Reviews the similarities between Genesis and three ancient Near Eastern myths: Atrahasis, Enuma Elish and Gilgamesh

1. Phil Schomber
Writer © James Steidl - fotolia.com
Virtual Clarity Magazine

2. © Danomyte - fotolia.com

3. To assess the theory, we’ll look at 3 ANE myths:
Atrahasis
Enuma Elish
Gilgamesh

4. Summary of the Epic of Atrahasis:
Before the creation of humans, the lesser
gods were forced to do the physical labor.
Eventually they grew tired of the work
and rebelled against the other gods. To
bring peace, the higher gods created
mankind to take on the work. But human
Credit: Cuneiform tablet containing Atrahasis epic in British
Museum [PD-user-w|en|wikipedia|Jack1956*] via beings proved to be too noisy, and the
Wikimedia Commons.
gods decided to destroy them all in a
flood. Atrahasis was tipped off, though,
by the god Enki and rode out the flood in
a large boat he built.

5. Similarities between Atrahasis and Genesis1:
Atrahasis Genesis
Humanity is molded from clay mixed Adam is formed out of dust and
with blood and saliva of the gods. God breathes life into him.
Humanity is created to work. Adam is created to work the
The gods send a flood to destroy garden.
humanity, but Enki saves Atrahasis. God sends a flood to destroy
Atrahasis, his wife, and animals humanity, but He saves Noah.
survive in a large boat. Noah, his family, and animals
survive in an ark.
1. Taken in part from Peter Enns, The Evolution of Adam: What the Bible Does and Doesn’t Say
about Human Origins (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2012), 46-50, 53-56.

6. Summary of Enuma Elish:
The goddess Tiamat, who represents
the primevil sea, rebels against the
other gods. She is ultimately defeated
in battle by Marduk. Marduk then cuts
Tiamat in two, using her to create the
sky and the earth. Having defeated
Credit: Chaos Monster and Sun God by Georgelazenby (Own work)
[CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via
Tiamat, Marduk becomes the chief
Wikimedia Commons.
god. Humanity is then created out of
clay mixed with the blood of one of
Tiamat's companions and the spittle of
the other gods.

7. Similarities between Enuma Elish and Genesis2:
Enuma Elish Genesis
By defeating Tiamat, Marduk God brings order to the
tames the primeval sea. formless waters of the deep.
Marduk uses Tiamat’s body God creates the sky and uses
to create the sky, which it to separate the waters
keeps the waters in place. above and below.
Humanity is created for work. Adam is created to work the
garden.
2. Ibid., 38-43.

8. Summary of Gilgamesh:
This epic features Gilgamesh, the king of
Uruk, and his friend Enkidu. When Enkidu
dies, Gilgamesh sets out on a quest for
eternal life. On his journey, he meets a man
named Utnapishtim who describes a time
when the gods tried to destroy humanity in a
Credit : Gilgamesh Statue University of Sydney by D. flood. The god Ea, however, warned
Gordon E. Robertson (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or
GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via
Utnapishtim allowing him to survive in a
Wikimedia Commons.
large boat. Because he survived, the gods
made Utnapishtim immortal. Gilgamesh later
has an opportunity to become immortal if he
eats a plant at the bottom of the sea, but a
serpent beats him to it.

9. Similarities between Gilgamesh and Genesis3:
Gilgamesh Genesis
In anger the gods decide to In anger God decides to destroy
destroy humanity in a flood, but all humanity in a flood, except for
Utnapishtim survives in a large Noah and his family who survive
boat. in an ark.
Utnapishtim’s boat lands on Mt. Noah’s ark lands on the
Nisir after the flood. mountains of Ararat after the
After the flood, Utnapishtim flood.
sends out a dove, a swallow, and After the flood, Noah sends out a
a raven. raven and a dove.
Gilgamesh has a chance to gain Adam has a chance to gain
immortality by eating a plant, but immortality by eating from the
fails because of a serpent. Tree of Life, but fails because of
the serpent.
3. Ibid., 46-50.

10. Where does that leave us?
Not everyone agrees the similarities put Genesis in the
same category as the ANE myths.
Some believe the differences far outweigh the
similarities.
Others accept the comparisons, but believe they don’t
rule out Genesis having a historical core. There’s
evidence, for example, that Gilgamesh was a real king.
We’ll look at those views next time.