Deluge Tablet

Deluge TabletThe hero is Ziusudra, the counterpart of the biblical Noah. Ziusudra heard the decision of the divine council to destroy humanity. He was able to survive the flood by building a boat. The mention of the great waters, the boat, and the window on the boat all have biblical parallels.

All the windstorms, exceedingly powerful, attacked as one,
At the same time, the flood sweeps over the cult-centers.
After, for seven days (and) seven nights,
The flood had swept over the land,
(And) the huge boat had been tossed about by the windstorms on the great waters,
Utu [the sun-god] came forth, who sheds light on heaven (and) earth.
Ziusudra opened a window of the huge boat,
The hero Utu brought his rays into the giant boat. (Pritchard 1969: 44)