The biblical account of Noah and the Flood is recorded in the Old Testament (1) book of Genesis (2) (Genesis 6:1 - 9:17). It walks the reader through a narrative of mortal man's disobedience (3) to the authority of his Creator (4), followed by God's decision to flood the Earth and wipe out all living creatures, with the exception of eight humans. The account concludes with God redeeming mankind through those He spared during the Flood.

Noah was righteous and blameless among the people of his time, walking faithfully with God. He had three sons- Shem (5), Ham (6), and Japheth (7). Due to the sinful nature of man during this time, the world was a morally corrupt and violent place. Accordingly, God spoke to Noah, with whom He found favor. He told Noah of His plans to "put an end to all people" and directed him to construct an Ark by which to save his family. He gave Noah explicit instructions on the type and number of animals to bring aboard the Ark, as well as food preparations and more. In addition, God shared that He was making a Covenant (8) with Noah by which He was later going to re-generate the Earth.

Noah was obedient (9) to God's instructions and carried them out. God then told Noah to board the Ark with his family and the animals, conveying to Noah that the floodwaters were coming in seven days to "wipe from the face of the Earth every living creature I have made.”

Scripture tells us Noah was 600 years old (the seventeenth day of the second month) on the day all the springs of the great deep burst forth and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights (10) (Genesis 7:11-12). The waters continued to flood the Earth. After one hundred and fifty days, the waters began to steadily recede until the Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat (the seventeenth day of the seventh month). The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible.

Within a few months, and approximately 370 days after the Flood began, the Earth was completely dry. God then told Noah it was safe for his family and all the animals to come out of the Ark "so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.”

Once all were outside the Ark, Noah built an altar to God and sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in His heart that He would never again curse the ground because of humans.

Chapter 9 opens with God blessing Noah and his sons, telling them to "be fruitful and increase in number and fulfill the Earth." God then told Noah, "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you…Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

From that day forward, a rainbow appearing in the sky has been a reminder of the covenant God established with Noah (Genesis 9:16-17). After the Flood, Noah lived for another 350 years, dying at 950 years of age.

Footnotes and additional resources, such as Bible Genealogy (11), appear below. For a printer friendly version of this webpage, click on the PDF offered in the lower sidebar. Modifications to this page are welcome at goodnews@downriverdisciples.com.

FOOTNOTES

  (1) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/old-testament

  (2) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/genesis

  (3) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/disobedience

  (4) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/god-of-the-bible

  (5) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/shem

  (6) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/ham

  (7) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/japheth

  (8) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/covenants

  (9) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/obedience

(10) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/40-in-the-bible

(11) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/bible-genealogy

ADD'L BIBLE REFERENCES

Old Testament

Isaiah 54:9; Ezekiel 14:13-15, 20.

New Testament

Matthew 24:37-38; Luke 3:36; Luke 17:26-27; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5.

RELATED GENEALOGY

https://www.downriverdisciples.com/bible-genealogy

https://www.downriverdisciples.com/bible-genealogy-genesis

https://www.downriverdisciples.com/bible-genealogy-luke