King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
Complete Jewish Bible:
It rained on the earth forty days and forty nights.
Berean Standard Bible:
And the rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights.
American Standard Version:
And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And the rain{H1653} was upon the earth{H776} forty{H705} days{H3117} and forty{H705} nights{H3915}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Genesis 7:4
- For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
Matthew 4:2
- And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Genesis 7:17
- ¶ 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.
1 Kings 19:8
- And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
Exodus 24:18
- And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
Deuteronomy 9:18
- And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
Deuteronomy 9:9
- When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, [even] the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:
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Commentary for Genesis 7:12
Genesis 7:12 is part of the narrative of the Great Flood, a pivotal event in the early chapters of the Book of Genesis. This verse specifically describes the duration of the rain that God sent to flood the Earth as punishment for humanity's wickedness. The text states, "And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights." This period of forty days and nights is symbolic in the Bible, often representing a period of trial and purification.
The historical context of Genesis 7:12 is rooted in the ancient Near Eastern milieu, where flood narratives were common. Scholars suggest that these stories, including the biblical account, may reflect collective memories of actual catastrophic flooding in the region, possibly in the area of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The theme of the verse is divine judgment, with the forty-day rain symbolizing the overwhelming wrath of God against sin. It also underscores the theme of divine promise, as God had warned Noah of the impending deluge and instructed him to build an ark to save his family and the animals.
This verse is significant in the broader narrative as it marks the beginning of the floodwaters covering the Earth, leading to the destruction of all life outside the ark. It emphasizes the faithfulness of Noah in following God's commands and the grace of God in preserving life through the ark. The number forty is recurrent in the Bible, often associated with completeness or a generation, and in this context, it signifies the thoroughness of the judgment and the time needed for a new beginning. The story of the flood thus serves as a backdrop for themes of judgment, salvation, covenant, and renewal, which are central to biblical theology.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1653
There are 33 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גֶּשֶׁם
Transliteration: geshem
Pronunciation: gheh'-shem
Description: from גָּשַׁם; a shower; rain, shower. - Strong's Number: H776
There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶרֶץ
Transliteration: ʼerets
Pronunciation: eh'-rets
Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. - Strong's Number: H705
There are 178 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַרְבָּעִים
Transliteration: ʼarbâʻîym
Pronunciation: ar-baw-eem'
Description: multiple of אַרְבַּע; forty; -forty. - Strong's Number: H3117
There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יוֹם
Transliteration: yôwm
Pronunciation: yome
Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. - Strong's Number: H3915
There are 223 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לַיִל
Transliteration: layil
Pronunciation: lah'-yil
Description: or (Isaiah 21:11) לֵיל; also לַיְלָה; from the same as לוּל; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity; (mid-)night (season).