We looked previously at the ancient near eastern creation story called Enuma Elish, the “Babylonian Genesis”. Now we turn our attention to the next set of documents on Enns’s exciting reading list: Atrahasis and Gilgamesh.
These texts speak of a global flood, both of which have Noah-esque figures in them. The similarities don’t stop there. For example, Atrahasis mentions that the door of the boat was sealed with pitch, with Gilhamesh containing many striking parallels: it speaks of various dimensions, animals on board, and the quest for dry land post-flood through the strategic use of doves and ravens.
Enns once again highlights the fact that one must not simply conclude that Genesis is directly dependent on either Atrahasis or Gilgamesh or both. But he also notes that “the obvious similarities between them indicates a connection on some level”. And so some honest questions remain:
How does this evidence influence our understanding of the historical nature of the biblical story?
Are the creation and flood accounts in Genesis historical fact, or they simply hokey stories ripped from surrounding cultures to be dismissed by serious-minded people?
What does all of this to do the belief that the Bible is the Word of God?
Enns's handling of these important questions is where we'll pick things up.
These texts speak of a global flood, both of which have Noah-esque figures in them. The similarities don’t stop there. For example, Atrahasis mentions that the door of the boat was sealed with pitch, with Gilhamesh containing many striking parallels: it speaks of various dimensions, animals on board, and the quest for dry land post-flood through the strategic use of doves and ravens.
Enns once again highlights the fact that one must not simply conclude that Genesis is directly dependent on either Atrahasis or Gilgamesh or both. But he also notes that “the obvious similarities between them indicates a connection on some level”. And so some honest questions remain:
How does this evidence influence our understanding of the historical nature of the biblical story?
Are the creation and flood accounts in Genesis historical fact, or they simply hokey stories ripped from surrounding cultures to be dismissed by serious-minded people?
What does all of this to do the belief that the Bible is the Word of God?
Enns's handling of these important questions is where we'll pick things up.
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