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Noach (Gen 6:9 - 11:32) |
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B'resheet/Genesis 7:24 And the waters were strong over the earth [for] a hundred and fifty days.
View whole verse and interlinear translation ...
Following the "days and forty nights" (v. 12) of rain, the
destruction of "all living things that moved on the earth" (v. 21),
and the stark reminder that
- only Noah - and those
with him in the ark survived, the narrative of the flood story tells us that
the waters held sway over the earth for a period of one hundred and fifty
days. The commentators disagree as to whether this was another period of
time after the forty days of rain (
Who Is ...
The Radak: Rabbi David Kimchi (1160-1235 CE), rabbi, biblical commentator, philosopher and grammarian; born in Narbonne, France; best known for his commentaries on the Prophets, he also wrote a philosphical commentary on Bresheet that makes extensive use of the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel; influenced by a strong supporter of Ibn Ezra and Maimonides
Radak,
Who Is ...
Rashi: Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (1040-1105 CE), French rabbi who wrote commentaries on the Torah, the Prophets and the Talmud, lived in Troyes where he founded a yeshiva in 1067; focuses on the plain meaning (p'shat) of the text, although sometimes quite cryptic in his brevity
Rashi) -
making a total of one hundred and ninety - or whether this is the total
including the forty days of rain, so telling us about one hundred and ten
days after the rain (
Who Is ...
Ramban: Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman of Gerona or Nachmanides (1194-1270 CE), Spanish rabbi, author and physician; defended Judaism in the Christian debates in Barcelona before making aliyah
Ramban,
Who Is ...
Sforno: Rabbi Ovadiah Sforno (1470-1550 CE), Italian rabbi, philosopher and physician; born in Cesena, he went to Rome to study medicine; left in 1525 and after some years of travel, settled in Bologna where he founded a yeshiva which he conducted until his death
Sforno).
The verb at the beginning of the verse,
, is a Qal prefix
3mp form from the root 
- to be or become strong, powerful or mighty (Davidson) - in
a vav-conversive construction to make it past-tense sequential
narrative. The root is the source of such phrases as
- a mighty man of
valour - and is used for many heroes or sub-heroes in the biblical stories,
such as David's "mighty men" (see, for example, 2 Samuel 23:13-17 or 2
Kings 24:10-16). When the verb is followed by the preposition
- as it is here - it
has the sense of prevailing over someone or something (e.g. 2 Samuel
11:23). This leads some translations to render this verse: "the water
held power over the earth" (CJB) or "the water prevailed
upon the earth" (NASB).
The Ramban comments that the waters increased greatly, citing usage of the
same verb in, "their transgressions, that they have magnified
themselves" (Job 36:9, NASB) and "The days of our life are
seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong" (Psalm 90:10,
NRSV). Noting that the Sages show an awareness of the strength
and power of water when they speak of
"
- the powers of the
rains" (m. Ta'anit 1:1, b. Ta'anit 2a) at the start
of a discussion about when it is appropriate to pray for rain, he concludes
that "the waters were in complete strength, overcoming even the high
mountains and inundating them." Umberto
Cassuto1 says,
"'prevail' here connotes a continuing state: the power of the water upon
the earth continued for one hundred and fifty days. The word
, used in verses 18-19
is not used here, hence the reference is not to the peak of the water's
strength but to their power in general."
After this period of one hundred and fifty days, the waters started to recede. Nahum Sarna notes that such long and gradual recession might be due to tectonic plate movement - a more modern version of the older suggestions that the water went back into the "fountains of the deep" from which much of it had originally come. Nevertheless, for a period of five months, the earth was submerged by water. The CJB translation "the water held power over the earth" seems quite appropriate.
The Bible records a number of other occasions when time is limited; either
a specific time interval is mentioned, or a reference to time is clearly
included in the text. Abraham is told that his descendants will be in
bondage for four hundred years "and they shall come back here in the
fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete"
(B'resheet 15:16, ESV). When in exile in Babylon, the
Israelites are told "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I
will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to
this place" (Jeremiah 29:10, ESV). Daniel hears in a vision
"And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for
half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering" (Daniel
9:27, ESV); this last is particularly interesting because the
word translated 'strong' is also a variant of the root
. In all these
instances, specific things are scheduled to happen at a particular time.
In the case of Job, on the other hand, a season of testing is allowed
without a specific time limit being imposed although a limit in amount is
set: "The L-RD said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he has is in your hand.
Only against him do not stretch out your hand' ... The L-RD said to Satan,
'Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life'" (Job 1:12, 2:6,
ESV). The principle here is that despite time and circumstances
appearing to the contrary, G-d has His plan, His schedule and His purposes -
His sovereignty is absolute in all thing.
As believers, we too are covered by the promises and faithfulness of G-d. Rav Sha'ul writes, "No temptation has seized you beyond what people normally experience, and G-d can be trusted not to allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. On the contrary, along with the temptation he will also provide the way out, so that you will be able to endure" (1 Corinthians 10:13, CJB). Peter adds, "Rejoice in this, even though for a little while you may have to experience grief in various trials. Even gold is tested for genuineness by fire. The purpose of these trials is so that your trust's genuineness, which is far more valuable than perishable gold, will be judged worthy of praise, glory and honor at the revealing of Yeshua the Messiah" (1 Peter 1:6-7, CJB). This is comforting when we go through times of trial, testing and salvation, but how do we know it is true? On what is it based?
Our faith is fastened to nothing less than the faithfulness and character of G-d, proclaimed again and again in the Torah, the Prophets and the New Covenant Scriptures. Moshe taught the ancient Israelites: "Know therefore that the L-RD your G-d is G-d, the faithful G-d who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations" (D'varim 7:9, ESV), while Isaiah proclaimed, "Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist" (Isaiah 11:5, NASB). John's vision at the end of Bible confirms that this holds true to the very end and beyond: "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The One sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war" (Revelation 19:11, ESV). This is foundational to our belief: G-d is faithful. Rav Sha'ul adds, "But the L-rd is worthy of trust; He will make you firm and guard you from the Evil One" (1 Thessalonians 3:3, CJB). There, see, G-d has promised to guard us from Satan, the Accuser, the enemy of our souls.
Although evil may appear to be having its way, although what Rav Sha'ul describes as "the cosmic powers over this present darkness ... the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12, ESV) often seem to be in the ascendancy, the truth is that they are ultimately powerless; they are wasted. They were defeated once and for all by Yeshua at the cross - "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" (Colossians 2:15, NIV) although they shout and make a lot of noise they have no power over us unless we allow them to have it. Whether for one day, one hundred and fifty days or a lifetime - the enemy cannot conquer or destroy us; his influence is strictly limited and controlled by Father G-d. As Yeshua told the disciples: "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand" (John 10:29, ESV).
1. - Umberto Cassuto, A Commentary on the Book of Genesis, Part Two - From Noah to Abraham, Magnes Press Jerusalem 1984, 965-223-540-7, page 97
Further Study: Hebrews 10:23; 1 Peter 4:19
Application:
Now is the time to stand firm, to put on the armour of God (Ephesians
6:13-17) and to proclaim that our "one hundred and fifty days" is over and
that the power and authority of the enemy is broken and defeated!
© Jonathan Allen, 2012
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