And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.

GENESIS 7:17KJV
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Genesis 7:17 (KJV)

What does Genesis 7:17 mean?

Genesis 7:17 describes how the flood lasted for forty days on the earth, during which the rising waters lifted the ark so that it floated above the ground. The verse highlights the overwhelming force of the flood and how the ark, carrying Noah and those with him, was raised up by the increasing waters.

In this part of Genesis, the narrative is recounting the events of the great flood as told to the people of Israel. The focus is on the physical effects of the flood: the water kept rising for forty days, and the ark—Noah’s large, boat-like vessel—was carried above the earth’s surface. This sets the stage for the total transformation of the world below, emphasizing both the severity of the flood and the safety provided by the ark.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 7:17

  • "flood" (מַבּוּל, mabbul): This word is used specifically for the great flood in Noah’s story, not for ordinary floods or rain, underlining the uniqueness and scale of this event.
  • "increased" (רָבָה, ravah): This verb means to multiply or grow great, emphasizing that the waters didn’t just rise a little—they kept growing in volume and intensity.
  • "bare up" (נָשָׂא, nasa’): This word means to lift or carry, showing that the ark was not just floating but was actively being raised by the waters, highlighting God’s preservation of Noah.
  • "lift up" (רוּם, rum): This verb adds to the sense of elevation, making it clear that the ark was not just afloat but was lifted high above the earth, separated from the destruction below.

Why Genesis 7:17 matters

  • Genesis 7:17 clarifies that the flood was not a brief or local event but lasted forty days and affected the entire earth, reinforcing the seriousness of the judgment described.
  • The verse emphasizes the safety of the ark, showing that Noah and those with him were protected as the waters rose, which connects to the broader theme of deliverance in the story.
  • By noting the ark was "lift up above the earth," the verse sets up the contrast between those preserved in the ark and everything else on the earth, which was overwhelmed by the flood.

Where else these words appear

“flood” Hebrew H3999 · used in 12 verses

  • Genesis 6:17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
  • Genesis 7:10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
  • Genesis 10:1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

“ark” Hebrew H8392 · used in 25 verses

  • Genesis 6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
  • Genesis 7:13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;
  • Genesis 8:10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;

“forty” Hebrew H705 · used in 124 verses

  • Genesis 5:13 And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
  • Deuteronomy 8:4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
  • 1 Chronicles 12:36 And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.