Genesis 7:19-24

19 And the waters prevailed {overwhelmingly} upon the earth, and they covered all the high mountains which were under the entire heaven.
20 {The waters swelled fifteen cubits above the mountains, covering them}.
21 And every living thing that moved on the earth perished--the birds, and the domesticated animals, and the wild animals, and everything that swarmed on the earth, and all humankind.
22 Everything in whose nostrils [was] {the breath of life}, among all that [was] on dry land, died.
23 And he blotted out every living thing upon the surface of the ground, from humankind, to animals, to creeping things, and to the birds of heaven; they were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah and those who [were] with him in the ark remained.
24 And the waters prevailed over the earth one hundred and fifty days.

Genesis 7:19-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 7

This chapter begins with an order to Noah to come with his family and all the creatures into the ark, that they might be safe from the flood, which would quickly be upon the earth, Ge 7:1-4 and then gives an account of Noah's obedience to the divine command in every particular, Ge 7:5-9 and of the time of the beginning of the flood, and its prevalence, Ge 7:10-12 then follows a repetition of Noah, his family, and the creatures entering into the ark, Ge 7:13-16 and next a relation is given of the increase of the waters, and of the height they arrived unto, Ge 7:17-20 and of the consequences of the flood, the death and destruction of every living creature, except those in the ark, fowl, cattle, beast, creeping things, and men, Ge 7:21-23 and the chapter is closed with an account how long the waters continued before they began to ebb, even one hundred and fifty days, Ge 7:24.

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. Literally "very very"
  • [b]. Or "the sky"
  • [c]. Literally "Fifteen cubits above the waters swelled, and they covered the mountains"
  • [d]. Literally "a breath of spirit of life"
  • [e]. In context, God
  • [f]. Or "the sky"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.