THE GENESIS FLOOD CHRONOLOGY



 Genesis flood

The Great Flood of God
Noah's Ark

Noah's ark faced the deluge




When one reads the account of the Flood recorded in Genesis 6:1-9:19 it can
be quite difficult to determine its overall chronology.

Nevertheless, the ark built by Noah did endure a literal deluge and the
bible does record a significant amount of information. Therefore, it
should be possible to assemble the actual Flood chronology. 


Scripture mentions several periods of time;

                   40 days and 40 nights    - Gen 7:4,12
                   40 days                  - Gen 7:17, 8:6
                  150 days                  - Gen 7:24, 8:3
                    7 days                  - Gen 7:4,10, 8:10,12


Scripture also presents several key dates; 

                    17th of 2nd month, year 600   - Gen 7:11
                    17th of 7th month             - Gen 8:4
                    1st  of the 10th              - Gen 8:5
                    1st  of 1st month, year 601   - Gen 8:13
                    27th of 2nd month             - Gen 8:14


However, due to the ambiguity present in this area of Scripture there has
arisen many different perspectives.

How should we distinguish error from wisdom?

What should we look for?

   1) A proper resolution of the conflict between the verses which
      repeatedly refer to the Flood lasting 40 days and the clear
      indication that it lasted at least 9 months.

   2) A clarification of exactly when the Flood ended. Did it end
      in the latter part of the 600th year, or did it end on the
      first day of the 601st year, or did it end on 27th day of the
      2nd month of the 601st year?

   3) Does the presented view show a connection between the various
      periods and dates stated in Scripture. 



The author has arrived at the following chronology.


   Noah told to start    -   1/1    enters ark
   to load the ark       |       initial 7 days - Gen 7:4,10
                         |       
   starts to rain        -   8/1
                         |
                         |       40 days and 40 nights - Gen 7:4,12
                         |
   40 days of rain end   -  17/2  DEEP BROKEN,      --  Start of 150 days
   Great deluge starts   |        HEAVEN OPENED      |
                         |                           |
                         |                           |        150 days
                         |                           |        - Deluge
                         |                           |
                         |                           |
    Ark Rests            -  17/7  DEEP & HEAVEN     --  Waters start
                         |        STOPPED            |  to decrease
                         |        RAIN RESTRAINED    |
                         |                           |
    Mountains seen       -   1/10                    |
                         |                           |
                         |                           |        150 days    
                         -  26/11  40th Sabbath      |        - Dry Wind
                         |         - waters receded  |
    Raven sent out       -   3/12                    |
                         |                           |
    Dove sent out        -  10/12                    |
                         |        7 days - Gen 8:10  |
    Dove has olive leaf  -  17/12 END OF FLOOD      --  2nd 150 days ended
                         |        7 days - Gen 8:12
    Dove not return      -  24/12
                         |
    Ground 'parched'     -  1/1/601



                         *  27th day of 2nd month - Earth 'ashamed'




* Notes *


  1) The presented chronology of the Flood supports the view that
     under God's calendar the months were always composed of 30 days.
     Hence, we have 150 days from the 17th of the 2nd month to the
     17th of the 7th month. In addition Scripture indicates there
     was a further 150 days from the 17th of the 7th month to the
     17th of the 12th month.


  2) The only way to make a connection between the verses which
     refer to the Flood lasting 40 days and the much longer duration
     actually depicted in the story is to consider the '40 days' as
     being 40 Sabbath days (ie, a span of about 280 days). 


  3) Genesis 7:4&12 specifically mention '40 days and 40 nights'.

     One could simply view this as also being symbolic talk
     referring to the 40 Sabbath days of the Flood. Therefore,
     one would be suggesting that the '40 days and 40 nights'
     description would be indicating an exact period of 280 days. 

     Another approach (that shown in the above chronology) is
     to see '40 days and 40 nights' as describing a literal
     40 day period. As both the '40 days and 40 nights'
     verses simply mention 'rain' they could be referring to a
     period of rain prior to the unleashing of the deluge.
     Such a view helps to provide a reason for why the Flood
     started on the 17th day of the 2nd month. A warning on the
     1st day of that year plus the passing of a further 6 days
     followed by 40 literal days would have the final 40th day
     falling on the 17th day of the 2nd month.


  4) The exact date when the 7 day warning is given by God is
     not precisely stated.
     Obviously the 10th day of the 2nd month is a reasonable
     first choice.

     However, noting that the cover of the ark was removed on
     the 1st day of the 1st month of the 601st year, some may
     feel more comfortable with a solution which incorporates
     the 1st day of the 1st month of the 600th year as a warning
     date. 

     Clearly the above '40 days and 40 nights' of prior rain
     view provides a strong connection to the 1/1/600 date.

     However, it is not strictly necessary to endorse this view
     to have a start of the year connection. If the 7 days of
     warning relate to 7 Sabbath days then the initial warning
     would have also occurred close to the 1/1/600 date.

     It is important to note that as the Gen 7:10 verse clearly
     does refer to the start of the Flood after a period of 7 days,
     that any notion that the actual warning date was on or close
     to the 1/1/600 date would require the Gen 7:10 '7 days' to
     refer to the passing of 7 Sabbath days.  
     
 
  5) Two periods of 150 days are mentioned in Gen 7:24 and Gen 8:3.

     i)  Gen 7:24 - The first 150 days defines the period of
         rising waters and spans,

               17th of 2nd month  to  16th of 7th month.

         [NB: On the following day, the 17th of the 7th month
              the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat, refer
              Gen 8:4. ]

     ii) Gen 8:3  - The second 150 days defines the period of
         decreasing waters and spans,

               18th of 7th month  to  17th of 12th month.

         [ NB: The Hebrew word found at the end of Gen 8:24
               (translated 'decreased' by the NKJV) is Strong's
               2637 and is in other verses commonly rendered
               'fail', 'lack' or 'want'. ]


  6) Some have mistakenly thought the text indicates a delay
     between the peak of the Flood waters and the settling of the
     ark upon the mountains of Ararat.

     However, it is worth noting that the ark had a height of 30
     cubits (Gen 6:15) and the Flood only prevailed 15 cubits
     above the mountains (Gen 7:20).
     Assuming the ark was half submerged the ark would rest on the
     peak of the mountains of Ararat at the height of the Flood!


  7) Many translations imply the Flood ended on the 27th day of the 2nd
     month of the 601st year of Noah. This is not correct!

     Genesis 7:6 states Noah was 600 years old during the duration of
     the Flood, which excludes the possibility that the Flood continued
     longer than 12 months.


  8) The Hebrew words used for 'dried' (Gen 8:13) and 'dry' (Gen 8:14)
     carry meanings not apparent from most translations.

       Gen 8:13 - 1/1/601

                  a) 'dried' - Strong's 2717 - to 'parch' (through drought)
                                               by analogy to 'desolate' or
                                               'destroy'
                  b) 'dry'   - Strong's 2717 - as above

       Gen 8:14 - 27/2/601

                  a) 'dried' - Strong's 3001 - to 'be ashamed', 'confused'
                                               or 'disappointed';
                                               for water to 'dry up' and
                                               for herbage to 'wither'.

     It is important to note the following points;

                  -  If the ground was parched on the 1/1/601 it
                     was already dry and the Flood had previously
                     ended!

                  -  The Hebrew word for 'ashamed' in verse 14 must
                     be understood in relation to the subject being
                     discussed. The subject in this verse is not
                     water, but rather the earth.
                     Any explanation of this verse has to explain
                     why the earth had reason to be 'ashamed' on
                     the 'seven and twenty day' of the second month
                     of the 601st year.


  9) Why would the earth would be 'ashamed' on the 'seven and twenty day'
     of the second month. 

     Obviously so soon following the Flood there would be still be no
     new year's grain ready to harvest.

     So, what is being implied is that on the seven and twentieth day
     of the second month there was a required offering or provision
     of grain which could not occur (due to the Flood).

     The first required new year's grain offering is the presentation
     of a sheaf of grain during the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the
     month of Ahib (meaning green ears).

     The month of Ahib would normally be the first month. However,
     God's typical calendar year tended to be shorter than a normal
     solar year so provision had to exist to compensate for the
     difference. It seems that this verse confirms that the second
     month would become the month of Ahib (ie, green ears) if green
     ears of grain were not present in the fields in the first month.     
     
     The 27th date is too late in the month to be a candidate for the
     wave sheaf day. Though it could represent the first weekly Sabbath
     following a wave sheaf day. Therefore, it could picture the first
     bringing into the temple of grain, perhaps as offerings, following
     the wave sheaf offering.

     Another alternative is that the 'seven and twentieth day' is not
     identifying the 27th day, but rather a seventh day (ie a Sabbath)
     falling on the twentieth day of the month. Therefore it could
     represent the day prior to that year's wave sheaf day. Keeping
     in mind that the wave sheaf ceremony took place very early in the
     morning, well before sunrise, it is indeed possible that the actual
     picking of the sheaf was to occur late on the prior day (which would
     always be a weekly Sabbath day).


 10) The repetitive mention of 7 day periods indicates that the Sabbath
     cycle is important in determining the final Flood chronology.
     It is from the 27th of the 2nd month reference that we are able
     to identify which dates were Sabbaths.

     Year 600,  Month 1  -  4th, 11th, 18th, 25th
                Month 2  -  2nd,  9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th
                Month 3  -  7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
                Month 4  -  5th, 12th, 19th, 26th
                Month 5  -  3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th
                Month 6  -  1st,  8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th
                Month 7  -  6th, 13th, 20th, 27th
                Month 8  -  4th, 11th, 18th, 25th
                Month 9  -  2nd,  9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th
                Month 10 -  7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
                Month 11 -  5th, 12th, 19th, 26th
                Month 12 -  3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th   
 
     Year 601 - Month 1  -  1st,  8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th
                Month 2  -  6th, 13th, 20th, 27th

     Note:  1)  The 7th Sabbath for the 600th year fell on the 16th
                day of the second month. The day prior to the unleashing
                of the deluge.
            2)  The fortieth Sabbath, following the start of the deluge,
                would have fallen upon the 26th day of the 11th month.
                Apparently this was the last day that the receding waters
                were deemed to have covered the earth. 
     

 11) The Flood and the periods associated with it are likely to have
     prophetic significance.

     For example the 150 day period is also alluded to in Rev 9:5 as
     'five months'.
     Since Rev 9:5 is a part of the description of the 5th trumpet there
     is the suggestion the following period of 150 days of dry wind would
     correlate to the 6th trumpet.

     A warning period of 40 days may reflect a period of 40 jubilees
     before end-time judgment begins.




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