2. Covenant  The Hebrew term for covenant has the root meaning of “bond, fetter,” indicating a binding relationship.  A promise between God and Humanity

25. Discussion  Discuss your homework answers with your Hannah groups  How is God presented in these stories? What do you think about how God is portrayed?

26. Flood Narrative Genesis 6-10 The ark is 150 cubits long, 30 cubits high and 20 cubits wide: about the size of a football field and 4 stories high.

27. The Sign of the Covenant

28. Epic of Gilgamesh  Epic of Gilgamesh is another Ancient Near Eastern Story that parallels the Flood Narrative in the Hebrew Scriptures: Another version of the Flood story is found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, named after the legendary ruler of Uruk (biblical Erech) in Sumer who was “two-thirds god and one-third human.” When his friend Enkidu died, Gilgamesh became despondent about his own mortality and obsessed with overcoming death. So he set forth to learn the secret of immortality from Utnapishtim, who had survived the great Flood long ago. Utnapishtim related the story of the Flood and how he received instructions to build a ship to save his family. When the Flood subsided and the ship landed on a mountain, Utnapishtim successively sent forth a dove, a swallow, and a raven to see if the water had indeed diminished. When the raven did not return, Utnapishtim went forth and sacrificed to the gods (cf. Gen. ch. 8 ). Utnapishtim and his wife were made “like gods” living at the source of the rivers. Immortality was a gift of the gods, however, and Gilgamesh was unable to receive it. Like all mortals, he had to face the stark reality of death.8

29. Study for your exam! Get together with your Hannah partner and study for the exam! Use your Unit Description and Calendar