Chronology of the Flood/2/en

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Chronology of the Flood

Exegetical Approaches

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One Set of 150 Days Which Includes the First 40 Days

Both sets of 150 days and the forty days are combined and end before the landing of the ark.

One Set of 150 Days Which Does Not Include the First 40 Days

Both sets of 150 days are combined and in order to fit the forty days, the seven months are not counted from after the beginning of the year.

What happened during the 150 days? These commentators hold that "וַיִּגְבְּרוּ הַמַּיִם עַל הָאָרֶץ" happened during the 150 days and the water started to abate only after the end of the 150 days and that is the meaning of "וַיַּחְסְרוּ הַמַּיִם מִקְצֵה חֲמִשִּׁים וּמְאַת יוֹם".  However, the commentators offer two explanations regarding what happened during the 150 days themselves:
  • According to Seder Olam Rabbah and the Arukh after the forty days the water stopped increasing but stayed in its place. Seder Olam Rabbah explains that during these 150 days the wicked were each being sentenced for their actions.  The Arukh explains the language of "וַיִּגְבְּרוּ הַמַּיִם" to mean that they stayed in their strength.
  • According to Ba'alei HaTosafot the water were still increasing throughout all the 150 days even though the rain stopped already after the first 40 days. Perhaps, the water may have continued coming out from underground.

Two sets of 150 Days Which Include the Second 40 Days