seven days Note the period of seven days, the same interval as occurs again, in the J narrative, in Genesis 8:10; Genesis 8:12.

forty days and forty nights The duration of the Flood is here announced. Cf. Genesis 7:12 and Genesis 8:6. In the Babylonian version the rain lasts for six days.

every living thing or rather, "every existing thing." A peculiar word in the Heb. occurring only here and Deuteronomy 11:6. (LXX ἀνάστεμα, Lat. substantiam.) It is, therefore, different from the expression "living thing," which is used by P in Genesis 6:19; Genesis 8:1; Genesis 8:17; Genesis 8:21.

destroy Heb. blot out, so also Genesis 7:23 (J): see note on Genesis 6:7.

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