The Meaning of Genesis 7:20 Explained

Genesis 7:20

KJV: Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.

YLT: fifteen cubits upwards have the waters become mighty, and the mountains are covered;

Darby: Fifteen cubits upward the waters prevailed; and the mountains were covered.

ASV: Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Fifteen  cubits  upward  did the waters  prevail;  and the mountains  were covered. 

What does Genesis 7:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 7:1-24 - The Great Flood
What anguish! They climbed the highest story of their towers, then to the hills, but the greedy waters followed them, till the last crag was covered, and all living things in the first homes of human life had perished. Equally sudden and unexpected shall be the days of the Son of Man. See Luke 17:26; 2 Peter 3:7. But what drowns other men only lifts the child of God nearer his home. The waters bear up the ark. When the loftiest refuges of lies and pride are submerged, and the whole landscape is covered with a monotonous waste of trouble, God says to the soul, "Come into the ark." It is as though He is inside and wants us to enter into close fellowship with Himself. See Psalms 27:5. When God shuts the door behind us, no power can force, no skeleton key can unlock, and no wedge can pry the door. For the extent of the Deluge it is appropriate to consider Luke 2:1-3. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 7

1  Noah, his family and the living creatures enter the ark
6  The flood begins
17  The increase of the flood for forty days
21  All flesh is destroyed by it
24  Its duration of 150 days

What do the individual words in Genesis 7:20 mean?

Five [and] ten cubits upward prevailed the waters and were covered the mountains
חֲמֵ֨שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה אַמָּה֙ מִלְמַ֔עְלָה גָּבְר֖וּ הַמָּ֑יִם וַיְכֻסּ֖וּ הֶהָרִֽים

חֲמֵ֨שׁ  Five 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה  [and]  ten 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: עָשָׂר 
Sense: ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers).
אַמָּה֙  cubits 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַמָּה 
Sense: cubit—a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 8 in (.
מִלְמַ֔עְלָה  upward 
Parse: Preposition-m, Preposition-l, Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: מַעַל 
Sense: higher part, upper part adv.
גָּבְר֖וּ  prevailed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: גָּבַר  
Sense: to prevail, have strength, be strong, be powerful, be mighty, be great.
הַמָּ֑יִם  the  waters 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
וַיְכֻסּ֖וּ  and  were  covered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Pual, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
הֶהָרִֽים  the  mountains 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.

What are the major concepts related to Genesis 7:20?

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