The Fifteen Cubits and the Destruction of All Life

The animals entered the ark not in a confused mass, so that the ark would not be damaged by the sudden rushing of the waters through their joining together. The entry occurred in order, first Noah, through whom the others were saved, and then the others following him; thus the animals entered, which should be noted as having happened by divine power, for the numbering and bringing in was not by human endeavor, but had become a cooperation with God. Also, 'according to kind' is well-stated; for it was not possible for them to have the same sustenance, being divided by their natures. And he added 'in which is the spirit of life' for contrast with the dead. If anyone were to note how, then, the pure were not mentioned but the impure: 'two two' they say 'entered into the ark' (Gen 7:9), and it is clear that these were the impure; to which someone says that it is evident that, since the impure entered and the pure also entered, if the lesser entered, it is clear that the greater also entered. Furthermore, the 'two' could also be taken to refer to the pure, the word indicating at all entered in pairs.

And the Lord God closed the ark from the outside, and the deluge happened for forty days and forty nights upon the earth, and the water multiplied and lifted up the ark, and it was raised from the earth, and the water prevailed and multiplied greatly upon the earth, and the ark was carried upon the water (Gen 7:17-20). And following this history, the ark is closed 'from the outside' by the power of God, with no man being outside. Since he succeeded in making it secure both inside and outside, and since it was not possible to secure it from the outside if the door had not been closed, so as not to say that entry was made for the water through the door, he added the security from God; and this is both varied and convenient. And 'lifted up the ark' is also well-stated, uniformly and not suddenly, just as we previously set forth the reason. And the water prevailed greatly, greatly upon the earth and covered all the high mountains which were under the heaven; the water was raised fifteen cubits above. The commentators excessively...

They say men are called to ascend to the high mountains. And indeed he signaled as fifteen cubits the water rose above the high mountains, from which it is clear, as that has been rightly said, especially since it also happens contrary to the will of God; for to Noah, on account of righteousness, God commanded to construct an ark, saying that he would destroy all flesh, so that no one was saved outside of the ark (Gen 6:17).

And concerning the rising of the water above fifteen cubits, if anyone wishes to be expert in the number, he will see that it is taken from many places in the Scripture: the steps of the temple were fifteen, and the word commands to give a portion to the seven and also to the eight, meaning this: that those approaching provide the old covenant along with the new part to the seven and to the eight. One might perhaps say that those who became contemptuous of the mystery signified by the number had become ripe for the wickedness of the flood.

For it is signaled again in the Scriptures by the multitude of the water, as in: 'What do you think against the Lord? A completion...' (Job 40:21-23). For if anyone thought that the fluid things of life, instead of being taken as a flood when they multiply, with the failing of the love of many, would be a completion, he would understand it properly in the word.

And all flesh moved upon the earth, the winged, and the cattle, and the beasts; and every creeping thing moving upon the earth, and every man, and all things that have the breath of life, and everyone who was upon the dry land died (Gen 7:21-23). And everything that stands upright, which was upon the face of all the earth, from man even to cattle and creeping things and the winged of the heaven, was wiped out; and they were wiped out from the earth.

The spoken word is manifest; for it declares the destruction of all living things except those in the ark; but for those reasoning, it implies that even the irrational perished because of having become subject to necessity. Furthermore, everyone perished by the punishing water, the one losing life according to the 'image' and having the image of the swine, as if beasts, creeping things, and other irrational ones were split into different natures, as some hear: 'offspring of hedgehogs,' and others snakes and scorpions, and others...