major similarity and
difference though. Both stories described the same flood but they did it in
different ways. One difference that backs it up is in The Epic of Gilgamesh the
rains that cause the floods only last six days, six nights and in "The Flood
Story in Genesis" the rains last forty days, forty nights. A quote that tells about
the flood is when Utnapishtim said, "For six days and six nights the wind blew,
torrent and tempest and flood overwhelmed the world, tempest and flood
raged together like warring hosts (pg. 25)." This quote by Utnapishtim
describes how bad the weather, rains, and wind were during the six days and
six nights of the storm. On the other hand in "The Story of the Flood" it rained
for forty days, forty nights. While God was talking to Noah he said, "For yet
seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty
nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the
face of the earth (pg. 48 line 4)." This quote describes how long God will
have the rain go for. It also says that he is doing it to destroy all of mankind.
After reading the two stories I concluded that forty days and forty nights was
too long for it to rain without stopping; that is why the flood in Gilgamesh is
more realistic. The length of the rains in the flood story in