Flood Parallels - Timeline | intertextual.bible

2100 BCE

Epic of Gilgamesh XI 24

Ancient Near East

21 “Reed fence, reed fence! Brick wall, brick wall! 22 Listen, O reed fence! Pay heed, O brick wall! 23 O man of Šuruppak, son of Ubār-Tutu, 24 demolish the house, build a boat! 25 Abandon riches and seek survival! 26 Spurn property and save life! 27 Put on board the boat the seed of all living creatures! 28 The boat that you are going to build, 29 her dimensions should all be matching: 30 her breadth and length should be the same, 31 cover her with a roof, like the Apsû”. 32 I understood and spoke to Ea my master: 33 “I hereby concur, my lord, with what you told me thus. 34 [I] have paid attention; I shall do it. 35 (But) how should I answer the city, the crowd and elders?

750–400 BCE

Genesis 6:14

Hebrew Bible

13 So God said to Noah, “I have decided that all living creatures must die, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Now I am about to destroy them and the earth. 14 Make for yourself an ark of cypress wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you should make it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 16 Make a roof for the ark and finish it, leaving 18 inches from the top. Put a door in the side of the ark, and make lower, middle, and upper decks. 17 I am about to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy from under the sky all the living creatures that have the breath of life in them. Everything that is on the earth will die, 18 but I will confirm my covenant with you. You will enter the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You must bring into the ark two of every kind of living creature from all flesh, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Of the birds after their kinds, and of the cattle after their kinds, and of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you so you can keep them alive. 21 And you must take for yourself every kind of food that is eaten, and gather it together. It will be food for you and for them.” 22 And Noah did all that God commanded him—he did indeed.

2100 BCE

Epic of Gilgamesh XI 84

Ancient Near East

81 [Everything I had] I loaded aboard it, 82 I loaded aboard it whatever silver I had, 83 I loaded aboard it whatever gold I had, 84 I loaded aboard it whatever seed I had of living things, each and every one. 85 All my kith and kin I sent aboard the boat, 86 I sent aboard animals of the wild, creatures of the wild, persons of every skill and craft. 87 Šamaš had set me a deadline– 88 “In the morning he will rain down bread-cakes on us, in the evening a torrent of wheat. 89 Go into the boat and seal your hatch!”– 90 “That time had arrived: 91 “In the morning he will rain down bread-cakes, in the evening, a torrent of wheat.” 92 I watched the look of the weather: 93 The weather was frightening to see; 94 I went into the boat and sealed my hatch. 95 To the man who sealed the boat, to the ship-wright Puzur-Enlil, 96 I gave the palace with all its goods.

750–400 BCE

Genesis 7:1

Hebrew Bible

1 The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, for I consider you godly among this generation. 2 You must take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, the male and its mate, two of every kind of unclean animal, the male and its mate, 3 and also seven pairs of every kind of bird in the sky, male and female, to preserve their offspring on the face of the entire earth. 4 For in seven days I will cause it to rain on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights, and I will wipe from the face of the ground every living thing that I have made.” 5 And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.

2100 BCE

Epic of Gilgamesh XI 137

Ancient Near East

130 When the seventh day arrived, 131 the gale relented, [the Deluge ended]. 132 (133a) The sea grew calm, (132) that had fought like a woman in labour, 133 [The translation for this passage appears with passage 132.]
the tempest grew still, the Deluge ended. 134 I looked at the weather, and there was quiet, 135 but all the people had turned to clay. 136 The flood plain was level like a roof. 137 I opened a vent, and sunlight fell on the side of my face. 138 I fell to my knees and sat there weeping, 139 the tears streaming down the side of my face. 140 I scanned the shores, the edge of the sea, 141 in fourteen places emerged a landmass. 142 On Mount Nimuš the boat ran aground, 143 Mount Nimuš held the boat fast and did not let it move. 144 One day, a second day, Mount Nimuš held the boat fast and did not let it move, 145 a third day, a fourth day, Mount Nimuš held the boat fast and did not let it move, 146 a fifth, a sixth, day, Mount Nimuš held the boat fast and did not let it move.

750–400 BCE

Genesis 8:4

Hebrew Bible

2 The fountains of the deep and the floodgates of heaven were closed, and the rain stopped falling from the sky. 3 The waters kept receding steadily from the earth, so that they had gone down by the end of the 150 days. 4 On the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the ark came to rest on one of the mountains of Ararat. 5 The waters kept on receding until the tenth month. On the first day of the tenth month, the tops of the mountains became visible. 6 At the end of 40 days, Noah opened the window he had made in the ark

2100 BCE

Epic of Gilgamesh XI 147

Ancient Near East

147 When the seventh day arrived — 148 I brought out a dove, setting it free: 149 Off went the dove, … 150 No perch was available for it, so it came back to [me]. 151 I brought out a swallow, setting it free: 152 Off went the swallow, … 153 No perch was available for [it], so it came back to me. 154 I brought out a raven, setting it free: 155 Off went the raven and it saw the waters receding. 156 So it could eat, scratch, peck (food), and did not come back to me. 157 I brought out an offering and sacrificed to the four corners of the earth, 158 I scattered incense on the peak of the mountain. 159 Seven flasks and seven I set in position, 160 below them I heaped up (sweet) reed, cedar and myrtle. 161 The gods smelled the aroma, 162 the gods smelled the sweet aroma, 163 the gods gathered like flies round the sacrificer.

750–400 BCE

Genesis 8:7

Hebrew Bible

5 The waters kept on receding until the tenth month. On the first day of the tenth month, the tops of the mountains became visible. 6 At the end of 40 days, Noah opened the window he had made in the ark 7 and sent out a raven; it kept flying back and forth until the waters had dried up on the earth. 8 Then Noah sent out a dove to see if the waters had receded from the surface of the ground. 9 The dove could not find a resting place for its feet because water still covered the surface of the entire earth, and so it returned to Noah in the ark. He stretched out his hand, took the dove, and brought it back into the ark.

2100 BCE

Epic of Gilgamesh XI 157

Ancient Near East

147 When the seventh day arrived — 148 I brought out a dove, setting it free: 149 Off went the dove, … 150 No perch was available for it, so it came back to [me]. 151 I brought out a swallow, setting it free: 152 Off went the swallow, … 153 No perch was available for [it], so it came back to me. 154 I brought out a raven, setting it free: 155 Off went the raven and it saw the waters receding. 156 So it could eat, scratch, peck (food), and did not come back to me. 157 I brought out an offering and sacrificed to the four corners of the earth, 158 I scattered incense on the peak of the mountain. 159 Seven flasks and seven I set in position, 160 below them I heaped up (sweet) reed, cedar and myrtle. 161 The gods smelled the aroma, 162 the gods smelled the sweet aroma, 163 the gods gathered like flies round the sacrificer. 164 As soon as Bēlet-ilī arrived, 165 she lifted aloft the great flies that Anu had made when he wooed (her): 166 “O gods, let these be lapis lazuli (beads) around my neck, 167 so that I remember these days and never forget them! 168 Let the gods come to the incense, 169 (but) may Enlil not come to the incense,

750–400 BCE

Genesis 8:21

Hebrew Bible

19 Every living creature, every creeping thing, every bird, and everything that moves on the earth went out of the ark in their groups. 20 Noah built an altar to the Lord. He then took some of every kind of clean animal and clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the Lord smelled the soothing aroma and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, even though the inclination of their minds is evil from childhood on. I will never again destroy everything that lives, as I have just done. 22 “While the earth continues to exist, planting time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”

2100 BCE

Epic of Gilgamesh XI 166

Ancient Near East

161 The gods smelled the aroma, 162 the gods smelled the sweet aroma, 163 the gods gathered like flies round the sacrificer. 164 As soon as Bēlet-ilī arrived, 165 she lifted aloft the great flies that Anu had made when he wooed (her): 166 “O gods, let these be lapis lazuli (beads) around my neck, 167 so that I remember these days and never forget them! 168 Let the gods come to the incense, 169 (but) may Enlil not come to the incense, 170 because he lacked counsel and caused the Deluge, 171 and delivered my people into destruction.” 172 As soon as Enlil arrived, 173 Enlil saw the boat and grew angry. 174 He was filled with rage against the Igigi gods: 175 “[From] where escaped (this) living creature?

750–400 BCE

Genesis 9:15

Hebrew Bible

13 I will place my bow³⁵ in the clouds, and it will become a guarantee of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the bow³⁵ appears in the clouds, 15 then I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures of all kinds. Never again will the waters become a flood and destroy all living things. 16 When the rainbow is in the clouds, I will notice it and remember the perpetual covenant between God and all living creatures of all kinds that are on the earth.” 17 So God said to Noah, “This is the guarantee of the covenant that I am confirming between me and all living things that are on the earth.”

1800–1701 BCE

Atrahasis

Ancient Near East

Atrahasis made his voice heard And spoke to his master, Indicate to me the meaning of the dream J let me find out its portent Enki made his voice heard And spoke to his servant, You say, I should find out in bed Make sure you attend to the message I shall tell you! Wall, listen constantly to me! Reed hut, make sure you attend to all my words! Dismantle the house, build a boat Reject possessions, and save living things. The boat that you build Roof it like the Apsu So that the Sun cannot see inside it! Make upper decks and lower decks. The tackle must be very strong, The bitumen strong, to give strength. I shall make rain fall on you here, A wealth of birds, a hamper of fish.

750–400 BCE

Genesis 6:14

Hebrew Bible

12 God saw the earth, and indeed it was ruined, for all living creatures on the earth were sinful. 13 So God said to Noah, “I have decided that all living creatures must die, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Now I am about to destroy them and the earth. 14 Make for yourself an ark of cypress wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you should make it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.

1800–1701 BCE

Atrahasis

Ancient Near East

They have driven me out of [my house]. Since I always stand in awe of Enki, He told (me) of this matter. I can no longer stay in I cannot set my foot on Ellils territory (again). I must go down to the Apsu and stay] with (my) god. This is what he told me. The elders The carpenter [brought his axe,] The reed worker [brought his stone,] [A child brought] bitumen. The poor [fetched what was needed.] Everything there was Everything there was Pure ones Fat ones He selected [and put on board.] [The birds] that fly in the sky, Cattle [of Shak]kan, Wild animals of open country he put on board He invited his people to a feast. he put his family on board. They were eating, they were drinking. But he went in and out, Could not stay still or rest on his haunches, His heart was breaking and he was vomiting bile. The face of the weather changed. Adad bellowed from the clouds. When he (Atrahasis) heard his noise, Bitumen was brought and he sealed his door.

750–400 BCE

Genesis 7:1

Hebrew Bible

1 The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, for I consider you godly among this generation. 2 You must take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, the male and its mate, two of every kind of unclean animal, the male and its mate, 3 and also seven pairs of every kind of bird in the sky, male and female, to preserve their offspring on the face of the entire earth. 4 For in seven days I will cause it to rain on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights, and I will wipe from the face of the ground every living thing that I have made.”

1800–1701 BCE

Atrahasis

Ancient Near East

[A child brought] bitumen. The poor [fetched what was needed.] Everything there was Everything there was Pure ones Fat ones He selected [and put on board.] [The birds] that fly in the sky, Cattle [of Shak]kan, Wild animals of open country he put on board He invited his people to a feast. he put his family on board. They were eating, they were drinking. But he went in and out, Could not stay still or rest on his haunches, His heart was breaking and he was vomiting bile. The face of the weather changed. Adad bellowed from the clouds. When he (Atrahasis) heard his noise, Bitumen was brought and he sealed his door.

750–400 BCE

Genesis 7:8

Hebrew Bible

6 Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters engulfed the earth. 7 Noah entered the ark along with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives because of the floodwaters. 8 Pairs of clean animals, of unclean animals, of birds, and of everything that creeps along the ground, 9 male and female, came into the ark to Noah, just as God had commanded him. 10 And after seven days the floodwaters engulfed the earth.

1800–1701 BCE

Atrahasis

Ancient Near East

Cattle [of Shak]kan, Wild animals of open country he put on board He invited his people to a feast. he put his family on board. They were eating, they were drinking. But he went in and out, Could not stay still or rest on his haunches, His heart was breaking and he was vomiting bile. The face of the weather changed. Adad bellowed from the clouds. When he (Atrahasis) heard his noise, Bitumen was brought and he sealed his door. While he was closing up his door Adad kept bellowing from the clouds. The winds were raging even as he went up (And) cut through the rope, he released the boat. Anzu was tearing at the sky with his talons, the land, He broke the Flood [came out] The kasiisu-weapon went against the people like an army. No one could see anyone else, They could not be recognized in the catastrophe.

750–400 BCE

Genesis 7:16

Hebrew Bible

14 They entered, along with every living creature after its kind, every animal after its kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, everything with wings. 15 Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life came into the ark to Noah. 16 Those that entered were male and female, just as God commanded him. Then the Lord shut him in. 17 The flood engulfed the earth for 40 days. As the waters increased, they lifted the ark and raised it above the earth. 18 The waters completely overwhelmed the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the waters.

1800–1701 BCE

Atrahasis

Ancient Near East

The gods wept with her for the country. She was sated with grief, she longed for beer (in vain). Where she sat weeping, (there the great gods) sat too, But, like sheep, could only fill their windpipes (with bleating). Thirsty as they were, their lips Discharged only the rime of famine. For seven days and seven nights The torrent, storm and flood came on. He put down Provided food The gods smelt the fragrance, Gathered like flies over the offering. When they had eaten the offering, Nintu got up and blamed them all, Whatever came over Anu who makes the decisions? Did Ellil (dare to) come for the smoke offering? (Those two) who did not deliberate, but sent the Flood Gathered the people to catastrophe- You agreed the destruction.

750–400 BCE

Genesis 8:21

Hebrew Bible

20 Noah built an altar to the Lord. He then took some of every kind of clean animal and clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the Lord smelled the soothing aroma and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, even though the inclination of their minds is evil from childhood on. I will never again destroy everything that lives, as I have just done. 22 “While the earth continues to exist, planting time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”

1800–1701 BCE

Atrahasis

Ancient Near East

The gods wept with her for the country. She was sated with grief, she longed for beer (in vain). Where she sat weeping, (there the great gods) sat too, But, like sheep, could only fill their windpipes (with bleating). Thirsty as they were, their lips Discharged only the rime of famine. For seven days and seven nights The torrent, storm and flood came on. He put down Provided food The gods smelt the fragrance, Gathered like flies over the offering. When they had eaten the offering, Nintu got up and blamed them all, Whatever came over Anu who makes the decisions? Did Ellil (dare to) come for the smoke offering? (Those two) who did not deliberate, but sent the Flood Gathered the people to catastrophe- You agreed the destruction. (Now) their bright faces are dark (forever). Then she went up to the big flies 42 Which Anu had made, and (declared) before the gods His grief is mine! My destiny goes with his! He must deliver me from evil, and appease me! Let me go out in the morning Let these flies be the lapis lazuli of my necklace

750–400 BCE

Genesis 7:10

Hebrew Bible

8 Pairs of clean animals, of unclean animals, of birds, and of everything that creeps along the ground, 9 male and female, came into the ark to Noah, just as God had commanded him. 10 And after seven days the floodwaters engulfed the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month—on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst open and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. 12 And the rain fell on the earth 40 days and 40 nights.

1600 BCE

Eridu Genesis IV

Ancient Near East

2 Ziugiddu, standing beside it, heard [...] 3 Stand at the wall on my left and [...] 4 At the wall, I will speak to you. 5 My holy one, listen to me 6 By our hand a rainstorm [...] will be sent; 7 To destroy the seed of humankind, to [...], 8 is the decision, the declaration of the assembly of the gods, whose verdict cannot be reversed, 9 The commands of Anu and Enlil cannot be overturned, 10 Its (or their) kingdom, its (or their) rule has ended,

750–400 BCE

Genesis 6:13

Hebrew Bible

12 God saw the earth, and indeed it was ruined, for all living creatures on the earth were sinful. 13 So God said to Noah, “I have decided that all living creatures must die, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Now I am about to destroy them and the earth. 14 Make for yourself an ark of cypress wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you should make it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 16 Make a roof for the ark and finish it, leaving 18 inches from the top. Put a door in the side of the ark, and make lower, middle, and upper decks.

1600 BCE

Eridu Genesis V

Ancient Near East

1 [Section missing] All the immensely powerful windstorms came together, 2 The rainstorm [...] raged with them. 3 When, for seven days and seven nights, 4 the rainstorm had raged across the land, 5 the windstorms had carried away the huge boat on the vast waters, 6 Shamash came out again, spreading light over heaven and earth. 7 Ziugiddu opened a window in the huge boat, 8 He let (or: you let) the light of the hero Shamash enter the inside of the huge boat. 9 Ziugiddu, the king, bowed down in front of Shamash, 10 The king sacrificed an ox and slaughtered a sheep.

750–400 BCE

Genesis 7:10

Hebrew Bible

7 Noah entered the ark along with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives because of the floodwaters. 8 Pairs of clean animals, of unclean animals, of birds, and of everything that creeps along the ground, 9 male and female, came into the ark to Noah, just as God had commanded him. 10 And after seven days the floodwaters engulfed the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month—on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst open and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. 12 And the rain fell on the earth 40 days and 40 nights.

1600 BCE

Eridu Genesis VI

Ancient Near East

6 Ziugiddu, the king, bowed down in front of Anu and Enlil. 7 Anu and Enlil showed kindness to Ziugiddu. 8 They granted him life like a god’s, 9 They gave him breath that would last forever, like a god’s. 10 At that time Ziugiddu, the king, 11 The name of the [...] Preserver of the seed of humankind [...] 12 They settled him on a [...] mountain, the mountain-land of Dilmun, where the sun rises.

750–400 BCE

Genesis 7:3

Hebrew Bible

1 The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, for I consider you godly among this generation. 2 You must take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, the male and its mate, two of every kind of unclean animal, the male and its mate, 3 and also seven pairs of every kind of bird in the sky, male and female, to preserve their offspring on the face of the entire earth. 4 For in seven days I will cause it to rain on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights, and I will wipe from the face of the ground every living thing that I have made.” 5 And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.

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