Genesis 7:17

Modern

For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and the waters rose and lifted the ark high above the earth.

Traditional

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.

Literal

And the flood kept coming forty days on the earth, and the waters multiplied, and they lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth.

Latin

Factumque est diluvium quadraginta diebus super terram: et multiplicatæ sunt aquæ, et elevaverunt arcam in sublime a terra.

Hebrew

English

For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and the waters rose and lifted the ark high above the earth.

the waters rose (literally waters multiplied): This is the same word used for the increase of humans and animals during creation (see 1:22, 28). Now, ironically, the story uses this word for the water that would destroy them.
high above the earth: The Hebrew word translated as “ground” or “earth” appears eight times in eight verses (7:17–24). The great flood was now cleansing the earth, which humans had polluted.

Theme notes and profiles

Genesis 7:4
For seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living thing I have made.”
Genesis 7:12
And the rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights.