It is a misconception to regard this answer of the god as equivocal. Ea means to say that he did not interfere with the divine decree. He simply told Parnapishtim to build a ship, leaving to the latter to divine the reason. Ea, it is true, tells Parnapishtim of Bel's hatred, but he does not reveal the secret of the gods. After Ea's effective speech Bel is reconciled, and the scene closes dramatically, as follows:
Bel came to his senses,
Stepped on board of the ship,
Took me by the hand and lifted me up,
Brought up my wife, and caused her to kneel at my side,
Turned towards us, stepped between us, and blessed us.
'Hitherto Parnapishtim was human,[979]
But now Parnapishtim and his wife shall be gods like us.[980]
Parnapishtim shall dwell in the distance, at the confluence of the streams.'
Then they took me and placed me in the distance, at the confluence of the streams.