Different religions and beliefs have their versions of the creation of the world. There are similarities and differences between the biblical flood and creation stories and Mesopotamian myths. According to Enuma Elish, the world’s creation took place in several stages (Sublett, 2023). Just like in the biblical stories, God created the world in six days, Marduk does it in several stages, which are described in different Tablets. In both cases, everything begins with the creation of the sky and earth. Another similar aspect is that in both scriptures, the creation of man takes place separately from the creation of the world, and in Enuma Elish, it is even placed in a separate Tablet. The act of separating between water and earth, light and darkness, also has parallels in both scriptures.
However, along with undeniable similarities, Biblical stories and Mesopotamian myths have significant differences. First of all, a significant difference in style and circumstances of creation should be noted. In biblical stories, creation takes place in a peaceful and creative context, flowing out of love. At the same time, Enuma Elish describes a fierce and bloody battle between the deities Tiamat and Marduk. Also noticeable are the differences in the purposes of the creation of humans. In the biblical stories, no specific purpose is given, but in Mesopotamian myths, it is noted that people were created to serve the gods.
There are also some similarities in flood, such as building an ark by divine command, and saving various animals. The world changes significantly after the flood in both scriptures (“The Epic Of Gilgamesh.”, 2023). According to the Sumerian King List, eight rulers reigned before the great flood, but after the flood, the various city-states with their royal dynasties only temporarily took over and established their dominance over others (López, 1998). The differences relate to the fact that in the Bible, only animals, Noah, and his family were saved, while in The Epic of Gilgamesh, gold and silver are also saved. The current culture often refers to the creation and the biblical flood. It does not create myths but instead reflects them in its way. For example, the film Noah by Darren Aronofsky reflects the biblical flood and the motives of the Book of Genesis and the Book of Enoch. Aronofsky’s movie Mother!, on the contrary, interprets the events of the Book of Genesis, projecting them in a metaphorical form onto the life of a family.
Works Cited
“The Epic Of Gilgamesh.” Academy for Ancient Texts. Web.
López, Raúl. “The Antediluvian Patriarchs and the Sumerian King List.” Answers in Genesis, Web.
Sublett, Kenneth. “Enuma Elish, the Babylonian Creation” Piney. Web.