Why God Said I Will Blot Out the Generation of the Flood

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Noach 4:2

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

(Gen. 6:7:) "And the LORD said: I will blot out the man." What is the meaning of "I will blot out"? "I will cut off," "I will destroy," "I will kill," "I will make to perish" is not written here, but rather "I will blot out." Rabbi Berekhiah said: The upper ones are water within water, and the lower ones are dust and ashes. And what is the way of water? It comes down upon the dust and blots it out. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since the dust have rebelled against Me, behold, I am bringing down upon it water and blotting it out, as it is said (Gen. 6:7): "And the LORD said: I will blot out."

Themes

Divine JusticeNoahFloodBibleHumor

Biblical References

Continue Reading

Book of JubileesStory of NoahIn the Book of Jubilees, a fascinating text considered canonical by some but relegated to the Apocrypha by others, we find a particularly intriguing answer. whaBook of JubileesThe Great Flood of CanaanIt all goes back to a rather dramatic episode after the flood, as recounted in the Book of Jubilees. We know the story: Noah's son, Ham, sees his father in a… wMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelWhy the Rabbis Warned About Where the Eyes WanderThe generation of the Flood was destroyed by the very thing they worshipped. The Mekhilta draws a chilling connection between their sin and their punishment thrPirkei DeRabbi EliezerWhat Did Noah Do the Day After the Flood EndedThe familiar story is this: the rains came, the world flooded, and Noah, his family, and a whole menagerie of animals survived in a giant boat. But have you eveSifrei DevarimRemember the Flood and the Tower - Lessons of History(Deuteronomy 32:7) tells us, "Remember the days of yore" (Devarim 32:7). That little word, yore, it's packed with meaning. It's not just about remembering the pBereshit RabbahWhat Role the Earth Played in the Great FloodTake the story of the Flood, the mabul, a cataclysmic event meant to cleanse the world of its wickedness. readers often focus on Noah, the ark, and the animals.