Online source for reading "The Epic of Gilgamesh": AncientTexts.org

 

Introduction

"The Epic of Gilgamesh" is the earliest recorded historical "story" we know of. Discovered in 1853, 1920 historians dated the origin of the tablets to around 2000 BC1. The story ties itself to the reign of Enmebaragasi, pushing its origin back to around 2600 BC. Similar flood myths have been found throughout the Middle East. The Epic of Atrahasis is on example, and may be more complete, but the Epic of Gilgamesh is the best known.

 

The Epic and the Flood

The Epic of Gilgamesh is well-known for its recording of an ancient deluge. The account is told in flashback, which dates the flood to before 2600 BC, placing it within Sumer's Early Dynastic Period I (i.e., between 2900 BC to 2600 BC).

 

Following are key excerpts from the Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet XI, as compiled at AncientTexts.org. Note the parallels with Genesis 6-8; note the differences as well. Clearly, Noah's experience spread throughout the Middle East, and was then recast in terms of Middle Eastern mythologies. Commentary follows.

 

Excerpts from The Epic's Tablet XI - The Flood

Utanapishtim spoke to Gilgamesh, saying: "I will reveal to you, Gilgamesh, a thing that is hidden, a secret of the gods I will tell you! Shuruppak, a city that you surely know, situated on the banks of the Euphrates [Genesis 2:14, 8:4], that city was very old [Genesis 4:16-17], and there were gods inside it [Genesis 6:4]. The hearts of the Great Gods moved them to inflict the Flood [Genesis 6:6-7].

 

'O man of Shuruppak, son of Ubartutu: Tear down the house and build a boat [Genesis 6:14a]!Make all living beings go up into the boat [Genesis 6:19]. The boat which you are to build, its dimensions must measure equal to each other [Genesis 6:15]: its length must correspond to its width. Roof it over like the Apsu [Genesis 6:16a].

 

The child carried the pitch, the weak brought whatever else was needed. On the fifth day I laid out her exterior. It was a field in area, its walls were each 10 times 12 cubits in height, the sides of its top were of equal length, 10 times 10 cubits each. I laid out its (interior) structure and drew a picture of it (?). I provided it with six decks, thus dividing it into seven (levels) [Genesis 6:16b]. The inside of it I divided into nine (compartments). I drove plugs (to keep out) water in its middle part. I saw to the punting poles and laid in what was necessary.

 

All the living beings that I had I loaded on it, I had all my kith and kin go up into the boat, all the beasts and animals of the field and the craftsmen I had go up. Shamash had set a stated time: 'In the morning I will let loaves of bread [to] shower down, and in the evening a rain of wheat [Genesis 6:21]! Go inside the boat, seal the entry!' That stated time had arrived. In the morning he let loaves of bread shower down, and in the evening a rain of wheat. I watched the appearance of the weather-- the weather was frightful to behold! I went into the boat and sealed the entry. [Genesis 7:13,16b]

 

Just as dawn began to glow there arose from the horizon a black cloud. Adad rumbled inside of it, before him went Shullat and Hanish, heralds going over mountain and land. Erragal pulled out the mooring poles, forth went Ninurta and made the dikes overflow. The Anunnaki lifted up the torches, setting the land ablaze with their flare [The comet that created the Burckle crater around 2800 BC?]. Stunned shock over Adad's deeds overtook the heavens, and turned to blackness all that had been light [The eclipse of May 10, 2807 BC? Dust-cloud from the meteor?]. The... land shattered like a... pot. All day long the South Wind blew ..., blowing fast, submerging the mountain in water, overwhelming the people like an attack. No one could see his fellow, they could not recognize each other in the torrent. [Genesis 7:11]

 

Six days and seven nights came the wind and flood [Genesis 7:17a], the storm flattening the land. When the seventh day arrived, the storm was pounding, the flood was a war--struggling with itself like a woman writhing (in labor). The sea calmed, fell still, the whirlwind (and) flood stopped up.

 

On Mt. Nimush the boat lodged firm, Mt. Nimush held the boat, allowing no sway [Genesis 8:4]. One day and a second Mt. Nimush held the boat, allowing no sway. A third day, a fourth, Mt. Nimush held the boat, allowing no sway. A fifth day, a sixth, Mt. Nimush held the boat, allowing no sway. When a seventh day arrived I sent forth a dove and released it. The dove went off, but came back to me; no perch was visible so it circled back to me [Genesis 8:6-7]. I sent forth a swallow and released it. The swallow went off, but came back to me; no perch was visible so it circled back to me. I sent forth a raven and released it. The raven went off, and saw the waters slither back. It eats, it scratches, it bobs, but does not circle back to me [Genesis 8:12].

 

Then I sent out everything in all directions [Genesis 8:19] and sacrificed (a sheep) [Genesis 8:20]. I offered incense in front of the mountain-ziggurat. Seven and seven cult vessels I put in place, and (into the fire) underneath (or: into their bowls) I poured reeds, cedar, and myrtle. The gods smelled the savor, the gods smelled the sweet savor [Genesis 8:21a], and collected like flies over a (sheep) sacrifice. Just then Beletili arrived. She lifted up the large flies (beads) which Anu had made for his enjoyment(!): 'You gods, as surely as I shall not forget this lapis lazuli around my neck, may I be mindful of these days, and never forget them! [Genesis 9:16]

 

Commentary on the Flood of Gilgamesh

Given the conspicuous parallels of the Epic with Genesis, it stands to reason that the originating event is same. In other words, the flood happened, and it was some time between 2900 BC and 2600 BC. Given the scientific evidence for a flood in 2807 BC and historical concurrence with ancient Egypt, it explains the silence in Sumer's history from 2900 BC to 2800 BC, while providing another 200 years for an oral myth to develop before being recorded. This confirms not only the historical dating used to peace together ancient history, but it confirms the scriptures themselves.

 

Modern Jews and Christians tend to date Noah's flood to around 2300BC, and the writing of Exodus to around 1400 BC. It creates a seeming conflict between history and scripture, but this conflict disappears when the time periods from God's Covenant with Abram to the Exodus are interpreted as sequential lunar-based periods, as opposed to concurrent solar-based periods. That is, count back from the date of the Exodus (1449 BC), and on back to Noah, and the flood computes out to the year 2807 BC, precisely the year computed independently by science, and consistent with the period suggested above by history.

 

It is unremarkable that the two flood accounts have so much in common. After all, they originate with the same event2. Nor is it remarkable that they have so many differences. Remember playing "pass it on"? How butchered was the original story at the end of the line? And how similar? Start the story going through a second line, and you will end up with two very different versions of your story, with commonalities and differences that are amusing to compare, but not alarming to observe.

 

What is more interesting to ponder is how one puts together the truth from hearing only the distorted stories. Moses wrote the Genesis account after being raised in two traditions. With his biological mother serving as nursemaid (Exodus 2:7-8), we can assume he learned the Hebrew tale of Noah; being adopted by Pharaoh's daughter (Exodus 1:10), we can assume he learned of the Egyptian version of the flood, and perhaps other traditions as well, such as The Epic of Atrahasis and The Epic of Gilgamesh. Being intelligent and inspired by God, Moses would have realized the Hebrew tradition of Noah was of the same event as whatever others he learned. He would have prayerfully considered what to write before committing Noah to parchment.

 

Compare the Epic of the Gilgamesh with with what Moses wrote:

- The Epic records the ark as a sqaure box with 7 levels; Noah's ark was much larger, shaped like a boat, and had 3 levels.

- The Epic records the saving of all creatures; Noah saved them two-by-two.

- The Epic records saving from the flood the workers who helped build the ark; Noah saved his immediate family, and only they knew of the ark.

- The Epic records the delivery of food from the skies from the gods, just before the flood; Noah was told to gather food for eating on the ark.

- The Epic records the son of Ubartu sealing up the door; Noah was sealed into the ark by God.

- The Epic records 7 days and nights of rain; Noah experienced 40 days and nights of rain.

- The Epic records the boat lodging in Mt. Nimush; Noah's ark lodged in the Mountains of Ararat.

- The Epic records sending out a dove that came back and a raven that did not; Noah sent out a raven that came back, and a dove that did not.

- The Epic records a flood event that lasted a total of several weeks; Noah's flood lasted nearly an entire year.

 

The most suprising discrepancy may be that the Epic and other contemporary flood myths record effects attributable to a meteor strike and eclipse that really happened; Genesis says nothing of either. Given Moses' upbringing, this goes beyond mere differences, perhaps suggesting blatant omission. With all that Moses preserved of the other well-known myths, why did he not find a way to work those details in? The answer is simple: Because Noah did not experience them.

 

If the flood was in 2807 BC, then Genesis 7:11 tells us that the flood-rains began on April 204. According to the Epic, the rains began after fires from the gods (the comet?) and sudden darkness. There was an eclipse on May 10 2807 BC that at least 14 other flood myths record. This eclipse was 20 days after the rains began for Noah, suggesting Noah's experience was confined to the Mountains of Ararat, where the ark was eventually lodged. Covered in clouds and rain, he would have no knowledge of a meteor or eclipse while he was sealed within the ark. Sumer on the other hand experienced no rain until after the eclipse and subsequent comet strike on May 10.

 

Conclusion

It is unclear how long it rained outside the Mountains of Ararat. The Epic claims it rained for 7 days and nights. However, Genesis records 7 days and nights before the rains began (Genesis 7:4a). Another mixed up detail? Perhaps, but then how did the Sumerians know of the fires and the darkness? It seems there was a Sumerian experience that was later combined with Noah's. Noah's descendants spread out through the lands, so the Sumerians (and later Babylonians, and eventually Egyptians) might have concluded that they were all alive because of a common ancestor's obedience. Having no idea who Noah was, they recast the story in terms of their own mythology, and added to it the details missing from Noah's perspective. Moses would have some awareness of this, as God inspired his hand.

 

1. An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic - by Morris Jastrow, Albert Tobias Clay (1920)

2. A Comparative Study of the Flood Accounts in the Gilgamesh Epic and Genesis - Nozomi Osanai (2005) -- Author uses different methodology to conclude that both tales have common origins

3. Flood Legends from Around the World - Excllent online compilation of links comparing flood tales from around the world

4. In 2807 BC, as reckoned by the Jewish Calendar, the 17th day of Iyar went from sundown of April 20 to sundown of April 21. The rains began in the morning of April 20.