Reading of Black Sea Flood I

The bible describes how the flood occurred in Genesis (7:11-24) translated by mechon-mamre.org:

11) "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened."

The Torah uses the phrase "broke open" to describe how the flood waters came onto the "earth" and this is a great description for the Black Sea Flood. This is because the wall of earth that was keeping the mediterranean sea waters out broke and water started gushing into the Black Sea basin. Also, the phrase "the windows of heaven were opened" doesn't necessarily mean rain. The Ralbag says that there was no rain and this just describes and enormous amount of water that flooded the "earth." This could be because when the water came rushing in it resembled a giant waterfall from above that came down upon the basin.

12) "And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights."

Again, this does not mean literal rain, but just the jet of water that was flowing from the mediterranean into the Black Sea basin, around 100m. This took 40 days and nights to fill to the point that the jet no longer resembled rain.

13) "In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark."

14)" they, and every beast after its kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after its kind, and every fowl after its kind, every bird of every sort."

This refers to all the animals on the "earth." The "earth" refers to the land of the Black Sea basin. This is because the Black Sea basin was the only area where man lived, or "earth" was referring to the country of Noach. Also, the animals had already gone onto the Ark, they did not all enter on one day. The pasuk is just letting us know that they had all completed their coming on that day.

15)" And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh wherein is the breath of life."

16)" And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded him; and the LORD shut him in."

Again, these two pasukim are referring to all the animals of the "earth." This refers to the land of the country of Noach.

17) "And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth."

This reenforces the idea. Here it does not say that it rained for forty days, but rather that the flood waters were upon the earth for forty days. Also, the Ark was raised by these waters up and up from the black sea's bottom upward.

18)" And the waters prevailed, and increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters."

19)"And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high mountains that were under the whole heaven were covered."

This can either be the mountains of ice melting, which could have been the cause for the flood, or it could be referring to the walls of the Black Sea basin that became covered by the flood waters. The whole heavens would be the whole heavens above the "earth."

20) "Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered."

This can refer to the fact that the coastal areas around the Black Sea were also flooded and that could have been around 15 cubits inland or above the shore of the land. Or it could be referring to the ice that melted and how much that caused the sea level to rise.

21) "And all flesh perished that moved upon the earth, both fowl, and cattle, and beast, and every swarming thing that swarmeth upon the earth, and every man;"

Everything in the Black Sea was killed. This refers to the "earth," the land of the Black Sea basin.

22)" all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, whatsoever was in the dry land, died."

The reason it says this is because the black sea had a lake in the middle of the basin where the marine life in there could have survived. However, everything that was on dry land was killed by drowning.

23) "And He blotted out every living substance which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and creeping thing, and fowl of the heaven; and they were blotted out from the earth; and Noah only was left, and they that were with him in the ark."

Even the birds that dwelled inside the basin were captured under the water since the water rose so fast and the jet of water was so powerful.


24) "And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days."

The waters rose for 150 days and then reached their peak and then the mediterranean stopped flowing into the Black Sea basin.