Although there are many versions of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the poem is considered by many to be the oldest written story in the world. Gilgamesh predates the book of Genesis in the Bible by over a thousand years. There are, however, many similarities worth examining. The most important theme both works share is that of a great flood that destroys all humanity. Although the reason for the flood at Gilgamesh is not explicitly stated, it is evident that the assembly of the great gods, at the behest of Enlil, brought about the flood as judgment for the sins of mankind. The eleventh tablet of Gilgamesh, line 187, says: “Punish the wrongdoer for his misdeed, punish the transgressor for his transgression.” » (147). What motivated EnlilUtnapishtim and Noah, they were also given detailed instructions on how the ships were to be made and which humans and animals were allowed to board the ships to withstand the flood. One of the most notable passages in Gilgamesh contains the gods' command to Utnapishtim to build the boat saying: “O man of Shurupak, son of Ubar-Tutu, destroy the house, build the boat; abandon your possessions, seek life; personal effects are discarded and life is saved! Take on board the boat the seed of all living beings; the boat you will build; Let its dimensions be measured for all kinds of living beings in the vessel that you build. Let its dimensions be well measured” (143). In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim brings animals, his family, and a few other people onto the ark built to withstand the flood, and Noah brings his family and various animals onto the ark he had built. The book of Genesis says that Noah was commanded by the Lord to “Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; You will make chambers in the ark, and you will plant it inside and out with pitch. And this is the manner in which you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Floods may be common in river valleys around the world, but the flood of Gilgamesh was primarily caused by the god of thunder, Adad. Adad was aided by Shullat and Hanish, the destroyer gods, as well as Errakal, the god of death, and Ninurta, the god of war. The eleventh tablet, line 108, tells us: “The awesome power of Adad passed above the heavens; Everything that was light has turned into darkness. He flooded the earth, he broke it like a pot of clay! (145). The origin of the flood of Gilgamesh indicates the flood of rain caused by Adad and the god's storm. The Genesis account alludes to rain and water from the ground as the cause of the flood. “All the springs of the great deep gushed forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. » “For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe out from the face of the earth everything that exists that I have made. » (164). Both stories are about the disappearance of all living things on earth, except for the animals and humans on board the ark at the time of death.