itle: The Biblical Account of the Flood and Mesopotamian Documents Author(s): Obidowicz, Andrzej J. Source: Polish Journal of Biblical Research 4(2004)57-63 Publication Year: 2004 Language: English Subjects: Pentateuch: Genesis Scripture Citation: Genesis 6:5-9:17 Abstract: O. discusses the possible dependence of the J flood story on the Gilgamesh Epic and 'The Deluge' (a Sumerian document published by A. Poebel). O. briefly considers 'the transcendental cause of the Flood,' i.e., the gods and Israel's God and 'the privileged one,' namely, Utnapishtim and Ziusudra or Noah. O. then juxtaposes the text of the 'Deluge' and the flood story of Genesis, noting the following similar elements: sorrow of the gods/God, the privileged one fearing God/gods, the secret news, the vessel on the flood waters, and the opening of the window. O. concludes 'that the biblical account of the flood in J's narrative is basically founded on a `skeleton' taken from De(luge) 138-207 or from another tradition analogous to this Sumerian document.' [Abstracted by: Martin Kessler] Abstract Number: OTA28-2005-OCT-1086 ----------------- Author(s): Veenker, Ronald A. Source: Proceedings, Eastern Great Lakes and Midwest Biblical Society 6(1986)204-218. ISSN: 0887-7165 Publication Year: 1986 Language: English Subjects: Pentateuch: Genesis Abstract: Jewish and Christian commentators, writing after the canonization of the Torah, make a number of references to Noah's preaching mission. But the idea that the Jewish flood hero tried to persuade his contemporaries to repent in the last days before the deluge is not found in the Hebrew scriptures. Without some explanation of Noah's activity between the time of God's command to build the ark and the first drops of rain, the biblical narrative is flawed as incomplete. Precisely why this gap exists may be seen by carefully examining the structural elements of both the biblical narrative and the flood story found in the Gilgamesh Epic. The writer holds this particular Mesopotamian flood story to have been an important source for the writer of the 'J' Noah narrative rather than the Old Babylonian story found in the Atrahasis Epic.The curious reference to Yahweh's closing the door of Noah's ark is also elucidated by comparison with the parallel passage in Gilgamesh Epic XI. [Abstracted by: Paul L. Redditt.] Abstract Number: OTA11-1988-JUN-532 ------------------ =========================================================== Title: The Flood Story in Bible and Cuneiform Literature Author(s): Rapaport, I. Source: Dor le Dor 12(1983/84)95-103. ISSN: 0334-2166 Publication Year: 1983 Language: English Subjects: Pentateuch: Genesis Abstract: It is the author's position that the Gilgamesh epic (and the Atrahasis story and the Ziusudra legend as well) does not envision a flood and therefore is not evidence for a Mesopotamian tradition parallel to that of Genesis. With C. J. Gadd he understands the Akkadian abubu to mean 'cyclone' 'or some other type of devastating windstorm.' The episode of Utnapishtim's sending out the birds from his ship has been interpreted as a means of ascertaining 'whether the waters had subsided' only on the false assumption that the Babylonian epic parallels the Genesis flood story. Utnapishtim was merely testing the weather on the land from which he had taken refuge in a ship. Noah, on the other hand, was not in a ship but in an ark, riding out the flood. Furthermore, the episode of the birds is found only in Tablet XI of the Gilgamesh epic, from the library of Ashurbanipal in the seventh century.It is entirely conceivable that it was introduced as a borrowing from the Genesis story, at a time when there were 'some hundreds of thousands of Judeans in the Assyrian Empire. [Abstracted by: Bruce Vawter.] Abstract Number: OTA07-1984-OCT-747 ------------------ Title: 'I Studied Inscriptions from before the Flood': Ancient Near Eastern, Linguistic Approaches to Genesis 1-11 Author(s): Hess, Richard S. (Editor); Tsumura, David Toshio (Editor) Publisher: Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1994. Book Series: Sources for Biblical and Theological Study 4 Physical Description: xvi + 480p Publication Year: 1994 Language: English Subjects: Pentateuch Scripture Citation: Genesis 1-11 Abstract: H.'s and T.'s volume brings together 26 articles or book extracts from the years 1954-1989 relating to the comparative (Part I) and literary and linguistic (Part II) study of Genesis 1-11. H. and T. each provide an introductory essay (pp. 3-57) surveying the history of research and providing capsule summaries of the articles to follow. The anthologized articles together with their date of original publication are as follows: Richard S. Hess, 'The Genealogies of Genesis 1-11 and Comparative Literature' (1989, pp. 58-72); G. Castellino, 'The Origins of Civilization according to Biblical and Cuneiform Texts' (French original 1956, pp. 75-94); W. G. Lambert, 'A New Look at the Babylonian Background of Genesis' (1965, pp. 96-113); A. R. Millard, 'A New Babylonian `Genesis' Story' (1967, pp. 114-28); Thorkild Jacobsen, 'The Eridu Genesis' (1981, pp. 129-42); Patrick D.Miller, Jr., 'Eridu, Dunnu, and Babel: A Study in Comparative Mythology' (1985, pp. 143-68); Isaac M. Kikawada, 'The Double Creation of Mankind in Enki and Ninmah, Atrahasis I 1-351, and Genesis 1-2' (1983, pp. 169-74); E. A. Speiser, 'The Rivers of Paradise' (1959, pp. 175-82); Abraham Malamat, 'King Lists of the Old Babylonian Period and Biblical Genealogies' (1968, pp. 183-99); Robert R. Wilson, 'The Old Testament Genealogies in Recent Research' (1975, pp. 200-23); Ryke Borger, 'The Incantation Series Bit Meseri and Enoch's Ascension to Heaven' (German original 1974, pp. 224-33); J. Simons, 'The `Table of the Nations' (Genesis 10): Its General Structure and Meaning' (1954, pp. 234-53); D. J. Wiseman, 'Genesis 10: Some Archaeological Considerations' (1955, pp. 254-65); I. J. Gelb, 'The Name of Babylon' (1955, pp. 266-69); E. A.Speiser, 'In Search of Nimrod' (1958, pp. 270-77); Samuel Noah Kramer, 'The `Babel of Tongues': A Sumerian Version' (1968, pp. 278-82); D. J. A. Clines, 'Theme in Genesis 1-11' (1976, pp. 285-309); David Toshio Tsumura, 'The Earth in Genesis 1' (1989, pp. 310-28); Phyllis A. Bird, '`Male and Female He Created Them': Genesis 1:27b in the Context of the Priestly Account of Creation' (1981, pp. 329-61); Jerome T. Walsh, 'Genesis 2:4b-3:24: A Synchronic Approach' (1977, pp. 362-82); Alan Jon Hauser, 'Genesis 2-3: The Theme of Intimacy and Alienation' (1982, pp. 383-98); Gordon J. Wenham, 'Sanctuary Symbolism in the Garden of Eden Story' (1986, pp. 399-404); S. Gevirtz, 'Lamech's Song to His Wives (Genesis 4:23-24)' (1963, pp. 405-15); Bernard W. Anderson, 'From Analysis to Synthesis: The Interpretation of Genesis 1-11' (1978, pp. 416-35); Gordon J.Wenham, 'The Coherence of the Flood Narrative' (1978, pp. 436-47); and J. M. Sasson, 'The `Tower of Babel' as a Clue to the Redactional Structuring of the Primeval History (Genesis 1:1-11:9)' (1980, pp. 448-57). The volume comes with a triple index: authorities, ancient sources and Scripture. [Abstracted by: Christopher T. Begg.] Abstract Number: OTA18-1995-JUN-1226 -------------------------- Title: The Genealogies of Gen 5 and 11 and their Alleged Babylonian Background Author(s): Hasel, Gerhard F. Source: Andrews University Seminary Studies 16(1978)361-374. ISSN: 0003-2980 Publication Year: 1978 Language: English Subjects: Pentateuch: Genesis Abstract: The 1870's discovery of the Babylonian flood account opened a chapter of comparative studies relating Genesis to ancient Near Eastern materials.The connection alleged between the ten antediluvian patriarchs and the king list of Berossos (Gunkel and others), while supportable in a strictly formal sense--two lists divided by a flood story--falls short in other critical ways: (1) the names in Berossos are Sumerian, not Semitic; (2) Genesis 5 (and 11) is concerned with length of life, the Sumerian King List (SKL) with length of reign; (3) Genesis 5 follows a standard line of descent, SKL traces kingly succession; (4) 'moderate' lifespans in Genesis 5 are contrasted with incredibly high lengths of reign in SKL, and the latter varies considerably in its various recensions; (5) the numbers of antediluvian ancestors/kings can no longer be assumed to be ten in both sources; (6) the ideology of Genesis 5 is the tracing of ancestors, in the SKL the political motive of substantiating single-king rule; (7) Genesis 5 is a true genealogythe SKL is 'not a genealogy at all'; (8) Genesis 5 intends a history of all mankind, the SKL lacks this universal perspective; (9) Genesis 5 begins at the creation of mankind, the SKL with the lowering of kingship from heaven; (10) in Genesis 5 the genealogy ends with the flood hero Noah, but the SKL ends instead with an emphasis on the city of Suruppak. Apart from the superficial similarity of the sequence 'listing--flood--listing,' 'the Hebrew genealogical picture of Gen 5 and 11 is totally devoid of any influence' from the extant versions of the SKL. [Abstracted by: Larry A. Mitchel.] Abstract Number: OTA03-1980-JUN-418 ---------------------- Title: Noah, Italy, and the Sea-Peoples: The Problem Author(s): Bastomsky, S. J. Source: Jewish Quarterly Review 67(1976-77)146-153. ISSN: 0021-6682 Publication Year: 1976 Language: English Subjects: History and Geography Abstract: Legend connects Noah with Italy; he is later identified with Janus, the first to drink wine. Gen 9:25-27, according to Neiman, is an indication of the connection of the Hebrews with Japhethites against the Canaanites. The Japhethites are understood as the Greeks of the Aegean area. C. 1220 B.C., Israelites invaded Canaan from Trans-Jordan, during the period of the expulsion from Egypt of the sea-peoples. Israel and groups of sea-peoples were allied against Canaan. The Teresh, a group of sea-peoples, are identified with the Etruscans. Because of the Israel/Sea-People alliance, it is possible that Israelites visited Italy. Since evidence shows that the Teresh were circumcised, another link with Israel is posited.Connections are made between Noah and the Greeks: (a) the Japheth-Jawan (Greece) connection; (b) a flood story involving Noah, and also Prometheus, both of whom are ancestor (Noah) or creator (Prometheus) of mankind; (c) Greek oinos (wine) has a Semitic root (Hbr. yyn). The descent proposed is Noah/Greeks; Greeks/sea-peoples; sea-peoples/Israelites. Thus Noah could have a place in Italy, the home of the Teresh. [Abstracted by: John Rybolt.] Abstract Number: OTA01-1978-FEB-109 ----------- Title: The Mission of the Raven (Gen 8:7) Author(s): Marcus, David Source: Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society 29(2002)71-80. ISSN: 0010-2016 Publication Year: 2002 Language: English Subjects: Pentateuch: Genesis Scripture Citation: Genesis 8:7 Abstract: Some scholars believe that the raven episode in Gen 8:7 is misplaced because it interrupts the contextual literary structure of a threefold sending out of birds such as is present in the immediately following verses and in other ancient Near Eastern flood narratives. The mission of the raven is also suspect because it is considered an unsuccessful experiment from which Noah did not learn anything. The Talmudic rabbis and the Church fathers agree that the raven did not complete its mission, and this tradition may also be seen in the Septuagint, the Peshitta, and some Vulgate renderings that interpret the text as indicating that the raven did not return to Noah. The raven's ability to scout for land or its scavenger nature would not have been useful to Noah.The trait that would most likely have helped Noah is the raven's ability to endure inclement weather conditions such that the mission of the raven was to discern existing atmospheric conditions. Thus, contrary to widespread assumptions, the raven's mission can be viewed as a useful experiment and thus puts Noah on a par with other legendary ancient Near Eastern flood heroes to whom extraordinary wisdom was attributed. [Abstracted by: Richard A. Taylor] Abstract Number: OTA27-2004-OCT-1711 ------------ Title: Zur Historizität der Sintflut Author(s): Külling, S. R. Source: Fundamentum 21(3, 2000)82-100. ISSN: 1013-994X Publication Year: 2000 Language: German Subjects: Pentateuch: Genesis Scripture Citation: Genesis 6-9 Abstract: K. surveys opinions supporting the historicity of a universal flood behind the Noah story in Genesis. K. begins by listing some scholars who accept the story's basic historicity. He then surveys the 'evangelical' position on the matter. Natural science, geological evidence and fossil remains do not necessarily disprove the idea of a universal flood. K. next examines Roman Catholic positions. He mentions scholars like Bruce Vawter and John McKenzie, who do not adhere to this theory, and with whom he disagrees. This section relies heavily on the work of Patrick O'Connell. Several questions are posed and answered by K., viz., the date of the flood, the geographical extent of humanity at the time of the flood, and the extent of the flood's destruction of human and animal life. An examination of ancient Near Eastern historiography concludes the article.Literary criticism of the Pentateuch and archaeology are considered, but K. finds these excessively subjective. [Abstracted by: Robert J. Bauer.] Abstract Number: ----------------