THE GREAT FLOOD: The Biblical Story Versus The Ancient Myths

One of the most interesting biblical stories for children is the story of Noah and the great flood. But this story not only inspires the imagination of children; it also sparks the curiosity of countless scholars, theologians, Bible students, and yes—even critics. One of the questions raised when studying this account is whether it is an original record or merely copied from other ancient stories.

NOAH'S NARRATIVE AGAINST THE ANCIENT MYTHS

There are striking similarities between the ancient flood stories and the biblical account of Noah. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim is secretly warned by a deity named Ea to build a boat. He is also instructed to bring animals on board. Additionally, he was told to include craftsmen. Like Noah, he releases birds to test if the waters have receded and leaves the ark only when the raven fails to return. Utnapishtim survives a flood that lasts six days and six nights. Afterward, he offers sacrifices to the gods and is granted immortality.

Another account is found in the Atrahasis Epic, dating from the early second millennium BC. In this story, the gods were disturbed by the clamor and constant demands of the rapidly growing human population, so they sent a flood. A similar myth is the story of Ziusudra, who endured seven days and seven nights of flooding and was likewise granted immortality. These three Mesopotamian stories appear to be different versions of the same tradition.

According to an Indian myth, the first man, Manu, was told to build a boat after a fish—identified with the god Brahma—warned him of the coming flood. Similar stories exist in other cultures as well. Because of these similarities, some claim that the ancient Hebrews merely collected popular traditions from their neighboring nations and crafted their own version, which was eventually written down in the Bible. If this were true, then our beloved story of Noah and the ark would be nothing more than another product of human imagination. Yet despite these parallels, we have good reasons to believe that the biblical story of Noah is historical truth and not merely a borrowed myth or fabricated legend.

A historical event may be confirmed by multiple accounts of it.

It is undeniable that many ancient cultures recorded stories of a great flood, but that does not mean the event never happened. Similarly, just because several news outlets report on a single event does not mean the event is false—it actually strengthens its credibility. In the same way, the widespread presence of flood accounts across cultures supports the idea that a catastrophic flood truly occurred.

The recurring core details—such as a flood hero, divine instruction to build a boat, and post-flood offerings—point toward a common historical basis. In short, the Bible’s record points us back to an actual event. Moreover, the fact that other myths were recorded earlier does not automatically mean the Bible borrowed from them. Truth is not determined by who recorded it first.

The biblical story is much simpler and more realistic.

The simplicity of Noah’s account suggests originality. Other flood myths are full of exaggerated and unrealistic details. For instance:

• The 6–7 days of rainfall in ancient myths could not realistically produce the kind of catastrophic flood they describe. By contrast, the biblical timeframe (Gen 7:12–24) provides a more reasonable explanation.
• The ark in the Gilgamesh Epic is cube-shaped, which would have been impossible to keep stable in rough waters. The biblical ark, however, is rectangular (Gen 6:15), similar to the design of modern ships.
• The Bible records specific chronological details (7:6, 11, 17; 8:3–6, 13–14), suggesting the writer had access to accurate historical information.
• Unlike the myths that glorify their flood heroes with immortality, the Bible portrays Noah realistically—even including his post-flood moral failure (Gen 9:18–28). Such honesty adds credibility rather than diminishing it.

The New Testament affirmed the historicity of Noah.

There is no doubt that the New Testament regards Noah as a real historical figure. Luke records Noah in the genealogy of Christ (Lk 3:36). Jesus Himself refers to Noah and compares his days to the coming of the Son of Man (Lk 17:26–27). The author of Hebrews highlights Noah as a man of faith (Heb 11:7). Peter also mentions Noah in connection with the flood (1 Pet 3:20; 2 Pet 2:5; 3:6). This affirms that believing in Noah as a historical figure has a strong biblical basis—something we cannot claim for Utnapishtim, Atrahasis, Ziusudra, or Manu.

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THE DELUGE DILEMMA

Even with strong evidence supporting the historicity of Noah’s flood, many questions remain: Was the flood local or global? Is there scientific evidence for it today? How did all the animals fit in the ark? How seaworthy was it? Should every part of the account be read literally?
Noah’s story is indeed flooded with questions! Thankfully, there are various perspectives, possible answers, and studies available for curious believers to explore as we wrestle with these challenges. Let us stay curious—and above all, committed to pursuing the truth. Stay Curious.

Sources and Studies:

Walton, J.H, and, Keener, C. (2016). “The Flood.” 𝘕𝘐𝘝 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦. (pp.20-21). Zondervan
Geisler, N. L., (1999). “Archaeology, Old Testament.” 𝘉𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘌𝘯𝘤𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴. (pp. 92-93). Baker Books.
Boardman, DC. (1986). “Flood, The”. 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺. In Douglas, J.D & Tenney M. (Eds). (pp.354-357). Zondervan
McKenzie, J.L. (1965). “Deluge.” 𝘋𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦. (p. 188-190). Macmillan Publishing
Lorey, F., (1997 March 1). 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘕𝘰𝘢𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘪𝘭𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘩. ICR Institute for Creation Research. https://www.icr.org/article/noah-flood-gilgamesh/