Leonard W. King
1918
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NOTE |
Scholars have long recognized the similarities between various versions of the Near Eastern Flood Myth. In a 1918 book on the relationship of the Hebrew scriptures to Near Eastern texts, Leonard W. King provided the following handy chart of the similarities among (from left to right) the Atrahasis Epic, the Enuma Elish, the Epic of Gilgamesh, the fragments of Berossus, and the two primeval histories included in the Book of Genesis, conventionally referred to as the Yahwehist (J) and Priestly (P) sources. In the table below, some original Greek text has been transliterated and is given in italics.
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COMPARATIVE TABLE OF THE SUMERIAN, SEMITIC-BABYLONIAN, HELLENISTIC, AND HEBREW VERSIONS OF CREATION, ANTEDILUVIAN HISTORY, AND THE DELUGE
N.B.--Parallels with the new Sumerian Version are in heavy type.
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SUMERIAN VERSION
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SEVEN TABLETS
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GILGAMESH EPIC, XI
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BEROSSUS
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EARLIER HEBREW (J)
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LATER HEBREW (P)
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[No heaven or earth
First Creation from primaeval water without conflict; cf. Later Sum. Ver.] |
No heaven or earth
Primaeval water- gods: Apsû-Tiamat, Mummu Generation of: Lakhmu-Lakhamu Anshar-Kishar |
Darkness and water
[Primaeval water- gods: 'Apason-Tauthe, Moumis Generation of: Lakhos-Lakhe 'Assoros-Kissare] |
Creation of earth and heaven
No plant or herb Ground watered by mist (or flood) [cf. Sumerian irrigation myth of Creation] |
Earth without form and void; darkness on face of tehôm, the primaeval water
Divine spirit moving (hovering, brooding) upon face of waters |
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The great gods: Anu, Enlil, Enki, and Ninkharsagga, creating deities
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Birth of great gods: Anu, Nudimmud (= Ea)
Apsû and Tiamat revolt Conquest of Tiamat by Marduk as Sun- god Creation of covering for heaven from half of Tiamat's body, to keep her waters in place Creation of luminaries [Creation of vegetation] |
Birth of great gods: 'Anos, 'Illinos, 'Aos, 'Aois-Lauke, Belos]
Conquest of 'Omorka, or Thamte, by Belos Creation of heaven and earth from two halves of body of Thamte Creation of luminaries (probable order) |
Creation of light
Creation of firmament, or heaven, to divide waters; followed by emergence of land Creation of vegetation Creation of luminaries Creation of animals |
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Reason for man's creation: worship of gods
Creation of man Creation of animals |
Reason for man's creation: worship of gods
Creation of man from Creator's blood and from bone [Creation of animals] Hymn on Seventh Tablet |
Creation of man from Creator's blood and from earth
Creation of animals able to bear the air |
Creation of man from dust and Creator's breath of life
Creation of vegetation animals, and woman |
Creation of man in image of Creator, to have dominion
Rest on Seventh Day |
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Creation of kingdom
5 antediluvian cities: Eridu, Bad.., LARAK, SIPPAR, SHURUPPAK |
Antediluvian city: Shuruppak
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10 Antediluvian kings
3 antediluvian cities: Babylon, Sippar, Larankha |
The line of Cain
The Nephilim [cf. Sumerian Dynastic List] |
Antediluvian
patriarchs
[cf. Sumerian Dynastic List] |
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Gods decree mankind's destruction by flood, Nintu protesting
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Gods decree flood, goddess Ishtar protesting
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Destruction of man decreed, because of his wickedness
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Destruction of all flesh decreed, because of its corruption
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Ziusudu, hero of Deluge, king and priest
Ziusudu's piety |
Ut-napishtim, hero of Deluge
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Xisouthros (=Khasisatra), hero of Deluge, king
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Noah, hero of Deluge
Noah's favour |
Noah, hero of Deluge
Noah's righteousness |
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Warning of Ziusudu by Enki in dream
Ziusudu's vessel a huge ship |
Warning of Ut-napishtim by Ea in dream
Ship: 120 x 120 x 120 cubits; 7 stories; 9 divisions All kinds of animals |
Warning of Xisuthros by Kronos in dream
Size of ship: 5 x 2 stadia All kinds of animals |
Instructions to enter ark 7(x2) clean, 2 unclean
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Warning of Noah, and instructions for ark
Size of ark: 300 x 50 x 30 cubits; 3 stories 2 of all animals |
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Flood and storm for 7 days
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Flood from heavy rain and storm for 6 days
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Flood
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Flood from rain for 40 days
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Flood ; founts. of deep and rain, 150 days
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Sacrifice to Sun-god in ship
Anu and Enlil appeased [by "Heaven and Earth"] |
Ship on Mt. Nisir
Abatement of waters tested by birds Sacrifice with sweet savour on mountain Ea's protest to Enlil |
Abatement of waters tested by birds
Sacrifice to gods, after landing and paying adoration to earth |
Abatement of waters tested by birds
Sacrifice with sweet savour after landing |
Ark on Ararat
Abatement of waters through drying wind Landing from ark [after year (+10 days)] |
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Immortality of Ziusudu
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Immortality of Ut-napishtim and his wife
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Apotheosis of X., wife, daughter, and pilot
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Divine promise to Noah not again to curse the ground
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Divine covenant not again to destroy earth by flood; bow as sign
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Source: Leonard W. King, Legends of Babylon and Egypt in Relation to Hebrew Tradition (London: British Academy, 1918), 142-143.
