Genesis 7:24 BDC: Did the flood rains last forty days or one hundred fifty days?

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The Apparent Discrepancy in Genesis

Genesis 7:24 and Genesis 8:3 seem to contradict the earlier verses of Genesis 7:4, 12, and 17 regarding the duration of the rains and the overall length of time the floodwaters prevailed. Genesis 7:12 states:

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

However, Genesis 7:24 says:

“The waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.”

This difference can be resolved by carefully examining the text and distinguishing between how long the rain fell and how long the floodwaters prevailed upon the earth.

Duration of the Rain: Forty Days and Forty Nights

The forty days and forty nights refer specifically to how long the rain fell on the earth. Genesis 7:4 highlights God’s command to Noah:

“For in seven days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe out from the surface of the ground every living thing that I have made.”

Genesis 7:17 reinforces this:

“The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and lifted up the ark so that it rose high above the earth.”

The forty-day period was the initial phase of the flood during which torrential rain poured down upon the earth. This intense downpour was accompanied by another critical event:

“On that day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the windows of heaven were opened.” (Genesis 7:11)

The fountains of the great deep and the windows of heaven unleashed catastrophic amounts of water onto the earth, inundating it during this initial period of forty days.

Duration of the Prevailing Floodwaters: One Hundred Fifty Days

Genesis 7:24, however, refers to a different time period altogether:

“The waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.”

The one hundred and fifty days include not only the forty days of continuous rain but also the additional time during which the floodwaters remained at their peak and began to recede. The Hebrew word used here for “prevailed” is gabar, which means to be strong or to exert power. This suggests that the floodwaters maintained their dominance over the earth for a total of one hundred and fifty days before they began to subside.

Genesis 8:3 confirms this:

“And the waters receded from the earth continually, and at the end of one hundred and fifty days the waters had abated.”

Thus, after the forty days of rain, the floodwaters continued to prevail over the earth for another 110 days, making a total of one hundred and fifty days before they began to recede.

Sequence of Events: Clarifying the Timeline

When we look carefully at the chronological sequence provided in Genesis 7 and 8, the timing of the flood becomes clear:

Forty Days and Forty Nights of Rain:
The initial phase lasted for forty days and forty nights when the rain fell and the fountains of the deep were broken open. (Genesis 7:12)
The Waters Continued to Prevail for One Hundred Fifty Days:
The waters rose and prevailed for a total of 150 days, during which time the floodwaters reached their highest level and maintained their dominance. (Genesis 7:24)
The Waters Began to Recede:
After 150 days, the waters began to recede gradually. Genesis 8:3 says:
“The waters receded from the earth continually, and at the end of one hundred and fifty days the waters had abated.”
The Ark Rested on Mount Ararat:
On the 17th day of the 7th month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Genesis 8:4 states:
“And in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.”
The Waters Continued to Decrease:
The waters gradually receded until the tops of the mountains were seen on the first day of the tenth month. (Genesis 8:5)
The Earth Was Finally Dry:
By the first day of the first month of the following year, the waters had dried up. Genesis 8:13 records:
“In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from upon the earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dried up.”
Noah and His Family Leave the Ark:
Finally, on the 27th day of the second month, the earth was completely dry, and Noah, his family, and the animals exited the ark. (Genesis 8:14-19)

Reconciling the Timeline: One Year and Ten Days in the Ark

A careful reading of Genesis shows that Noah and his family were inside the ark for one year and ten days in total. Genesis 7:11 indicates that the flood began in the 600th year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month.

Genesis 8:13-14 concludes the account by stating that Noah and his family left the ark on the 27th day of the second month in the 601st year of Noah’s life. This amounts to a total of 370 days (using lunar months of 30 days each).

Understanding the Hebrew Terminology: “Prevailed” and “Abated”

The phrase “the waters prevailed” in Genesis 7:24 uses the Hebrew word gabar, meaning to be strong or to have power over. This phrase implies that the waters held sway over the earth with overwhelming force for 150 days.

In contrast, the term “the waters abated” in Genesis 8:3 uses the Hebrew verb chasar, which means to decrease or diminish. This indicates the beginning of the recession of the waters, marking the end of the period of dominance by the floodwaters.

Why Did the Floodwaters Last 150 Days?

The extended period of 150 days of prevailing floodwaters highlights the magnitude and catastrophic scale of the Flood. This period allowed for the complete submersion of the earth, ensuring the thorough judgment of wicked mankind and the cleansing of the earth from corruption.

Genesis 6:5-7 explains the reason for this global judgment:

“Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every inclination 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. So Jehovah said, ‘I will wipe out man whom I have created from the surface of the ground.'”

The duration of the flood served to accomplish Jehovah’s purpose in cleansing the earth and preserving the righteous line of Noah and his family.

Conclusion: No Contradiction, Just Different Periods

The perceived contradiction between the forty days of rain and the one hundred fifty days of prevailing waters is resolved when the text is examined closely. The forty days refer to the duration of the rain, while the 150 days encompass the total period during which the floodwaters prevailed before beginning to recede.

Noah’s account provides a detailed and consistent timeline of the catastrophic events that unfolded during the global deluge. The destruction of the pre-flood world was a just consequence of humanity’s rampant wickedness, and the preservation of Noah and his family affirmed Jehovah’s faithfulness to His covenant. The flood account stands as a powerful reminder of God’s judgment against sin and His mercy in preserving a righteous remnant for the future of humankind.

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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).