Texts in Conversation
Genesis 8 says the flood covered “all the surface of the earth,” similar to the Akkadian Sargon text that says Sargon conquered “all the land under heaven.” Genesis uses similar exaggeration rather than describing literal geography.
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The Sargon Geography
Ancient Near East
From the bank of the Euphrates to Ṣupri is the Land of Mari. From there to Iabuše is the Land of Rapiqu. Then to Maškan-Šarri is the Land of Assyria, between the Tigris and Euphrates. From there to Lubdi is the Land of Arrapha, between the Upper and Lower Zab. From Uruna to Ṣinu is the Land of Lullubi. From Ebla to Bit-Nanib is the Land of Armani. From Hizzat to Abul-Adad is the Land of Akkad. From Abul-Adad to Hallaba is the Land of Guti. From Hallaba to Zumirini is the Land of Niqqu. From Šurbu to Ibrat is the Land of Der. From Ibrat to Išpatum is the Land of Lagaš. From Kullabi to the Sea are the Kutumta-people. From there to Mangiṣu is the Land of Hurim. From Damru to Sippar is the Land of Akkad. From Tirgan of Gutium to Uzarilulu is the land of Edamaruṣ. From Uzarilulu to Bit-Sin is the Land of Mari. From Bit-Sin to Maškan-Šapir is the Land of Malgi. From Šar-Sin to the waters of Marrud is the Land of Emutbal. From Bit-Hubba to Rahabu is the Land of Isin. From Bit-Gabagal to Eriaba is the Land of [unidentified]. From Turgu to “Mountain River” is the Land of Mutiabal. From the Gate of Susa to Gimdub is the Land of Amurru, at the border of Mari, the Land of Sumer and Akkad. The distance from the tail of the Euphrates to the border of Meluhha and Magan is 120 leagues. Sargon, King of the Universe, conquered the totality of the land under heaven, delineated the borders, and measured the circumference.
Date: 800 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Genesis 8:9
Hebrew Bible
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. 10 He waited seven more days and then sent out the dove again from the ark.
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The geographical extent of the flood is described in a variety of ways: “all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered” (Genesis 7:19) “covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits” (Gen 7:20) “there was water over all the surface of the earth” (Genesis 8:9) Several factors, however, make these statements less specific than we might imagine. In keeping with the use of hyperbole, the rhetoric of universalism can be attested in numerous places in the Bible (for a few examples see Genesis 41:57; Exodus 9:6 [compare Exodus 9:19]; Deuteronomy 2:25). Examples in ancient literature that use universalistic language rhetorically are not difficult to find. A text known as Sargon’s Geography states, “Sargon, King of the Universe, conquered the totality of the land under heaven” ..."
Longman, Tremper, and John H. Walton
The Lost World of the Flood: Mythology, Theology, and the Deluge Debate
(p. 48) InterVarsity Press, 2018
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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