Similarities Between Gilgamesh And The Bible

After reading The Epic of Gilgamesh one can clearly see the relationship between the contrast to the Bible and Gilgamesh of the Flood acoount. Many scholars argue that these are talking of the same account, which is justifiable since the two accounts are strikingly similar. However, since there are a few differences this argues that they are not the same account, but that the Gilgamesh account of the flood was inspired by the Bibical account in Genesis. The three big points that show their similarities is the choosing of a rightous man by God to build a flood, God punishing the world because of their wickedness, and the resemblence of the two arks. The Epic of Gilgamesh contains many of the same themes and motifs but the most obvious is the
In Genesis chapter 6 it is stated that the world had become wicked and full of evil but verse 6 states, "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." It goes on to say that Noah was a just man and that Noah walked with God. Likewise, Ea called upon Utnapishtim saying unto him, "O man, the floods will come; now, save thyself; dismantle all thy home; with boards, construct a vessal.-water-tight and large...Preserve both man and beast without delay." The god Ea had commanded Utnapishtim to build an ark becuase of the wickedness of the rest of the world and was going to destroy everything with a worldwide flood. In verse 13 of Genesis 6 God says unto Noah, "The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood and shalt pitch the
God said upon Noah in verse 14, "Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt they make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within with pitch. And this is the fasion which they shalt make out of it; The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it." In the same way Uthapishtim was instructed by Ea to build a large vessal out of his home describing it as, "At seven decks with nine compartments neared completion; cube-like was its shape, but safe to brave the coming flood." Both of these arks were covered with pitch with one window. And just as God shut the door of Noah's ark so did Ea with the ark of