The story of Noah and the boat stolen from Epic of Gilgamesh?

Question

If you know what I am talking of and are Christian, explain why a story of the flood and boat is present in the Epic of Gilgamesh, written 2500 BC.

I said you should answer this question if you know what you are talking about. The Epic of Gilgamesh was written on tablets that have been dated.

What proof do you have that the everything in the bible is fact?

Answer 1

It's a great story, you have to grant that; it's got drama and excitement and tension...and a reward at the end for the faithful.

This must have made it irresistible to early Biblical writers, and so they borrowed it.

In fact, there are several borrowed stories all through the Bible. I expect that, at the time these stories were used in the early Bible, plagerism wasn't the offense it is today!

Answer 2

Actually, you have your dates mixed up a bit. The earliest Sumerian versions of the epic date from as early as the Third dynasty of Ur (2100 BC-2000 BC). The earliest Akkadian versions that were written are dated to ca. 2000-1500 BC. You're getting the 2500 B.C. from the fact that Gilgamesh's "supposed" reign is "approximately" placed at that date, which is a rough guess. With that unsure information, now look at the fact that THAT story was mostly copied from the Epic of Atrahasis. Noah's flood actually is placed, via historical and Biblical references, at 2304 B.C. Take into consideration that we don't even know for sure whether or not Gilgamesh even existed, and that the supposed date for his reign (that is, IF he existed) is a rough guess, and the fact that the Epic of Gilgamesh was supposedly written about 400 years after his supposed reign. Then look at the fact that we DO know that there was a flood, we HAVE to look at the Bible at first as a reliable piece of evidence, not only because of the process of deduction but because of the evidence that supports it, and that IN the Bible there is an accurate flood story. Just from intelgently looking at the evidence, personal prejudice and opinion aside, one would HAVE to go with the Biblical account of the flood. Now, from that perspective, is it acceptable that there was a Gilgamesh? Of course. Keeping in mind that the current world population came from Noah's family on the ark, of course parents would have told their children of the great flood. One version, recorded in the Bible, and thus inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16), would have remained accurate. However, other versions would of course be created, passed on, and further twisted. Thus, the Epic of Gilgamesh. God bless!

Answer 3

The story of Noah and the flood are recorded in about 57 cultures around the world. The flood happened about 2500 years ago. The exact date the Epic of Gilgamesh was scribed is not certain. If you are suggesting that the flood story in the Bible may have been copied from there, there is no evidence to support this.

Answer 4

FIRST OF ALL IT ISN'T "A STORY"

It really happened it is not made up, like a movie because god told the whole story it was a lesson for all the unbelievers (like you) and it was about Noah one of our Prophets.

Second of all the epic of Gilgamesh was made up by people it was a myth! This happen a long time ago when people didn't have TV or the Internet so they had to sit around and make fake stories so they can entertain themselves. Who has the proof that the story was really written at the date you suggested?

When you write something down think about it first!!

Answer 5

The Epic of Gilgamesh is not known to predate the story of Noah per se; all this does is actually lend non-friendly corroborative evidence to the fact that it exists. Historically speaking, the epic of Gilgamesh simply corroborates what happened: namely, a worldwide Flood. That is the main point after all, isn't it? :)

Answer 6

I wouldn't say it was "stolen," but given the erratic behavior of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (in ancient Mesopotamia and modern day Iraq) it isn't surprising that various cultures from that region had stories regarding floods.
Stories of one culture oftentimes influence stories in another culture. This is still so today.

Yes, the Epic of Gilgamesh is believed to have been around before the story of Noah. Does this mean that one is "stolen" or, as is often asked, one is "true" and the other is "false."

When my students ask me whether or not a story is true, I explain that an essential part of the truth of a story is one's belief in it. If one believes, then it is true for them. If one does not believe, that it is untrue for them. Really the truth is not so much in the story, but in the audience.

Answer 7

There are Flood stories, all over the world. Noah and Gilgamesh are only two.

Answer 8

I'm not Xtian; I've heard of that & other similarities... look up Platonism, I've read that a lot of his philosophies were attributed to Xtianity (i.e. 'Do unto others as you would have done to you.') It predates Xtianity by a long time so no one can say those were copied from Xtian records.
I've heard/read there are flood myths in every religion but archeology has found no evidence for a world-wide event, but evidence of huge areas flooding. Besides, if the writers thought the world was flat, how could they accurately say the whole world was flooded?

Answer 9

The only thing that fascinates me is people will believe that and yet won't believe the Bible.
Giving consideration to the fact there is 2,000 years between Adam and Noah, 2000 years between Noah and Christ, and 2,000 years between Christ and now I don't see a problem.

Answer 10

Because the dating is wrong, might comes to the Babylonians we accept what they say as the dating, but when it comes to Judaism we don't, why is that?

And if every culture on Earth says there was a flood, why is it a myth?