Genesis 6 Footnotes

6:9–8:22 The story of Noah and the ark testifies to the Bible’s reliable memory of this catastrophic event. Other ancient cultures had similar stories, including the Sumerian account of Atrahasis and the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh. The Bible’s resemblance to these accounts can be attributed to a shared memory rather than to borrowing. Although some remarkable parallels exist (such as the kind and purpose of the released birds, 8:7-12), the differences in detail and purpose are substantive. For example, in the Gilgamesh story the ark is a perfect cube of about 197 feet; such a vessel would capsize and sink in turbulent water. Noah’s ark possessed a seaworthy shape of a long rectangular barge (450 ft. by 75 ft.). More importantly, the pagan accounts are typically polytheistic, and the purpose of the flood is to rid the earth of pesky and noisy humans whose explosive population disturbs the sleep of the gods. Also, the survivor receives immortality from the gods. By contrast, the biblical account presents a high moral motivation for the flood, through which God judges sin and also purifies the earth. Moreover, Noah is decidedly mortal, and God preserves the human family out of his grace. The lessons of the flood account are Noah’s obedience to God’s word and the perpetuation of God’s blessing for humanity and the world.