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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, Jubilees, the Karaites, rejected approach in Lekach Tov, 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
How does 150 days fit in five months? This approach holds that between the start of the rain and the landing of the ark there are only five months. However, 150 days do not fit in a regular five consecutive months. The commentators resolve this issue in different ways:
- Qumran - their own calender
"וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם"
"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
