Greetings all,
Most people do not realize it, but the Bible mentions how deep Noah’s floodwaters were. Genesis 7:20 states:
-“Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail;” (KJV)
Since one cubit is roughly equivalent to eighteen inches, fifteen cubits is equivalent to approximately 23 feet. The simplest and most literal interpretation of this verse states that Noah’s floodwaters rose up only to 23 feet. A flood of this magnitude could not completely inundate the entire planet, but it would do major damage to communities living at the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Mesopotamia. Their “world” would have been devastated.
Young earth creationists claim that properly applied human logic points to a global flood, because of the mention of mountains and the use of global language. Note how Genesis 7:19-20 is written,
-“And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills[Hebrew: heharim], that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains[heharim] were covered.” (KJV)
-“And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high mountains[heharim] that were under the whole heaven were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains[heharim] were covered.” (American Standard Version of 1901)
The founders of modern creation science and modern flood geology, Henry Morris and John Whitcomb, in their book The Genesis Flood state:
“The phrase “fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail” does not mean that the Flood was only fifteen cubits (23 feet) deep, for the phrase is qualified by the one which immediately follows: “and the mountains were covered.” Nor does it necessarily mean that the mountains were covered to a depth of only fifteen cubits, for this would require that all antediluvian mountains be exactly the same altitude…. Nearly all commentators agree that the phrase “fifteen cubits” in 7:20 must therefore refer to the draught of the Ark. In other words, the Ark sank into the water to a depth of fifteen cubits (just one-half of its total height) when fully laden.”
The reason why Morris and Whitcomb did not accept the simplest literal interpretation of the clause “fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail” is because of the word “mountains” in Genesis 7:19 & 20, however, the original Hebrew text does not say “mountains”, it says can be translated as mountains, but it can also be translated as mounds, range of hills, or the hill country. For example, Psalm 121:1 translates heharim as hills: Esa eynay el heharim mey’ayin yavo ezri (I lift my eyes up to the hills). If we replace it with hills in Genesis 7:20 the second clause conforms to the simplest, most literal interpretation of the first clause:
-“Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the hills were covered.”
Interpreting as hills would mean that the King James and the American Standard translators made a common mistake. Is there any evidence that supports this mistake in the translation of Genesis 7:19-20? Yes, compare Genesis 7:19 in the King James Version with it in the American Standard Version (used by Morris and Whitcomb).
-“And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills[heharim], that were under the whole heaven, were covered.” (KJV)
-“And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high mountains[heharim] that were under the whole heaven were covered.” (American Standard Version).
Either the King James translators or the American Standard translators got it wrong. It may seem like a simple mistranslation, but it means the difference between a global flood and a local Mesopotamian flood.
A comparison of the words “prevailed” and “covered” used in Genesis 7:19 with them used in Genesis 7:20 demonstrates that Morris and Whitcomb’s “draught” logic is flawed. Notice how Genesis 7:20 is merely a rephrasing of Genesis 7:19. This rephrasing is very obvious in the Hebrew Text and also in the American Standard Version, but since the King James Version has mixed the heharim translations it seems less obvious. “Exceedingly” is the equivalent modifier for “prevailed” in Genesis 7:19 as “15 cubits upward” is in Genesis 7:20. The “draught” logic was used with Genesis 7:20, but it holds no water when applied to Genesis 7:19. “15 cubits upward” clearly refers to the waters upon the earth and not the waters measured upon the Ark. This leaves only one possible conclusion. Heharim properly translates to hills, not mountains.
Sincerely,
Mike
Most people do not realize it, but the Bible mentions how deep Noah’s floodwaters were. Genesis 7:20 states:
-“Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail;” (KJV)
Since one cubit is roughly equivalent to eighteen inches, fifteen cubits is equivalent to approximately 23 feet. The simplest and most literal interpretation of this verse states that Noah’s floodwaters rose up only to 23 feet. A flood of this magnitude could not completely inundate the entire planet, but it would do major damage to communities living at the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Mesopotamia. Their “world” would have been devastated.
Young earth creationists claim that properly applied human logic points to a global flood, because of the mention of mountains and the use of global language. Note how Genesis 7:19-20 is written,
-“And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills[Hebrew: heharim], that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains[heharim] were covered.” (KJV)
-“And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high mountains[heharim] that were under the whole heaven were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains[heharim] were covered.” (American Standard Version of 1901)
The founders of modern creation science and modern flood geology, Henry Morris and John Whitcomb, in their book The Genesis Flood state:
“The phrase “fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail” does not mean that the Flood was only fifteen cubits (23 feet) deep, for the phrase is qualified by the one which immediately follows: “and the mountains were covered.” Nor does it necessarily mean that the mountains were covered to a depth of only fifteen cubits, for this would require that all antediluvian mountains be exactly the same altitude…. Nearly all commentators agree that the phrase “fifteen cubits” in 7:20 must therefore refer to the draught of the Ark. In other words, the Ark sank into the water to a depth of fifteen cubits (just one-half of its total height) when fully laden.”
The reason why Morris and Whitcomb did not accept the simplest literal interpretation of the clause “fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail” is because of the word “mountains” in Genesis 7:19 & 20, however, the original Hebrew text does not say “mountains”, it says can be translated as mountains, but it can also be translated as mounds, range of hills, or the hill country. For example, Psalm 121:1 translates heharim as hills: Esa eynay el heharim mey’ayin yavo ezri (I lift my eyes up to the hills). If we replace it with hills in Genesis 7:20 the second clause conforms to the simplest, most literal interpretation of the first clause:
-“Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the hills were covered.”
Interpreting as hills would mean that the King James and the American Standard translators made a common mistake. Is there any evidence that supports this mistake in the translation of Genesis 7:19-20? Yes, compare Genesis 7:19 in the King James Version with it in the American Standard Version (used by Morris and Whitcomb).
-“And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills[heharim], that were under the whole heaven, were covered.” (KJV)
-“And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high mountains[heharim] that were under the whole heaven were covered.” (American Standard Version).
Either the King James translators or the American Standard translators got it wrong. It may seem like a simple mistranslation, but it means the difference between a global flood and a local Mesopotamian flood.
A comparison of the words “prevailed” and “covered” used in Genesis 7:19 with them used in Genesis 7:20 demonstrates that Morris and Whitcomb’s “draught” logic is flawed. Notice how Genesis 7:20 is merely a rephrasing of Genesis 7:19. This rephrasing is very obvious in the Hebrew Text and also in the American Standard Version, but since the King James Version has mixed the heharim translations it seems less obvious. “Exceedingly” is the equivalent modifier for “prevailed” in Genesis 7:19 as “15 cubits upward” is in Genesis 7:20. The “draught” logic was used with Genesis 7:20, but it holds no water when applied to Genesis 7:19. “15 cubits upward” clearly refers to the waters upon the earth and not the waters measured upon the Ark. This leaves only one possible conclusion. Heharim properly translates to hills, not mountains.
Sincerely,
Mike
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