In all three of the analyzed flood stories, the God or gods had similar reasons for causing the flood. In the Mesopotamian story, mankind was getting too numerous and loud. This apparently bothered the gods enough to exterminate them. Just as in the Roman story, the gods made this choice on more of a whim than by careful planning. It also shows that the Mesopotamians believed their gods were not located a great distance from mankind. The statement "The uproar of mankind is intolerable and sleep is no longer possible by reason of the babel," shows that the gods must have lived close to the Mesopotamian civilization if the noise they made was loud enough the bother the gods (Leeming, 44). .
In the Hebrew story, God saw great wickedness and evil being caused by man. Gods first design of man must have been flawed where he stated, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them: (Leeming, 48). The Hebrew story indicates that their God was more merciful and spent more time planning the flood that the other story gods. Before carrying out the planned flood, God chose Naoh to replenish the earth. After determining who would survive the flood, God also instructed Naoh on how to build a boat capable of enduring the flood waters. In the Mesopotamian story a different god, Ea, instructed Utnapishtim on the methods required to survive the flood.
In the Roman story, Jupiter chose to punish humanity for their sins and evil ways. Differing from the other stories, Jupiter consulted the other gods. We are shown the lack of importance humans have with the gods when "they inquired who would bring offerings of incense to their alters" once humanity was destroyed (Leeming, 56). In all three of the flood stories the importance of offerings is indicated within the stories.