The article describes the flood narrative from Genesis vi.9-ix.17, where God destroys humanity due to wickedness, sparing only Noah's family and two (or seven) pairs of every living species. Noah constructs an ark and releases birds to assess whether the waters have receded. After landing on Mount Ararat, Noah offers sacrifice and receives God's covenant, symbolized by the rainbow.
RABBINICAL INTERPRETATIONS
Jewish tradition elaborates extensively on the biblical account. The wicked inhabitants allegedly mocked Noah during the 120-year construction period, claiming they could block flood waters with their feet or iron sheets. Various sins prompted divine judgment: pride, licentiousness, robbery, and denial of God. Rabbinical sources note that water was chosen as the destructive instrument because it opposes dust (humanity's composition) and represents life's essential element.
Scholars identified two primary sources: the Jahvist document (J2, circa 650 BCE) and the Priestly Code (P). The J2 account emphasizes narrative drama and moral lessons, while P provides genealogical precision and ceremonial detail. These sources contain repetitions and contradictions regarding animal numbers and flood duration, suggesting separate composition before later redaction.
The Mesopotamian flood narrative featuring Per-napishtim shares structural similarities with the Hebrew version—both involve divine warning, ark construction, bird releases, and post-flood sacrifice. However, the Hebrew account's monotheistic theology and emphasis on righteousness contrast sharply with the polytheistic, capricious Babylonian deities.