The Bible and Hebrew Folk Literature

Author: Zhang Chaoke
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: This book records the magnificent heritage of rich and diverse Hebrew folk literature. After 40 days, Noah opened the window of the ark and released a raven, which flew around on the water. He then released a dove to see if the flood had receded from the earth. The dove could not find a place to land, so Noah reached in and brought the dove back into the ark. After waiting another seven days, he released the dove again. That evening, the dove returned with a freshly plucked olive leaf in its beak. Noah concluded that the water had receded from the earth. After waiting another seven days, the dove did not return again. God said to Noah, "You and your wife, son, and daughter-in-law may leave the ark. Every living creature with flesh, including birds, livestock, and all insects, must be brought out of the ark so that they may multiply and fill the earth." Thus, all living beings who had escaped the flood came out of the ark. To thank the Lord, Noah built an altar and offered clean birds and livestock as sacrifices. The Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifices and thought, "I will no longer curse the earth because of man, nor will I destroy all living creatures." God blessed Noah and his sons, saying, "You shall multiply and fill the earth. I give to you every beast on the earth, every bird in the sky, and every fish in the sea. Every living creature may be your food, just as the green vegetation is yours; but you shall not eat flesh with blood in it." God made a covenant with Noah and his sons: "I will never again cause a flood to cover the earth, nor will I destroy all living creatures." The Lord used the rainbow as a perpetual sign of the covenant, promising to protect humanity through generations, and humanity, in turn, would forever honor the Lord. (Genesis chapters 7, 8, and 9) The flood myth of Noah's Ark is not the earliest flood myth in the world, yet its influence is the greatest, especially through the spread of Christianity, it has reached every corner of the globe, becoming a household name and a story known to all. Strangely enough, this famous ancient Hebrew myth originated from Babylon. Although when George Smith of England proposed this idea in the 19th century, it caused a great stir, facing fierce attacks and strong opposition; however, over a century later, among biblical scholars worldwide, it is unlikely that even one opponent can now be found. Everyone agrees with his view. In the world, many nations have their own flood myths. Among the four great ancient civilizations in Asia and Africa—Babylon, Egypt, India, and China—there are also numerous flood myths. These myths, though varying in plot, generally express humanity's strong desire to overcome floods, propose effective ways to resist and escape disaster, or reflect the beautiful ideal of "recreating humanity" or "renewing humanity." However, Noah's Ark flood myth differs greatly from these themes and has a unique significance. The editors of Noah's Ark flood myth attempted to borrow the plot of the Babylonian flood myth to express monotheistic belief, establish the divine authority of the Lord Yahweh, and strengthen ethical and moral values centered on reverence for Yahweh. The Lord's purpose in unleashing the flood was very clear: because the world had become corrupt.