by Erik Jones

This verse provides a time frame for how long the earth remained completely flooded—150 days. According to the Soncino Books of the Bible: “After forty days’ downpour, the waters reached their highest point, and remained so for a period of one hundred and ten days. After 150 days had passed from the commencement of the Flood, the waters began to diminish” (The Pentateuch and Haftorahs, p. 29). 

Some scholars interpret this verse differently by explaining the 150 days as the time period following the 40 days of flooding. Genesis 8:3 seems to support this latter interpretation that the 150 days followed the 40 days and nights of flooding.

The point of the verse is that the earth remained completely submerged in water for a period of five months.

To learn more about the book of Genesis, read our article introducing Genesis.

Tomorrow on the Daily Bible Verse Blog: “God Gradually Dries the Earth.”