The Whole Earth Flooded AGAIN

Summary

1. Subject(s): Comparative Literature 8.2.R.2, 8.2.W.1
2. Topic or Unit of Study: English, Language Arts
3. Grade/Level: Middle School (6th – 8th Grade)
4. Objective: Compare the two flood narratives found in Genesis 6:5-9:17 NRSVUE with each other and the flood account in the Epic of Gilgamesh tablet XI translated by Maureen Gallery Kovac.
5. Time Allotment: 3 Class Periods

Pro Educator Tip: As with everything you read for your class, but, likely more so with this passage you need to make sure you are proficient with reading this passage. It is confusing and has several proper nouns that are difficult to pronounce. That said, something to keep in mind when you read this story is that some of the events don’t make any sense. We will be looking at these in the themes section later. Also, of note, the provided text is from the most current version of the Updated New Revised Standard Version of the Christian Bible. Many scholars consider this version to be the most accurate translation. If your learners ask that is why this text was included. It is abbreviated “NRSVue.” Some of your learners may be more familiar with other versions and you can tell them that is great, but for this class, the NRSVue will be the version that you intend to use.

Pro Educator Tip: Some of your learners are likely familiar with the overarching idea of the story of “Noah’s Ark.” This lesson will challenge those learners to think critically about stories they once believed they understood quite well.

Implementation

Learning Context:

The Biblical flood narrative feels like it is two stories jammed together. That is because the current academic consensus with researchers is that there are two author’s works here that have been preserved together.

Pro Educator Tip: This is an advanced lesson that may challenge what your learners think they know. You are going to be asking your students to do some critical thinking. It is important to ensure that, if you need to review elements of a story you do that here, and make sure that your students understand that any beliefs they may have are valid, but you are going to only focus on presenting the factual and historic information.

Procedure:

1. Anticipatory Set:

   Ask your learners “How many of you are familiar with the story of Noah’s Ark?” Follow up this question by asking them to give themselves a score on how well they think they know the story from 1 to 5. Now ask if any of your learners are willing to share their self-evaluations with the class.

Pro Educator Tip: It should be easy to engage your learners, initially, with the story of Noah’s Ark. However, if you are struggling to have your learners engage with the text, in the resources section you will find a couple of modern depictions of parts of the story of Noah’s Ark.

Class Period 1:

2. Direct Instruction:

   Have your learners read along with the Genesis passage as you read it aloud. This should take 8-10 minutes. Ask your learners if they notice anything strange about the narrative. If none of them can identify anything, ask your learners how many days the flood lasted. Many of your learners who are familiar with the story may be surprised to hear you say that the waters took 150 days to recede.

3. Guided Practice:

   Now, comes the exciting part. Tell your students: “The reason why the story may seem strange is because this section of Genesis has two authors. Two narratives have been preserved in the text, but, they have kind of been smashed together. Scholars have identified the two authors as J (or the Yahwist) (Pronunciation) and P (or the Priestly.)” Now, direct your learners to form small groups (preferably 3-4 students per group) and develop two separate outlines of the story. Tell them “Be specific in your outlines. Try to highlight any differences you think you can find between where you think the J author may be writing and where you think the P author may be writing.” (8.2.W.1)

Pro Educator Tip: Students can become bored when writing, and, if you notice this, or if you notice your groups seem to be off track you can engage them, or get them back on track with some questions like:

• ❑How many animals were brought on the Ark?
• ❑Do you think both authors used birds?
• ❑Only one author could have included the Rainbow passage, do they think that was the same as the author with all of the measurements? Why? Why not?

Pro Educator Tip: If students ask about the authors the J author is called J because they tend to use the word “Yahweh” (pronunciation) for God. This word is also known as the Tetragrammaton (pronunciation) because it is derived from the Hebrew consonants YHWH. The P author is called the Priestly source because in general, the text that is identified with them is concerned with priestly matters, things like ritualistic laws, shrines and rituals, and genealogies. Their style is very formal and repetitive and often includes very specific numbers.

Have your groups hand in their outlines at the end of class. This should take them about 15 minutes but should be broken up by your prompting with questions and discussion.

Class Period 2:

4. Direct Instruction:

   Now comes the REALLY fun part for you as an educator. After they are settled in, ask your learners, “Are you ready for me to blow your minds?” Tell them you have a THIRD version of this global flood story. And, when they see how similar they are, some of them, may need to put back on their socks. At this point, you should introduce The Epic of Gilgamesh. Tell your learners: “This is one of the oldest pieces of text on Earth. While most scholars date the J source of Genesis to sometime in the 700s BCE The Epic of Gilgamesh may be more than 1,000 years older. To give you some perspective, Shakespeare’s plays are only about 425 years old. Beowulf is the only work of literature from around 1,000 years ago that has any popularity today. [If they ask it was made into a movie in 2007, right before they were born.] Well, learners, The Epic of Gilgamesh has a flood story that is SHOCKINGLY similar to the two we covered yesterday.” Have your learners read along with the Epic of Gilgamesh passage as you read it aloud. This should take 10-12 minutes.

   Pro Educator Tip: The included text is a direct copy of Maureen Kovac’s translation, and, as such the lettering has been preserved. Students will immediately pick up on this. The focus character is usually rendered as “Utnapishtim.” [Pronunciation] Also, some of your learners may be familiar with the Television program “Ancient Aliens.” The Sumerian gods called the Anunnaki [Pronunciation] are referenced on that program as extraterrestrial beings. This is something that your learners are welcome to research on their own.

5. Check for understanding:

   Check for Understanding: Ask what the students thought about the Epic of Gilgamesh as compared to the Genesis versions from the day before. Remember our focus is to analyze details in these texts to evaluate patterns. (8.2.R.2) Initial questions to the class should include:

   • ❑ How does The Epic of Gilgamesh compare with the Genesis narrative?
   • ❑ What differences can you identify between the Genesis and Gilgamesh stories?
   • ❑ Remember yesterday when I asked you to evaluate yourself on how well you knew the story of Noah’s Ark, how correct were you? Do you think that examining the flood story in The Epic of Gilgamesh helped you better understand the flood story in Genesis?

   Then tell them, “Yesterday we wrote outlines, now, I won’t ask you to do that again, I would like you to take out a sheet of paper [if you have access have graph paper that would be ideal, but it is not required] and copy this. Now, Fill in the blanks as best as you can. If you have questions please ask and we will work through them together.”

   Alternatively, if your district has access to Chromebooks or Computers for your learners this is an EXCELLENT opportunity for them to have some practice time in Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel or whatever spreadsheet software you are using at your district. Please provide them with the template found here and modify the previous instructions such that they can perform this assignment electronically. The key to this assignment is found after the flood accounts, but, you are not looking for them to be perfect here. If they reasonably fill all of the boxes they should get 100% of the points.

Class Period 3:

6. Direct Instruction:

   After they are settled in, have your learners take out paper or electronic devices. Tell them, “We will now write a draft essay comparing and contrasting the Biblical Flood accounts with that of The Epic of Gilgamesh.” (8.2.W.1 and 8.2.W.2) “This should be a standard, 5-paragraph essay, with a clear introduction, three supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. Please ask any questions as they come up.” You will be scoring these on spelling and grammar as well as basic understanding of the stories. As these are just drafts, don’t grade them too harshly on content, however.

   If your learners are REALLY struggling to think up a good thesis statement here are some examples that may be helpful:

   Thesis 1: “While both these stories tell about a flood sent by God or gods to cleanse the earth, they differ in how they show divine motivation, how the main character responds, and the blessing at the end.”

   Thesis 2: “Both of the Flood narratives are very close in how they are put together, but they differ in their cultural values and religious beliefs, highlighting the unique worldviews of ancient Sumerian and Hebrew societies.”

   Thesis 3: “While the two flood stories both focus on the survival of a chosen character, they contrast in their show their gods’ interacting with their people, the reasons for the flood, and the lessons they tell.”

   Thesis 4: “If we compare the two flood stories we can see how the stories talk about universal themes of human sin, divine judgment, and redemption, while also pointing to the big differences in their styles and the theological messages of their respective cultures.”

   Thesis 5: “The two flood stories are very similar in how they discuss building the boats and their focus on saving animals, but the reasons for the flood, the nature of their divine characters, and the outcomes are quite different.

7. Closing: As you collect these drafts you can, again, ask your learners how if their self-assessments have changed. Ask if studying The Epic of Gilgamesh gave them a better understanding of a story they thought they knew.

Differentiated Instructions

Pro Educator Tip:Recognize that learners exhibit diverse learning modalities. You can employ a range of pedagogical strategies to effectively engage and instruct a heterogeneous student body by deliberately considering this variability.

1. Visual Learners
2. Auditory Learners
3. Kinesthetic Learners
4. ESL Students – Both of these texts are available in whatever languages your learners may need. This may require a bit of work on your part, but, this should be an easy modification.
5. At-risk Students
6. Advanced Learners – They should excel at this assignment. Expect LOTS of questions from your most engaged learners. Don’t ever be afraid to direct your learners to the library if they start to ask questions that are outside of the scope of this lesson.

Materials and Resources

Pro Educator Tip: Choose supplementary materials that will enhance your lesson (books, videos, etc.), YOU KNOW YOUR LEARNERS! Find resources that ENHANCE this lesson and make your instruction an engaging learning experience for all of your learners!

1. Instructional Materials:

   see the included texts and handouts.

2. Suggested Resources:

   As stated earlier, these resources are included to break up what may be, somewhat, intense days of study. Some are funny while others are more action-packed. As always, obtain clearance from any necessary district staff before showing any video clips or introducing supplemental materials. Your curriculum team works hard preparing and vetting materials.

   • ❑ Good omens: Noah’s ark – Funny 1:17
   • ❑ Noah – Movie – The Great Flood – Intense/action 2:37
   • ❑ Crash Course World Mythology Floods Part 1 – very informative and extensively covers both Utnapishtim, but it is a bit long 10:22
   • ❑ Trailer for musical Noah’s Ark children’s movie – Silly 2:06
   • ❑ Fantasia Noah’s Ark Part 1 and Part 2 featuring Donald Duck as Noah. Silly with classical music 3:36 & 2:59 Total 6:35
   • ❑ Queen of the Wave – Music 47:37 Rock opera loosely inspired by Noah’s Ark.
   • ❑ Gilgamesh – Tablet 11 – Reading – This is an excellent reading of a different version of Tablet 11 than what is included. This translation is longer. This reading is included because the speaker has excellent pronunciation of the Babylonian proper nouns.

Provided Text

Text: Flood Account From Genesis

6:5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of humans was great in the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that he had made humans on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out from the earth the humans I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air—for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord.

9 These are the descendants of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw that the earth was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind shall come into you, to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it up, and it shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

7 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and its mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate; 3 and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” 5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.

6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came on the earth. 7 And Noah with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals and of animals that are not clean and of birds and of everything that creeps on the ground, 9 two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after seven days the waters of the flood came on the earth.

11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. 12 The rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. 13 On the very same day Noah with his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons entered the ark, 14 they and every wild animal of every kind and all domestic animals of every kind and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth and every bird of every kind. 15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him, and the Lord shut him in.

17 The flood continued forty days on the earth, and the waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters swelled and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19 The waters swelled so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered; 20 the waters swelled above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, domestic animals, wild animals, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all human beings; 22 everything on dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. 23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, human beings and animals and creeping things and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left and those with him in the ark. 24 And the waters swelled on the earth for one hundred fifty days.

8 But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and all the domestic animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided; 2 the fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, 3 and the waters gradually receded from the earth. At the end of one hundred fifty days the waters had abated, 4 and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. (pronounce) 5 The waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains appeared.

6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made 7 and sent out the raven, and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out the dove from him to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground, 9 but the dove found no place to set its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took it and brought it into the ark with him. 10 He waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove from the ark, 11 and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. 12 Then he waited another seven days and sent out the dove, and it did not return to him any more.

13 In the six hundred first year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth, and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked and saw that the face of the ground was drying. 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. 15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—so that they may abound on the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. 19 And every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out of the ark by families. God’s Promise to Noah

20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing odor, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of humans, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.

22 As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease.”

9 God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the earth and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps on the ground and on all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you, and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. 4 Only, you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning: from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life.

6 Whoever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall that person’s blood be shed, for in his own image God made humans.

7 “And you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and have dominion over it.”

8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. 11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

Account 1:

The LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, “I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created–people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the sight of the LORD.

Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and its mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate; and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive on the face of all the earth. For in seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.

And after seven days the waters of the flood came on the earth. And Noah with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the LORD shut him in.

The rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. Everything on dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, human beings and animals and creeping things and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark.

At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made. The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, and the waters gradually receded from the earth, and he sent out the raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. Then he sent out the dove from him, to see if Account 1: subsided from the face of the ground; but the dove found no place to set its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took it and brought it into the ark with him. He waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove from the ark; and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. Then he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove; and it did not return to him any more.

In the six hundred first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and saw that the face of the ground was drying. Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the LORD smelled the pleasing odor, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

In the six hundred first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and saw that the face of the ground was drying. Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the LORD smelled the pleasing odor, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

Account 2:

These are the descendants of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw that the earth was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth. And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth.

Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark is three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark on its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks.

For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.

And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind shall come in to you, to keep them alive. Also take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and for them.” Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came on the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. On the very same day Noah with his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons entered the ark, they and every wild animal of every Account 2: kind, and all domestic animals of every kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every bird of every kind–every bird, every winged creature. They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life.

The flood continued forty days on the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters swelled and increased greatly on the earth; and the ark floated on the face of the waters. The waters swelled so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered; the waters swelled above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, domestic animals, wild animals, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all human beings; And the waters swelled on the earth for one hundred fifty days.

But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and all the domestic animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided at the end of one hundred fifty days the waters had abated; and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains appeared. In the second month, on the twenty- seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. Then God said to Noah, “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh–birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth–so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” So Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. And every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out of the ark by families.

God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps on the ground, and on all the fish of the sea; into your hand, they are delivered. Every moving Account 2 cont.: thing that lives shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. Only, you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning: from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life. Whoever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall that person’s blood be shed; for in his own image God made humankind.

And you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and multiply in it.” Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

Text: Flood Account from Tablet XI of the Epic of Gilgamesh

Ut-napištim spoke to Gilgameš, saying: “I will reveal to you, Gilgameš, a thing that is hidden, a secret of the gods I will tell you! Šuruppak, a city that you surely know, situated on the banks of the Euphrates, that city was very old, and there were gods inside it.

The hearts of the Great Gods moved them to inflict the Flood. Their Father Anu uttered the oath, Valiant Enlil was their Adviser, Ninurta was their Chamberlain, Ennugi was their Minister of Canals. Ea, the Prince, was under oath with them so he repeated their talk to the reed house:

‘Reed house, reed house! Wall, wall! O man of Šuruppak, son of Ubar-Tutu, tear down the house and build a boat! Abandon wealth and seek living beings! Spurn possessions and keep alive living beings! Make [the seed of] all living beings go up into the boat. The boat which you are to build, its dimensions must measure equal to each other: its length must correspond to its width. Roof it over like the Apsu.’

I understood and spoke to my lord, Ea: ‘My lord, thus is the command which you have uttered. I will heed and will do it. But what shall I answer the city, the populace, and the Elders?’ Ea spoke, commanding me, his servant: ‘You, well then, this is what you must say to them: “It appears that Enlil is rejecting me so I cannot reside in your city, nor set foot on Enlil’s earth. I will go down to the Apsu to live with my lord, Ea, and upon you he will rain down abundance, a profusion of fowl, myriad fishes. He will bring to you a harvest of wealth, in the morning he will let loaves of bread shower down, and in the evening a rain of wheat!“’

Just as dawn began to glow the people assembled around me. The carpenter carried his hatchet, the reedworker carried his flattening stone. The child carried the pitch, the weak brought whatever else was needed. On the fifth day I had laid out her exterior. It was a field in area, its walls were each 10 times 12 cubits in height, the sides of its top were of equal length, 10 times 12 cubits each. Then I designed its interior structure as follows: I provided it with six decks, thus dividing it into seven levels. The inside of it I divided into nine compartments. I drove plugs to keep out water in its middle part. I saw to the punting poles and laid in what was necessary. Three times 3,600 units of raw bitumen I poured into the bitumen kiln, three times 3,600 units of pitch […] into it, there were three times 3,600 porters of casks who carried vegetable oil. Apart from the 3,600 units of oil for the dedication, the boatsman stored away two times 3,600 units of oil. I butchered oxen for the carpenters, and day upon day I slaughtered sheep. I gave the workmen beer, ale, oil, and wine, as if it were river water, and they made a party like the New Year’s Festival!

I set my hand to the finishing of the ship. The boat was finished by sunset. The launching was very difficult: they had to keep carrying a runway of poles front to back, until two-thirds of it had gone under water. Whatever I had I loaded on it: whatever silver I had I loaded on it, whatever gold I had I loaded on it. All the living beings that I had I loaded on it, I had all my kith and kin go up into the boat, all the beasts and animals of the field and the craftsmen I had go up.

Šamaš had set a stated time: ‘In the morning I will let loaves of bread shower down, and in the evening a rain of wheat! Go inside the boat, seal the entry!’ That stated time had arrived. In the morning he let loaves of bread shower down, and in the evening a rain of wheat. I watched the appearance of the weather: the weather was frightful to behold! I went into the boat and sealed the entry. For the caulking of the boat, to Puzur-Amurri, the boatman, I gave the palace together with its contents.

Just as dawn began to glow there arose from the horizon a black cloud. Adad rumbled inside of it, before him went Šhullat and Haniš, heralds going over mountain and land. Erragal pulled out the mooring poles, forth went Ninurta and made the dikes overflow. The gods lifted up the torches, setting the land ablaze with their flare. Stunned shock over Adad’s deeds overtook the heavens, and turned to blackness all that had been light.

He shattered the land like a raging bull, broke it into pieces like a pot. All day long the South Wind blew, blowing fast – and then the Flood came, overwhelming the people like an attack. No one could see his fellow, they could not recognize each other in the torrent. Even the gods were frightened by the Flood, and retreated, ascending to the heaven of Anu. The gods were cowering like dogs, crouching by the outer wall. Ištar shrieked like a woman in childbirth, the sweet-voiced Mistress of the Gods wailed: ‘The olden days have alas turned to clay, because I said evil things in the Assembly of the Gods! How could I say evil things in the Assembly of the Gods, ordering a catastrophe to destroy my people? No sooner have I given birth to my dear people than they fill the sea like so many fish!’

The gods -those of the Anunnaki- were weeping with her, the gods humbly sat weeping, sobbing with grief, their lips burning, parched with thirst. Six days and seven nights came the wind and flood, the storm flattening the land. When the seventh day arrived, the storm was pounding. She who had been struggling with itself like a woman writhing in labor, the sea, calmed; the whirlwind fell still; the flood stopped. I looked around all day long – quiet had set in and all the human beings had turned to clay! The terrain was as flat as a roof.

I opened a vent and daylight fell upon my cheek. I fell to my knees and sat weeping, tears streaming down my cheeks. I looked around for coastlines in the expanse of the sea, and at twelve leagues there emerged a region of land. On Mount Nimuš the boat lodged firm, Mount Nimuš held the boat, allowing no sway. One day and a second Mount Nimuš held the boat, allowing no sway. A third day, a fourth, Mount Nimuš held the boat, allowing no sway. A fifth day, a sixth, Mount Nimuš held the boat, allowing no sway. When a seventh day arrived, I sent forth a dove and released it. The dove went off, but came back to me; no perch was visible so it circled back to me.

I sent forth a swallow and released it. The swallow went off, but came back to me; no perch was visible so it circled back to me. I sent forth a raven and released it. The raven went off, and saw the waters slither back. It eats, it scratches, it bobs, but does not circle back to me. I sacrificed: I offered a libation to the four corners of the world, I burned incense in front of the rising mountain. Seven and seven cult vessels I put in place, and into the bowls I poured [the oil of] reeds, cedar, and myrtle. The gods smelled the savor, the gods smelled the sweet savor, and collected like flies over a sacrifice. Just then the Mistress of the Gods arrived. She lifted up the large fly-shaped beads which Anu had made for their engagement: ‘You gods, as surely as I shall not forget this lapis lazuli around my neck, may I be mindful of these days, and never forget them! The gods may come to the incense offering, but Enlil may not come to the incense offering, because without considering he brought about the Flood and consigned my people to annihilation.’

Just then Enlil arrived. He saw the boat and became furious, he was filled with rage at the Igigi gods: ‘Where did a living being escape? No man was to survive the annihilation!’ Ninurta spoke to Valiant Enlil, saying: ‘Who else but Ea could devise such a thing? It is Ea who knows every machination!’ Ea spoke to Valiant Enlil, saying: ‘It is yours, O Valiant One, who is the Sage of the Gods. How, how could you bring about a Flood without consideration. Charge the violation to the violator, charge the offense to the offender, but be compassionate lest mankind be cut off, be patient lest they be killed.

Instead of your bringing on the Flood, would that a lion had appeared to diminish the people! Instead of your bringing on the Flood, would that a wolf had appeared to diminish the people! Instead of your bringing on the Flood, would that famine had occurred to slay the land! Instead of your bringing on the Flood, would that Pestilent Erra had appeared to ravage the land! It was not I who revealed the secret of the Great Gods, I only made a dream appear to Atrahasis, and thus he heard our secret. Now then! The deliberation should be about him!’

Enlil went up inside the boat and, grasping my hand, made me go up. He had my wife go up and kneel by my side. He touched our forehead and, standing between us, he blessed us: ‘Previously Ut-napištim was a human being. But now let Ut-napištim and his wife become like us, the gods! Let Ut-napištim reside far away, at the Mouth of the Rivers.’ They took us far away and settled us at the Mouth of the Rivers.

Student Handout

Facts and Faith:

Biblically Responsible Lessons For Diverse Classrooms

Crafted by a dedicated team of expert educators and
ministers from diverse Christian denominations, these
lesson plans by Defense of Democracy are designed to meet
Oklahoma Academic Standards and Superintendent Walters’
OSDE Instructional Support Guidelines for Teachers
directive. Our mission is to promote inclusivity and ensure
emotional and physical safety for all students. These
rigorous, Bible-based lessons reflect our commitment to
historically and scientifically accurate education, fostering
shared experiences across all backgrounds.

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