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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
The two mentions of the 150 days refer to the same time period which encompasses the forty days of rain. The ark lands at the conclusion of these 150 days.
Sources:Qumran Scroll 4Q252, the Karaites, rejected approach in Lekach Tov, Ibn Ezra, R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Rid, approach in Chizkuni, both approaches in Ramban, Akeidat Yitzchak, Abarbanel, Seforno, second approach of R. Eliezer Ashkenazi, Shadal, Hoil Moshe, R. D"Z Hoffmann, U. Cassuto
"וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם" – Most of these commentators hold that the seventh months is being counted from the beginning of the year. According to this all dates in the story of the flood are being counted from the same time. R. Eliezer Ashkenazi points out that there is no need for the Torah to mention the date that the ark landed if it was the same with the date the 150 days ended on. Ramban in his first approach and R. Eliezer Ashkenazi explain instead that the seventh month is counted from the start of the flood and the ark landed a month after the end of the 150 days.1
How do 150 days fit in five months? According to Ramban's first approach and R. Eliezer Ashkenazi there are six months between the start of the rain and the landing of the ark and the 150 days end before the landing. However, the majority in this approach holds that between the start of the rain and the landing of the ark there are only five months and 150 days do not fit in five regular consecutive Hebrew months. The commentators resolve this issue in different ways:
- Different calender – the Qumran scrolls calculate the dates based on their own calender in which two out of every three months has thirty days and the third month has thirty one days. Yehuda HaParsi quoted in Ibn Ezra's Iggeret HaShabbat and options quoted in the Karaites explain that Noach was using the solar calender. According to both of these approaches there are two days after the end of the 150 days before the ark landed. Ibn Ezra suggests instead that Noach was using a calender that adds to one month a few days.
- Special Hebrew months – Yefet and Anan the Karaites wanted to prove from here that one declares the month based on eyewitnesses and not based on calculations that never have five months which are 150 days. Yefet and Anan also explain that if one does not see the moon (like Noach when he was in the Ark) one counts the month as a thirty day month.2
- Al Pi Cheshbon, rounded
"בָּעֲשִׂירִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ נִרְאוּ רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים"
"וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם"
"וַיִּגְבְּרוּ הַמַּיִם" and "וַיַּחְסְרוּ הַמַּיִם"
Shifting water levels
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.
Sources:Seder Olam Rabbah, Bereshit Rabbah, Sefer HaArukh, Rashi, Lekach Tov, Chizkuni, R. Chaim Paltiel, Tosafot HaShalem, Minchat Yehuda, Daat Zekeinim, first approach of R. Eliezer Ashkenazi
"וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם"
"בָּעֲשִׂירִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ נִרְאוּ רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים"
"וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם"
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
Sources:Radak