Genesis 7:12 kjv
And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7:12 nkjv
And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7:12 niv
And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7:12 esv
And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7:12 nlt
The rain continued to fall for forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 7:4 | "for in seven days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days..." | God's prior declaration of the forty-day rain |
| Gen 7:17 | "The flood was forty days on the earth..." | Confirmation of the rain's initial duration |
| Gen 8:6 | "At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark..." | Marking a phase after the incessant rain |
| Gen 6:13 | "I will destroy them with the earth." | Divine decree for the global judgment |
| Gen 6:5-7 | "every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil... I will blot out man." | Reason for the great flood and judgment |
| Matt 24:37 | "As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." | NT parallel for unexpected, universal judgment |
| Luke 17:26 | "Just as it was in the days of Noah... the flood came and destroyed them." | NT parallel for unexpected judgment |
| 2 Pet 2:5 | "...preserved Noah... when he brought a flood upon the ungodly." | Flood as God's past judgment on the ungodly |
| 2 Pet 3:6 | "...by means of water the world that then existed was deluged and perished." | Water as an instrument of divine destruction |
| Exod 24:18 | "Moses was on the mount forty days and forty nights..." | Forty days of divine encounter/reception |
| Exod 34:28 | "So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights." | Moses' time receiving the Law on Sinai |
| Deut 8:2 | "led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you..." | Forty years of Israel's testing/probation |
| Deut 9:9 | "I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights..." | Moses' period of fasting and waiting |
| Num 14:34 | "according to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days." | Forty days for each year of wilderness wandering |
| 1 Kgs 19:8 | "he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb." | Elijah's supernatural journey/provision |
| Jonah 3:4 | "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" | Forty days for repentance/probation |
| Matt 4:2 | "he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward felt hungry." | Jesus' temptation and preparation |
| Mark 1:13 | "He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan..." | Jesus' wilderness temptation period |
| Acts 1:3 | "He presented himself alive... appearing to them during forty days..." | Jesus' post-resurrection appearances |
| Ps 29:10 | "The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as King forever." | God's absolute sovereignty over the flood |
| Job 38:25 | "Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain..." | God's absolute control over rain |
| Isa 54:9-10 | "This is like the days of Noah... I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth." | God's faithfulness after the flood (covenant) |
| Heb 11:7 | "By faith Noah, being warned by God... constructed an ark..." | Noah's obedience in anticipation of judgment |
Genesis 7 verses
Genesis 7 12 Meaning
Genesis 7:12 states that the rain, a central component of the global judgment, continued upon the earth for forty days and forty nights. This emphasizes the sustained, comprehensive, and specific duration of the divine action, highlighting God's meticulous and unwavering purpose in executing judgment against the wicked world. It also signifies the overwhelming nature of the deluge that covered the entire earth.
Genesis 7 12 Context
Genesis 7:12 follows God's command to Noah to enter the ark and the gathering of all living creatures within. Verse 11 introduces the dual source of the floodwaters: "all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened." Verse 12 specifically describes the duration and intensity of the rain component of this catastrophic event. It marks the commencement and sustained period of the primary phase of God's global judgment upon the wicked generation, signaling the end of life outside the ark and the washing away of all evil from the face of the earth.
Genesis 7 12 Word analysis
- And (וַיְהִי - vayhi): A common Hebrew temporal conjunction, often translated as "and it came to pass" or "and it was." It indicates the immediate sequential occurrence and continuation of the events described, flowing directly from the opening of the heavens mentioned in the preceding verse.
- the rain (הַגֶּשֶׁם - haggeshem): The definite article "the" emphasizes this specific, extraordinary rain. It distinguishes it from common precipitation, signaling a unique, divinely appointed deluge. This was not a natural phenomenon in the ordinary sense but a direct act of God's judgment and power, serving as a primary instrument for the obliteration of all life outside the ark.
- was upon (הָיָה עַל - hayah al): Denotes the continuous presence and covering action of the rain. It implies an unbroken, widespread downpour.
- the earth (הָאָרֶץ - ha'aretz): Signifies the global scope of the flood. This was not a localized event, but an overwhelming, universal judgment that affected the entire landmass, covering mountains and valleys, reflecting the pervasiveness of the sin that prompted it.
- forty days and forty nights (אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה - arba'im yom v'arba'im laylah): This phrase emphasizes both completeness and continuity.
- "forty" (arba'im): In biblical numerology, "forty" often symbolizes a period of testing, probation, preparation, judgment, or intense divine activity leading to a new beginning. Examples include Moses' time on Sinai, Israel's wilderness wanderings, Elijah's journey, and Jesus' temptation. Here, it denotes the full and exact duration of God's punitive, yet ultimately purificatory, work.
- "days and nights": This emphasizes the unrelenting, unceasing nature of the rainfall. It poured without interruption, a constant torrent that built the waters of the flood. This relentless dual expression highlights the severity and completeness of the divine act, stressing that not a moment of respite from the deluge was afforded.
Genesis 7 12 Bonus section
The specific duration of "forty days and forty nights" not only signifies a period of judgment but also foreshadows the transformative and probationary periods seen later in Scripture. This length of time for continuous rain would have ensured complete saturation and obliteration of the land's infrastructure, supporting the narrative of universal destruction. The combination with "the fountains of the great deep" bursting implies an apocalyptic upheaval of both atmospheric and subterranean waters, emphasizing the unique, singular nature of this event that would necessitate the ark for preservation of life.
Genesis 7 12 Commentary
Genesis 7:12 provides a crucial detail regarding the duration of the cataclysmic flood. Coming immediately after the mention of the bursting fountains of the deep and the opening of the windows of heaven (Gen 7:11), this verse specifies that the intense, relentless rain component of the deluge continued for a symbolic and significant period of forty days and forty nights. This specific timeframe underscores God's meticulous and sovereign control over every aspect of the judgment. The use of "forty days and forty nights" is a powerful biblical motif indicating a full, divinely ordained period for testing, judgment, or preparation before a new era. In this context, it speaks to the totality of God's cleansing work, not merely a natural disaster, but a prolonged act of divine justice. The unbroken rhythm of day and night signifies the complete engulfment of the earth by God's wrath, leaving no opportunity for escape or reversal of the judgment during this primary phase. This precise detail reaffirms the Bible's historical account and divine intentionality behind the events of the Great Flood.