Where Did the Flood Water Come From? — Exploring Genesis 7:11 and Noah’s Day

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The Sources of the Water for the Global Flood

Genesis 7:11 provides a comprehensive description of the cataclysmic event that unleashed the floodwaters that covered the entire earth:

“In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the windows of heaven were opened.”

This verse identifies two primary sources of the water that flooded the earth during Noah’s day:

The Fountains of the Great Deep – Water from subterranean sources beneath the earth.
The Windows of Heaven – Water from above the atmosphere, likely a vast water canopy that once surrounded the earth.

To fully appreciate the magnitude of these events, it is necessary to examine these sources in detail.

The Fountains of the Great Deep: Subterranean Water Sources

The phrase “fountains of the great deep” (Hebrew: kol maʿyanoth tehom rabbah) suggests that a vast subterranean reservoir of water was unleashed during the Flood. The Hebrew term “tehom” is often associated with the primordial deep, a reference to the great waters that existed before the separation of land and sea during creation (Genesis 1:2).

The geological implications of this event are profound. It suggests that immense quantities of water, trapped beneath the earth’s crust, were violently released, possibly through volcanic eruptions, tectonic shifts, or other cataclysmic processes. This release of subterranean water would have caused massive upheavals, fracturing the earth’s crust and contributing to the rising waters.

Modern science affirms the existence of vast quantities of water locked deep within the earth’s mantle. Some estimates suggest that these subterranean reservoirs may contain as much as three times the volume of water in all the world’s oceans. This aligns with the biblical description of the “fountains of the great deep” bursting forth during the Flood.

The Windows of Heaven: The Collapse of the Water Canopy

The second source of the floodwaters was “the windows of heaven” (Hebrew: ʾarubboth ha-shamayim), a phrase that refers to an opening or pouring out of water from above the atmosphere. To understand this phrase, we must return to the account of creation in Genesis 1:6-8, which states:

“And God went on to say, ‘Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let there be a separation between the waters and the waters.’ And God went on to make the expanse, and make a separation between the waters, which were under the expanse and between the waters, which were above the expanse: and it came to be so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.”

This “expanse” (Hebrew: raqiaʿ) refers to the atmosphere or sky that separates the waters below (oceans, rivers, lakes) from the waters above (a vast water canopy). The “waters above” suggest a large volume of water that existed in the form of a vapor canopy or suspended water layer, encircling the earth.

The Canopy Theory: A Plausible Explanation

The canopy theory proposes that before the Flood, a layer of water vapor or liquid water encased the earth’s atmosphere, creating a greenhouse-like environment that stabilized the climate and shielded the earth from harmful radiation. This canopy, referred to in Genesis 1:7, would have been the “waters above the expanse” that contributed to the flood when it collapsed.

When the “windows of heaven” were opened, this water canopy collapsed, resulting in torrential rainfall that lasted for 40 days and 40 nights. Genesis 7:12 records:

“And the rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.”

This water, combined with the water from the great deep, inundated the entire earth. The breaking of the canopy would have released an enormous amount of water, adding to the already catastrophic release of subterranean waters.

The Timing and Intensity of the Flood

The timing of the Flood is also recorded in Genesis 7:11:

This exact dating highlights the historical reality of the Flood. The event was not mythological or symbolic but a real, global catastrophe that took place during the 600th year of Noah’s life, or 2370 B.C.E.

The release of water was not a gradual process but a sudden and overwhelming unleashing of both subterranean and atmospheric water, which would have caused unparalleled destruction. The waters continued to rise for 150 days before beginning to recede (Genesis 7:24; 8:3).

Geological and Catastrophic Effects of the Flood

The simultaneous eruption of water from the great deep and the collapse of the canopy likely resulted in significant geological upheaval. This included:

Tectonic Shifts and Volcanic Eruptions: As subterranean waters burst forth, tectonic plates could have shifted dramatically, resulting in volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and the rapid formation of mountain ranges.
Rapid Sedimentation and Fossilization: The immense volume of water and sediment deposited during the Flood would have buried and fossilized plants and animals rapidly, explaining the extensive fossil record found worldwide.

The catastrophic nature of these events perfectly explains many of the earth’s geological features, including massive sedimentary rock layers, extensive fossil beds, and even the shifting of continents.

The Total Submersion of the Earth

Genesis 7:19-20 emphasizes the global nature of the Flood:

“And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, so that all the high mountains that were under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered.”

The Hebrew term “prevailed” (gabar) suggests overwhelming dominance. The waters rose 15 cubits (approximately 22 feet or 6.7 meters) above the highest mountains, ensuring that no land was left uncovered. The magnitude of this event signifies a complete global inundation, not a localized flood as some skeptics claim.

Addressing Skeptical Objections

Skeptics often question the feasibility of such a vast amount of water covering the earth. However, when considering the sources identified in Genesis—the fountains of the great deep and the windows of heaven—the volume of water required for a global flood is entirely plausible.

Vast Subterranean Reservoirs: Modern science acknowledges the presence of immense volumes of water beneath the earth’s crust. This aligns with the biblical account of the fountains of the great deep being unleashed.
Collapse of a Water Canopy: The release of the water canopy would have resulted in the catastrophic rainfall described in Genesis, providing ample water for a global flood.

The Purpose of the Flood: Judgment and Cleansing

The Flood was not merely a natural disaster but a divine act of judgment. Genesis 6:5-7 reveals Jehovah’s reasons for bringing the Flood:

“And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And Jehovah regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. And Jehovah said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the heavens; for I regret that I have made them.’”

The rampant wickedness and corruption of humanity led to God’s decision to cleanse the earth through the Flood. However, Jehovah preserved Noah, a righteous man, and his family to ensure the continuity of the human race and the eventual fulfillment of His promise in Genesis 3:15 regarding the coming of the Seed.

Conclusion: A Cataclysmic Yet Purposeful Event

The Flood was a historical, global event that resulted from the simultaneous release of subterranean waters from the great deep and the collapse of the water canopy above the earth. The immense magnitude of these events perfectly explains the complete submersion of the earth and the geological effects we observe today.

Jehovah’s judgment was both just and merciful, preserving a righteous remnant through Noah and his family. The biblical account stands as a testimony to the reality of divine intervention and the consequences of widespread human wickedness.

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).