The Old Babylonian “Noah”, Atrahasis is the man who the God Enki entrusts with the continuance of mankind. He is warned of the coming flood and told how to build a ship that will survive the torrential water:

According to the Mesopotamian's account of the Great Flood, the God of Earth, the Supreme God, Enlil/Ellil, wanted to wipe mankind out because of their growing numbers. With the growth of people came a lot of noise, and it kept Enlil up at night, it was so loud. He tried famine, and disease, but the people did not diminish, (his brother Enki, the God of Wisdom and Water, and one of the creators of mankind, was helping the masses via his man, Atrahasis), so he called another assembly of the gods...the God of Earth was in a divine temper. This time, the assembly made Enki swear not to tell mankind what they planned and eventually he swore. What did they plan? They planned to use Enki's own waters to destroy his creation, they decided to wipe mankind out with a flood!

But, Enki, Lord of the Waters and Lord of Wisdom, could not let mankind die, nor could he break his oath. What did the sly God do? He summoned Atrahasis and had him stand next to a wall (screened wall?). With Atrahasis on one side and Enki on the other, Enki started "talking to himself". He told Atrahasis, via his one-sided conversation, about the flood. Not only did he tell him about the flood, but he told Atrahasis how to make a boat strong enough to survive the Great Flood.

Atrahasis listened carefully and did as he was told. The Flood came and many people died, but Atrahasis and his friends and family, (there were quite a few, plus the animals that he saved), were tucked safely aboard the boat.

Up in the heavens, the gods had fled. They watched the destruction from up high and soon grew frantic. Many did not like what they had done, what they had voted to do, not knowing of Atrahasis and thinking that mankind was going to be wiped out. They raged at Enlil and the Great God Anu, God of the Heavens, for allowing such a thing to happen. Not only that, but they were hungry and thirsty, having been denied the fruits of the earth. The Heavens were not a happy place that week.

The Flood's torrent lasted for seven days and seven nights. When it was over, and the earth dried a bit, Atrahasis and his companions landed. He sacrificed some sort of animal (goat? sheep? cow?) and raised it up as an offering to the gods. They smelled the wonderful smell of the offering and descended. They ate the food, for they were starving, and then, after they were hungry no longer.

Enlil and Anu were not present, but they spotted the boat. He became furious with the lesser gods and reminded them of the oath they all took. Anu then pointed the finger of blame at Enki, saying none but he would have defied the decision of them all. Enki did not deny this and must have swayed Enlil to his way of thinking (the text breaks and lines are missing), because Enlil allows man to live, under his conditions. Many of these conditions are missing, but what is there is not very promising.

But, in the end, it is agreed that mankind should continue and Atrahasis is raised above them all. His greatness was recorded and Atrahasis was praised. He turns up later in the Gilgamesh Epic, still alive many years later, with his wife.

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