When Waters Rise: Exploring Biblical Contradictions in the Flood Narrative
In this article, you will learn how Genesis 7:18 contradicts Genesis 8:1, Genesis 7:24, Genesis 8:3, Job 38:8-11, Psalms 104:7-9, Isaiah 54:9 and 2 Peter 3:6. Find the translations at the bottom of the page..
The story of Noah's Ark in the Bible is one of the most well-known accounts, describing a great flood that covers the earth. A particular verse often referenced is Genesis 7:18, which tells us that the waters were incredibly high and potent, allowing Noah's ark to float safely. However, upon closer examination, we find several apparent contradictions within the Bible's own account of this event.
Genesis 8:1 suggests a moment of relief when God remembers Noah, causing the floodwaters to recede. This seems to challenge the previous description of an unyielding, tumultuous aquatic grip presented in Genesis 7:18. Furthermore, Genesis 7:24 states that the waters prevailed for 150 days, introducing a definite timeframe absent in Genesis 7:18, which might imply an ongoing condition.
Following the timeline, Genesis 8:3 contradicts the notion of ever-increasing waters by describing how these waters begin to decrease after the 150-day mark. This contrasts sharply with the image of relentless, unchecked waters found in Genesis 7:18.
The thematic contradictions extend beyond Genesis. Job 38:8-11 and Psalms 104:7-9 highlight God setting boundaries for the waters, directly contrasting with Genesis 7:18’s portrayal of unrestrained waters dominating the earth. Similarly, Isaiah 54:9 reflects on God's promise of no future earth-flooding, juxtaposing the overwhelming nature of the Genesis floodwaters.
Finally, 2 Peter 3:6 references the pre-flood world perishing, marking an end, counter to Genesis 7:18's focus on ongoing peril. These discrepancies might be likened to plot inconsistencies in a story, where different characters recall events with varied details.
These apparent contradictions invite us to ponder the complexities and nuances within biblical texts. How do we reconcile these differing accounts of the same event? Such questions encourage readers to explore these sacred scriptures deeper, seeking understanding and perhaps a synthesis of these diverse perspectives.
| # | Verse | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Genesis 7:18 | And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. |
| 2. | Genesis 8:1 | And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that [was] with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; |
| 3. | Genesis 7:24 | And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days. |
| 4. | Genesis 8:3 | And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. [continually: Heb. in going and returning] |
| 5. | Job 38:8-11 | Or [who] shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, [as if] it had issued out of the womb? |
| 6. | Psalms 104:7-9 | At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. |
| 7. | Isaiah 54:9 | For this [is as] the waters of Noah unto me: for [as] I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. |
| 8. | 2 Peter 3:6 | Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: |