The most striking resemblances between the Babylonian and Hebrew stories of the Flood may now be noted: (1) Compare the instruction given by God to Noah (Gen. 6. 13-22) with the words addressed by the god Ea to Ut-napishtim: O man of Shurippak, son of Ubaratutu, Pull down thy house, build a ship, Leave thy possessions, take thought for thy life, {209} Thy property abandon, save thy life, Bring living seed of every kind into the ship. The ship that thou shalt build, So shall be the measure of its dimensions, Thus shall correspond its breadth and height, Into the ocean let it fare.[33] (2) In both accounts the destruction is due to sin. This is definitely stated in Gen. 6. 5-7. For the Babylonian story it is implied in the rebuke given to Bel by Ea: On the sinner lay his sin, On the transgressor lay his transgression. Forbear, let not all be destroyed.[34] (3) In both accounts, only a seed of life sufficient to replenish the earth is saved. Compare Gen. 6. 19, 20 with the command, "Bring living seed of every kind into the ship," or with the statement: I brought into the ship my family and household; The cattle of the field, the beasts of the field, craftsmen, all of them I brought in.[35] (4) Both stories tell of a great storm and deluge of water. Gen. 7. 11 reads, "The fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights." Compare with this: The dawning of that day I feared, I feared to behold that day. I entered the ship and closed the door. When the first flush of dawn appeared There came up from the horizon a black cloud. {210} Adad thundered within it, While Nabu and Marduk went before. They go as messengers over mountain and valley. Nergal bore away the anchor. Ninib advances, the storm he makes to descend. The Anunaki lifted up their torches, With their brightness they light up the land. Adad's storm reached unto heaven, All light was turned into darkness, It [flooded] the land like ... ........ the storm Raged high, [the water climbed over] the mountains, Like a besom of destruction they brought it upon men.[36] (5) In both instances the structure rests upon a mountain in the north. Gen. 8. 4 reads, "And the ark rested ... upon the mountains of Ararat," that is, Armenia. The Babylonian story reads: To the land of Nisir the ship made its way, The mount of Nisir held it fast that it moved not.[37] Mount Nisir is east of the upper Tigris. (6) In both cases birds are sent out to ascertain the condition of the land. Compare Gen. 8. 6-12 with these lines: