Genesis 7:19 kjv
And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.
Genesis 7:19 nkjv
And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered.
Genesis 7:19 niv
They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered.
Genesis 7:19 esv
And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered.
Genesis 7:19 nlt
Finally, the water covered even the highest mountains on the earth,
Genesis 7 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 6:17 | "And behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh..." | God's intention for global destruction. |
| Gen 7:17-18 | "The flood continued forty days... the waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose..." | The rising power of the floodwaters. |
| Gen 7:20-23 | "Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail... all flesh died..." | The explicit result: complete covering of mountains and destruction of all life. |
| Gen 8:3 | "And the waters receded from the earth continually." | The eventual withdrawal of the floodwaters. |
| Gen 8:9 | "But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned..." | Illustrates the ongoing presence of water covering all accessible land. |
| Gen 9:11 | "Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." | God's covenant promises never to repeat a global flood. |
| Gen 9:15 | "I will remember My covenant... the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh." | Reaffirmation of God's covenant with Noah and all creation. |
| Job 12:15 | "If He holds back the waters, they dry up; If He sends them out, they overwhelm the earth." | God's absolute sovereignty and control over water. |
| Psa 29:10 | "The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as King forever." | God's enduring sovereignty, even over chaotic waters. |
| Psa 104:6-9 | "You covered it with the deep as with a garment... at Your rebuke they fled..." | God's control over primeval waters, setting boundaries for them. |
| Isa 24:18-20 | "For the windows of heaven are opened... the earth is utterly broken down..." | Prophetic imagery of divine judgment, echoing the flood's devastation. |
| Isa 54:9 | "For this is like the days of Noah to Me: as I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth..." | God uses the Noahic flood as a past guarantee for a future promise. |
| Jer 5:22 | "Do you not fear Me? ...For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea..." | God's immense power demonstrated through His control of creation. |
| Amos 9:6 | "He who builds His upper chambers in the heavens... He who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out..." | Emphasizes God's power and ability to command all natural elements. |
| Nah 1:4 | "He rebukes the sea and makes it dry... mountains quake before Him..." | Demonstrates God's irresistible power over nature, including waters and land. |
| Mat 24:37-39 | "For as were the days of Noah... the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." | Jesus refers to the flood as a historical event foreshadowing His return and judgment. |
| Lk 17:26-27 | "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man..." | Confirms the literal nature of the flood and its type of sudden judgment. |
| Heb 11:7 | "By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark..." | Noah's faith in the face of the unseen, universally destructive flood. |
| 1 Pet 3:20-21 | "...in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this..." | The flood serves as a type (foreshadowing) of salvation through water (baptism). |
| 2 Pet 2:5 | "If He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah... when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;" | Affirms the flood as a worldwide judgment on wickedness, with Noah saved. |
| 2 Pet 3:5-7 | "For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago... and the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished." | Confirms the past global destruction by water, contrasting with future judgment by fire. |
| Rev 11:18 | "...to destroy those who destroy the earth." | Reflects a future global judgment for humanity's actions, echoing past destruction. |
Genesis 7 verses
Genesis 7 19 Meaning
Genesis 7:19 declares the overwhelming and unparalleled extent of the floodwaters. It states that the waters not only covered the land but rose to such an extraordinary height that they submerged the highest mountains across the entire world, leaving no dry land or elevated refuge. This verse emphasizes the global scale of God's judgment and the comprehensive fulfillment of His word concerning the destruction of all terrestrial life outside the ark.
Genesis 7 19 Context
Genesis chapter 7 recounts the specific details of the flood event. Following God's declaration of judgment due to humanity's profound corruption in Chapter 6, Noah and his family, along with the designated animals, enter the ark. Verse 19 falls within the description of the flood's escalation. Verses 11-12 detail the opening of the "fountains of the great deep" and the "windows of heaven," initiating the deluge. Verses 17-18 describe the waters increasing for 40 days and lifting the ark. Verse 19, and the subsequent verse 20 (which states the waters were 15 cubits above the mountains), highlight the peak and unprecedented magnitude of the flood, leading into the complete destruction of all terrestrial life outside the ark (verses 21-23). The historical and cultural context reflects a time when divine judgment was understood in terms of natural cataclysms, yet the biblical account uniquely emphasizes monotheism, a moral basis for judgment, and divine sovereignty, distinct from contemporary ANE flood myths that often depicted capricious deities. The phrase "under the whole heaven" asserts the universal, rather than local, scope of this divine judgment.
Genesis 7 19 Word analysis
- And the waters: (וְהַמַּיִם, v'hamayim) – "And the water(s)." The definite article
הַ(ha) denotes specific waters: those sent by God. In ancient thought, water could symbolize chaos or primordial matter; here, it is controlled and deployed by God as an instrument of His sovereign will. - prevailed: (גָּבְרוּ, gav'ru) – Literally "became strong," "overpowered," or "were mighty." This verb connotes a conquering, overwhelming force. Its use underscores the unstoppable nature of the rising waters, asserting their complete dominance.
- exceedingly: (מְאֹד מְאֹד, m'od m'od) – A superlative, intensely emphasizing the degree to which the waters prevailed. The repetition of "very" signifies an extreme, unparalleled level. It's not just "very much" but "very, very much," signifying an unprecedented, immeasurable height. This Hebrew intensifier points to an absolute and dramatic prevalence.
- upon the earth; (עַל־הָאָרֶץ, al-ha'aretz) – "Upon the land" or "over the earth."
הָאָרֶץ(ha'aretz) refers to the ground, landmass, or the earth as a whole. Its comprehensive use supports the widespread nature of the deluge. - and all the high hills, (וְכָל־הֶהָרִים הַגְּבֹהִים, v'chol heharim hagevo'him) – "And all the mountains, the high ones."
כָּל(kol) means "all" or "every," indicating completeness and totality.הֶהָרִים(heharim) are mountains, andהַגְּבֹהִים(hagevo'him) means "the high ones" or "the lofty ones." This phrase highlights the submersion of every elevated landform, leaving no high ground visible or accessible for escape. This explicitly counters any idea of a localized flood. - that were under the whole heaven, (אֲשֶׁר תַּחַת כָּל־הַשָּׁמַיִם, asher takhat kol-ha-shamayim) – "That which was under all the sky/heavens." This crucial phrase definitively confirms the universal scope of the flood.
כָּל־הַשָּׁמַיִם(kol-ha-shamayim) means "all the heavens," a Hebrew idiom for the entire earth, as far as the sky extends in every direction. This expression removes any ambiguity about the geographical reach of the waters. - were covered. (וַיְכֻסּוּ, vayekhussu) – "And they were covered." This verb denotes a complete covering or inundation, signifying that nothing of the mountains remained exposed. The passive form emphasizes the action being done to them by the prevailing waters, showcasing the absolute power of the flood.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And the waters prevailed exceedingly": This phrase captures the escalating and unstoppable force of the divine judgment, emphasizing the sheer power and vastness of the water, far beyond any ordinary rainfall or localized flood.
- "upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven": This specifies the unparalleled reach of the waters. The pairing of "earth" with "all the high hills" and the clarifying phrase "under the whole heaven" works as a comprehensive idiom for every terrestrial part of the globe. This polemically asserts the global nature of the flood, distinct from limited local inundations, directly addressing concerns about the scope of the catastrophe. It also implicitly conveys the utter lack of any refuge outside the ark, underscoring the completeness of the judgment and the necessity of God's appointed salvation.
- "were covered.": This conclusive statement denotes the finished action of submersion, leaving no part of the earth exposed, highlighting the success of the divine act of judgment and cleansing.
Genesis 7 19 Bonus section
The geological implications suggested by this verse, coupled with Gen 7:11 (which speaks of "all the fountains of the great deep" bursting forth), point to a cataclysm that involved not just atmospheric water (rain from "windows of heaven") but also massive subterranean water sources. Scholars have explored models ranging from vast tectonic shifts and global tsunamis to pre-flood landmass configurations that could have supported such an event, though details remain debated within theological and scientific communities. The extraordinary height needed to cover "all the high hills" (interpreted as mountains in many translations) emphasizes the immense volume of water involved, requiring a dramatic hydrological alteration of the entire planet. This event contrasts sharply with ancient Near Eastern flood accounts, which, while containing similarities, often portray localized or less morally driven floods, highlighting the Bible's unique message of divine, purposeful, global judgment and salvation.
Genesis 7 19 Commentary
Genesis 7:19 is a profound declaration of God's absolute sovereignty and the sweeping nature of His judgment upon a corrupt world. The verse utilizes intense Hebrew terminology to paint a picture of unparalleled aquatic dominance: "prevailed exceedingly." This is not mere heavy rain or a regional inundation; it signifies a catastrophic event of global proportions, confirmed by the phrase "all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered." This divine action demonstrates that no part of the earth, regardless of its elevation, was immune from God's decree. The submersion of the highest mountains illustrates God's perfect knowledge and control over creation, as well as the completeness of the destruction. This universal flood cleansed the earth of its wickedness, setting the stage for a new beginning through Noah and his family. The meticulous fulfillment of God's threat in this verse underlines the seriousness of sin and the certainty of His justice, while also highlighting the meticulous execution of His plan of judgment and salvation.