Bible -- Antiquities; Bible. Old Testament -- Evidences, authority, etc.
The ark of Babylon grounded in that portion of the ancient world known
as Armenia, the Hebrew name of which is Ararat. Seven days after the
landing of the ark, the imprisoned remnant sent forth a dove. When she
found no place to light and rest, the dove returned to the ship. They
waited a short while and then sent forth a swallow. The swallow also
returned, wearied from a long flight, and several more days were allowed
to elapse. The next attempt to discover the condition of the earth by
the imprisoned remnant resulted in the sending forth of a raven. The
bird returned and approached the ark, but refused to re-enter the ship.
The remnant knew then that the flood was ended. They accordingly went
forth with all the redeemed life, and celebrated their preservation by
offering up sacrifices to the gods upon the mountains.
The goddess Ishtar was so pleased with the sacrifice of the godly
remnant that she hung in the heavens a great bow, which Anu, the father
of the gods, had made for the occasion. She swore by the sacred
ornaments that hung about her neck that mankind should not again be
destroyed by a flood, and this heavenly bow was the sign of that
covenant.
The incidental details which are found in this hoary manuscript coincide
too closely with the record of Genesis to admit of coincidence.
Archeology has brought no stronger testimony to the historicity of the
Mosaic record of the deluge than this great account in the Gilgamesh
epic, although interspersed with mythological characters and deviating
from the simplicity of the Genesis account.
One of the most valuable publications of the British Museum is their
monograph on the Gilgamesh legend, which contains a fine and scholarly
translation of the deluge tablet in an unabridged form. Our own copy of
this publication has been of great value to many students who have
sought its aid in their detailed studies of the Old Testament.
Another one of the disputed portions of the Old Testament text which
brought great comfort to the habitually hopeful among the destructive
critics, is that section of Genesis which deals with the record of
Nimrod and the tower of Babel.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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