Genesis 7:17-24

17 And the great flood was made (for) forty days and forty nights on [the] earth, and the waters were multiplied, and raised (up) the ship on high from the earth.
18 The waters flowed greatly, and filled all things in the face of the earth (And the waters greatly flowed, and filled up all the things that were on the face of the earth). Forsooth the ship was borne on the waters.
19 And the waters had mastery greatly on [the] earth (And the waters had great mastery over the earth), and all [the] high hills under all (of) heaven were covered;
20 (yea,) the water was higher, by fifteen cubits, over (all) the hills which it covered.
21 And each flesh was wasted that moved on [the] earth, of birds, of living beasts, of unreasonable beasts, and of all reptiles/all creeping beasts that creep on [the] earth. (And all flesh that moved on the earth was destroyed, yea, birds, and living beasts, and unreasoning beasts, and all the reptiles that creep on the earth.)
22 All men, and all things in which the breathing of life was in [the] earth, were dead. (And all men, and all the things on the earth in which was the breath of life, died.)
23 And God did away all the substance that was on [the] earth, from man till to beast, as well a creeping beast, as the birds of (the) heaven(s); and those were done away from [the] earth. Forsooth Noe dwelled alone, and they that were with him in the ship. (And so God did away all the life that was on the earth, from man unto beasts, and reptiles, and the birds of the air, they were all done away from the earth. And only Noah, and those who were with him in the ship, remained alive.)
24 And the waters of the great flood over-went the earth an hundred and fifty days. (And the waters of the great flood went over the earth for a hundred and fifty days.)

Genesis 7:17-24 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.