Saturday, December 23, 2006
Nations (Literature/Mythology)
“I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But …” (Genesis 6:17)
Sumerian
The god Enki warns Ziusudra, king of Shuruppak, of the gods’ decision to destroy mankind in a flood. Enki tells Ziusudra to build a large boat. After 7 days of flooding, Ziusudra makes a sacrifice to An the sky-god and Enlil the chief god. Due to his prostrations, Ziusudra is given eternal life.
Babylonian
The hero Gilgamesh, seeking immortality, searches out for Utnapishtim (translation of Ziusudra into Akkadian) in the earthly paradise Dilmun. Utnapishtim tells how Ea warned him of the gods’ plan to destroy all life with a flood. Utnapishtim was instructed to build a large boat so he could save his family, friends, wealth, and cattle.
Akkadian
The world has become overpopulated. The god Enlil cannot sleep due to the noise. At the divine assembly the gods decide to destroy the world with a plague, then a drought, then a famine, and then bad soil. Each time the population is reduced only to grow again. The assembly decides to destroy the world with a flood. The god Enki, opposing this solution, tells the mortal Atrahasis to build a boat.
Greek
The men of the earth grew wicked; therefore, Zeus decided to destroy them all with a great flood. The god Prometheus who was partial to humans told his mortal son Deucalion to build a chest. Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha float in their chest for nine days and nights and finally land on a mountain top. As the flood receded Deucalion and his wife walked down from the mountain. As they descended they threw stones over their shoulders, and the stones became human.
Mayan
The wind and storm god Huracan destroys the first humans because they do not worship the gods. After the flood, four men and four women repopulate the world. The descendants gather together in one location and speak the same language. However, their speech is changed and the people disperse throughout the world.
Chinese
Emperor Yao is faced with a problem of flood waters reaching to the heavens. Da Yu succeeds in controlling the flood and goes on to form the first Chinese dynasty. Other versions have a female named Nuwa who repairs the heavens after a great flood.
Indian
Satyavata, later known as Manu, saved a fish in a river. The fish tells him that a great flood would destroy all life. Manu builds a boat, and the fish tows the boat to a mountaintop where Manu spreads some seeds of life.
“… But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.” (Genesis 6:18)
Sumerian
The god Enki warns Ziusudra, king of Shuruppak, of the gods’ decision to destroy mankind in a flood. Enki tells Ziusudra to build a large boat. After 7 days of flooding, Ziusudra makes a sacrifice to An the sky-god and Enlil the chief god. Due to his prostrations, Ziusudra is given eternal life.
Babylonian
The hero Gilgamesh, seeking immortality, searches out for Utnapishtim (translation of Ziusudra into Akkadian) in the earthly paradise Dilmun. Utnapishtim tells how Ea warned him of the gods’ plan to destroy all life with a flood. Utnapishtim was instructed to build a large boat so he could save his family, friends, wealth, and cattle.
Akkadian
The world has become overpopulated. The god Enlil cannot sleep due to the noise. At the divine assembly the gods decide to destroy the world with a plague, then a drought, then a famine, and then bad soil. Each time the population is reduced only to grow again. The assembly decides to destroy the world with a flood. The god Enki, opposing this solution, tells the mortal Atrahasis to build a boat.
Greek
The men of the earth grew wicked; therefore, Zeus decided to destroy them all with a great flood. The god Prometheus who was partial to humans told his mortal son Deucalion to build a chest. Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha float in their chest for nine days and nights and finally land on a mountain top. As the flood receded Deucalion and his wife walked down from the mountain. As they descended they threw stones over their shoulders, and the stones became human.
Mayan
The wind and storm god Huracan destroys the first humans because they do not worship the gods. After the flood, four men and four women repopulate the world. The descendants gather together in one location and speak the same language. However, their speech is changed and the people disperse throughout the world.
Chinese
Emperor Yao is faced with a problem of flood waters reaching to the heavens. Da Yu succeeds in controlling the flood and goes on to form the first Chinese dynasty. Other versions have a female named Nuwa who repairs the heavens after a great flood.
Indian
Satyavata, later known as Manu, saved a fish in a river. The fish tells him that a great flood would destroy all life. Manu builds a boat, and the fish tows the boat to a mountaintop where Manu spreads some seeds of life.
“… But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.” (Genesis 6:18)
# posted by Wesley Son of Cornelius @ 3:36 PM 
