Summary
In Genesis 7, God instructs Noah to bring his family and representatives of every kind of animal—clean and unclean, birds and creeping creatures—into an ark for preservation. Noah obeys, and the floodwaters begin after seven days, lasting forty days and nights with the sky opened and the deep's fountains broken. The waters rise, covering even the highest mountains, and all living beings that had the breath of life perish. The ark remains the sole refuge, containing Noah, his family, and the animals. The flood lasts for a total of 150 days before water recedes. The narrative highlights divine judgment coupled with mercy, establishing a covenantal relationship with the survivors.