Flood - Parallels

God(s) deciding to destroy humans due totheir behaviour (Gen. 6: 5-7, 11-13;MfM, p. 28 (A))

Pious man chosen by deity to be saved(Gen. 6: 8-10; MfM, pp. 29-30 (A) and110 (G))

Instructions for building and loading ark(Gen. 6: 14-7: 9; MfM, pp. 30-31 (A)and 110-12 (G))

Flood - Parallels

Use of birds, esp. dove and raven, indetermining end of flood (Gen. 8: 6-12;MfM, p. 114 (G))

Sacrifice with pleasing smell for God(s)(Gen. 8: 20-21; MfM, pp. 33 (A)and 114 (G))

God’s bow in heavens as parallel to Marduk’s(Gen. 9: 13-17; MfM, p. 263 (EoC))

One decisive god, rather than bickering group(Gen. 6: 5-13 vs. MfM, pp. 28-29 (A))

God shows no qualms, unlike Mesopotamiangods (MfM, p. 113 (G))

Fault clearly lies with humans in Genesis

But…

God’s forbearance and reassurance (Gen. 8: 22)

The first covenant (Gen. 9: 1-17)

Rules: animals as food. Were antediluvianhumans vegetarians? Use of animalselsewhere (Gen. 3: 21 and 4: 4). Also ruleson murder and retribution

Universal covenant, but later hints of chosenpeople, primacy of younger sons (Gen. 10)

Epilogue (Gen. 8: 20-9: 17)

Aetiology of different languages

What is the fault?

“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill theearth.” (Gen. 9: 1)

Polemic against polytheism, with Babylonas target. Pun on Bab-ilani/Babel(Gen. 11: 9)

Tower of Babel (Gen. 11: 1-9)

Further polemic against polytheism/Babylon:

Comment on building materials(Gen. 11: 3)

“The LORD came down to see the cityand the tower, which mortals had built”(Gen. 11: 5, vs. MfM, p. 262 (EoC))

“Come, let us go down.” (Gen. 11: 7)Consider also Gen. 11: 3-4 and 8-9.

Tower of Babel (Gen. 11: 1-9)