Which god decreed that Enkidu must die?

Enlil decreed that Enkidu must die. The decision follows Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s killing of Humbaba, guardian of the Cedar Forest, and the Bull of Heaven.

In Tablet VII, the gods hold counsel to determine how the two heroes should be punished. Anu, Enlil, Ea, and Shamash are associated with the deliberation, and the gods decide that one of the companions must die. Enlil then identifies Enkidu as the one who will pay the penalty, sparing Gilgamesh.

Shamash protests because he had supported the heroes during their earlier adventures. His defense does not overturn the judgment. Enkidu becomes sick, dreams of the frightening Netherworld, and dies after a prolonged illness. His death transforms the story: Gilgamesh’s grief becomes fear of his own mortality and sends him on the journey to find Utnapishtim.

A common mix-up is to credit Anu, since Anu participates in the gods’ council and initiates the question of punishment. However, in the standard account, Enlil delivers the decisive decree. Ea is also important elsewhere in the wider flood tradition, but not as the god who assigns Enkidu’s death.