The account of the Flood, as recorded in the Book of Genesis, is a pivotal event in biblical history, marking a divine judgment upon a world filled with violence and corruption. The narrative provides specific details regarding the duration and extent of this cataclysmic event, which has been the subject of theological reflection and study.

Duration of the Flood

The Flood narrative begins in Genesis 6 and extends through Genesis 9. According to the biblical account, the duration of the Flood can be broken down into several key phases:

1. Onset of the Flood: Genesis 7:11 states, "In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened." This marks the beginning of the deluge.

2. Forty Days and Forty Nights: The rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights, as described in Genesis 7:12: "And the rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights."

3. Prevailing of the Waters: The waters continued to rise and prevail upon the earth for 150 days. Genesis 7:24 notes, "And the waters prevailed upon the earth for 150 days."

4. Recession of the Waters: After the initial 150 days, the waters began to recede. Genesis 8:3-4 records, "The waters receded steadily from the earth, and after 150 days the waters had gone down. On the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat."

5. Drying of the Earth: The drying process continued over several months. Genesis 8:13 states, "By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth." Finally, Genesis 8:14-16 records that by the twenty-seventh day of the second month, the earth was completely dry, and God commanded Noah to leave the ark.

In total, the entire duration from the onset of the Flood to the time when Noah and his family exited the ark was approximately one year.

Extent of the Flood

The biblical account describes the Flood as a global event, covering the entire earth and destroying all life outside the ark. Genesis 7:19-20 emphasizes the universality of the Flood: "And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of fifteen cubits."

The narrative underscores the totality of the destruction in Genesis 7:21-23: "Every creature that had moved upon the earth perished—birds, livestock, animals, every creature that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind. Everything with the breath of life in its nostrils—everything on dry land—died. And every living thing on the face of the earth was destroyed—man and livestock, crawling creatures and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth, and only Noah and those with him in the ark remained."

The extent of the Flood, as described in Genesis, is interpreted by many as a literal, worldwide event, reflecting God's judgment and the subsequent renewal of creation through Noah and his descendants. This interpretation aligns with a traditional understanding of the text, emphasizing the historical and theological significance of the Flood narrative within the broader biblical context.