Mesopotamian Story

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="043d4c00dduajq.gif"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="95" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 46 WIDTH="91"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="46" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="91" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Mesopotamian Story</div> <div> <IMG SRC="05409090.gif" border=0 width="9" height="9" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Purpose"><U>Our Purpose</U></A><IMG SRC="05409090.gif" border=0 width="9" height="9" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="05409090.gif" border=0 width="9" height="9" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><A 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<div> <IMG SRC="06509090.gif" border=0 width="9" height="9" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Documentary Hypothesis"><U>Documentary Hypothesis</U></A><IMG SRC="06609090.gif" border=0 width="9" height="9" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="05a09090.gif" border=0 width="9" height="9" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Acknowledgements"><U>Acknowledgements</U></A><IMG SRC="05a09090.gif" border=0 width="9" height="9" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="06a09090.gif" border=0 width="9" height="9" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A><IMG SRC="06b09090.gif" border=0 width="9" height="9" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="0a590913.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#003333" FACE="Arial" ><B>Flood Stories from Around the World</B></FONT>     |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Flood Stories from Around the World"><U>home</U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Purpose"><U>Our Purpose</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical Story"><U>Biblical Story</U></A>   |   <B>Mesopotamian Story</B>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Greek Story"><U>Greek Story</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aztec Story"><U>Aztec Story</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Documentary Hypothesis"><U>Documentary Hypothesis</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Acknowledgements"><U>Acknowledgements</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A></div> <div> <B>Mesopotamian Story</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="089f61a0.jpg" border=0 width="246" height="282" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Gilgamesh epic/Tablet 11:The Flood</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Algerian" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="7" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Algerian" >T</FONT>he Mesopotamian flood tale is found in the epic of Gilgamesh.  Gilgamesh, oppressive king of Uruk, becomes best friends with Enkidu, a "wild man" who grew up around the animals of the steppe.  They embark on many adventures together, from slaying the evil monster Humbaba to killing the gods-sent Bull of Heaven.  However, as punishment for defying the gods, Enkidu is infected with an illness and dies.  Horrified by Enkidu's death and the prospect of his own demise, Gilgamesh goes on a quest in search of immortality.<IMG SRC="0a09fd20.gif" border=0 width="159" height="210" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>    His journey brings him to Utnapishtim, a virtuous man who was obedient to the gods and was saved from the Great Flood by them.  The gods rewarded Utnapishtim with the gift of immortality for his loyalty.  The Mesopotamian flood story is dictated to Gilgamesh by Utnapishtim in Tablet 11 of the Epic of Gilgamesh.  </div> <div>    There are many similarities between the flood found in Genesis and the flood in the Gilgamesh Epic.  In both stories, the extent of the flood is global and is intended for all of mankind.  Also, both floods are intended to punish the sins and evil of man.  Both characters - Noah and Utnapishtim - are virtuous and honorable and are ordered to build boats of several stories with one main door.  When the flood finally finishes, Noah sends out a raven and three doves to see if there is land.  Likewise, Utnapishtim sends out a dove, swallow, and raven to test if there is land or not.  Both characters also make sacrifices after they reach land, and both are blessed for their deeds.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="0a9ed200.jpg" border=0 width="237" height="288" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="13" VSPACE="16">   There are some differences between the two tales as well.         The sender of the floods is different.  In Genesis, the sender is        Yahweh, while in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the sender is a group of gods.  The means of announcement to Noah differs from the announcement to Utnapishtim.  Yahweh tells Noah directly about what he needs to do for the flood.  Utnapishtim is not told directly, but in a dream.  Along with animals, Utnapishtim took a pilot for his boat and some craftsmen, while Noah took only his family and animals.  The blessings that Noah and Utnapishtim receive are also different: Utnapishtim is granted eternal life, while Noah is to multiply and fill the earth and have dominion over the animals.<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Baskerville Old Face" > </FONT></div> <div>            </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>        </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Baskerville Old Face" ><U>S</U></FONT><U>ources</U>:</div> <bR> <div> "Encyclopedia Britannica: Flood Legends" <<A HREF="http://search.ebi.eb.com/ebi/article/0,6101,33764,00.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://search.ebi.eb.com/ebi/article/0,6"><U>http://search.ebi.eb.com/ebi/article/0,6101,33764,00.html</U></A>></div> <div> Gives an overview of Mesopotamian, Greek, Indian, and Chinese flood legends. </div> <bR> <div> Flood Narrative Text <<A HREF="http://www-relg-studies.scu.edu/netcours/rs011/restrict/gilflood.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www-relg-studies.scu.edu/netcours"><U>http://www-relg-studies.scu.edu/netcours/rs011/restrict/gilflood.htm</U></A>></div> <div> Provides the flood narrative from the Gilgamesh Epic.</div> <bR> <div> "The Historicity of the Genesis Flood Story" <<A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/earthhistory/hgen.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.geocities.com/earthhistory/hg"><U>http://www.geocities.com/earthhistory/hgen.html</U></A>></div> <div> Essay on how the biblical flood legend was derived from the Mesopotamian version.  </div> <bR> <div> "The Gilgamesh Epic" <<A HREF="http://www.hope.edu/bandstra/RTOT/CH1/CH1_1C3B.HTM" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hope.edu/bandstra/RTOT/CH1/CH"><U>http://www.hope.edu/bandstra/RTOT/CH1/CH1_1C3B.HTM</U></A>></div> <div> Has Utnapishtim's story told to Gilgamesh and lists some parallels between it and the biblical flood.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  <style>  </style>  </div> </td> </tr></table></body>