The Epic of Gilgamesh vs. Genesis

The Epic of Gilgamesh vs. Genesis

It has been argued for a great time that Genesis was a story that was stolen from the epic of Gilgamesh; however, there are many issues with this idea. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a Mesopotamian text. It speaks of the fifth king of Uruk, Gilgamesh, who reigned sometime around 2600 BC. Many of the fragments we possess contradict themselves. 

One version, recorded in Akkadian dating from 668-627 BC, was made from 12 incomplete tablets that also contradict themselves. As  Joshua J. Mark, a previous professor at Marist College, writes: "Any modern translation relies on these eleven tablets but sometimes a twelfth is added relating Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld. This story is usually omitted, however, as Enkidu dies in Tablet 7 of the standard version, and his appearance in Tablet 12, as a servant and not Gilgamesh's friend, makes no sense. When Tablet 12 is included in a translation, it is sometimes justified by the translator/editor claiming that Enkidu is a ghost who has returned from the land of the dead to tell Gilgamesh what he has seen. This interpretation is not supported by the text of the poem, however, in which Gilgamesh twice appeals to the gods for Enkidu's release from the underworld, saying he has not died but is being detained unlawfully. Most modern translators, therefore, rightly choose to leave Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld where it belongs: as a separate work composed long before the standard version of the epic, dated to the time of Shin-Leqi-Unninni," (Mark).

The texts speaks of Gilgamesh as a demi-god. Gilgamesh goes out in search of Utnapishtim after the death of his friend Enkidu, as he states: "How can I rest, how can I be at peace? Despair is in my heart. What my brother is now, that shall I be when I am dead. Because I am afraid of death I will go as best I can to find Utnapishtim whom they call the Faraway, for he has entered the assembly of the gods. (Book 9; Sandars, 97)

Utnapishtim, the survivor of the Babylonian Flood, is ventured to as to learn how to escape death. Gilgamesh is told both by Utnapishtim of this flood and where he can find a plant to renew him, letting him return to his youth. When he obtains this plant, it is seized and eaten by a serpent. The story gives us the theme that life itself gives meaning so a person should live it to the fullest rather than attempting to place your life into your own hands, attempting to achieve what one can not.

Gilgamesh likely existed as he was spoken of in the Sumerian King List as living 126 years and some inscriptions cite him as building the great walls of Uruk, but it would seem that legends about him emerged after him. It could be debated if he did exist as these documents were hundreds of years after when Gilgamesh supposedly lived, but this is neither here nor there. The Epic of Gilgamesh was originally written down from 1900-1400 BC, but it was believed to have been originally passed down orally. After all this history and connections, some may mistakenly believe that Genesis copied Gilgamesh, however, there is reason to reject this idea. 

Even though it is true that the first text may date to as late as the 2000s, this is not the complete picture. This fragment is smaller and does not contain information found in newer tablets. In one article by the University of Idaho, they write: "The more complete versions date to c. 700 BC, in the Akkadian language.  The standard, first "complete" version, which includes the flood myth, is dated to c. 1300-1000 BC (the oldest Babylonian version of this flood story dates to (1646–1626 BCE)," (Univerity of Idaho). We only have actual evidence of this flood story from around the 17th century, but it again is possible that this existed prior to this time in oral tradition or in texts that have been lost.

Genesis is another text that has been heavily debated on, even so, many cite it as being written around 1500-1300 BC. Just like the Epic of Gilgamesh, this text had been previously transferred through oral tradition. As Dr. Kitchen writes: "Genesis 6-8 was probably the simplest and shortest of all ancient versions, possibly originating as early as they, and was certainly not a secondary elaboration on them," (Kitchen 30). These dates are surprisingly close and may mean that rather than plagiarism, there was a common oral tradition. It has already been shown that the Epic of Gilgamesh has had significant changes, developing into a far larger tale, so it is not implausible that this Epic took the oral tradition of Genesis and made it fit into their own culture. As Jeffrey H. Tigay writes: "those from the second millennium, although textually related to the Nineveh texts, differ from them considerably ... The Akkadian forms of the epic attested in the second-millennium texts disappear by the end of this millennium, to be replaced in the first millennium by a version of the epic that is basically standardized wherever it is found and is characterized by a distinctive style," (Tigay 11-12).

Tigay makes note of further changes as well. In the oldest text, Enkidu is said to be a servant of Gilgamesh. The newer texts report him as becoming his friend after a fight. The early text reports Gilgamesh set out with 50 soldiers while these men do not appear in the later text. The "Bull of Heaven" episode is also not seen in the older text but is seen in the newer editions (Tigay 24; 29-32).

As noted before, the flood in the Epic also may be an addition (University of Idaho), something Tigay also argues: "We must therefore infer that prior to the late version of Gilgamesh, the flood narrative was not a part of the Utnapishtim section," (Tigay 239). 

It must be realized that we do not have any reason to assume one oral tradition came before the other; thus, we cannot assume the Epic of Gilgamesh was made first because it was written down first. There is no evidence of direct copying from the Epic of Gilgamesh besides certain correlations, but a correlation does not prove causation. A few similarities in no way prove one source borrowed from another. 

References:

A Companion to Ancient Epic. Germany, Wiley, 2008. 

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Epic of Gilgamesh". Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Feb. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Epic-of-Gilgamesh. Accessed 12 March 2024.

Carey, John. “The Epic of Gilgamesh.” Yale University Press, 30 Apr. 2020, yalebooks.yale.edu/2020/04/30/the-epic-of-gilgamesh/.

Epic of Gilgamesh Accessed 12 March 2024.

Image by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash

Jones, Michael. “Did Genesis Copy the Epic of Gilgamesh?” YouTube, 9 Apr. 2021, youtu.be/1SZZzuweVEs?si=CDZkhr5w6Ardi4xk.

Kitchen, K. A.. The Bible in Its World: The Bible and Archaeology Today. United States, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2004.

Mark, Joshua J.. "Gilgamesh." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 15 Dec 2022. Web. 12 Mar 2024.

The Epic of Gilgamesh:  The First Epic, from The First Civilization, The University of Idaho, webpages.uidaho.edu/engl257/Ancient/epic_of_gilgamesh.htm. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.

Tigay, Jeffrey H.. The Evolution of the Gilgamesh Epic. United States, Bolchazy-Carducci, 2002.