THE FLOOD:
How many days was it?
It is not uncommon for skeptics or atheists to pull Bible passages out of context or cherry-pick verses to “prove” the Bible contradicts itself. They may also compare various texts in Scripture on the same subject and cite differences as infallible evidence that the Bible is full of contradictions. Such is the case with the worldwide flood in the book of Genesis.
The following is a common question skeptics or atheists present to “prove” that a contradiction exists in this biblical account. They ask:
“How long did the flood last? Genesis 7:17 says it lasted 40 days,
but Genesis 7:24 and 8:3 say it lasted 150 days. So, which one is true?”
Reading these three verses in the context of the entire flood account in Genesis 7:1 through Genesis 8:14 dispels any notion of a contradiction. They simply describe different aspects of the worldwide flood.
According to Genesis chapters seven and eight, the worldwide flood had three phases that took the earth’s surface from dry land to dry land once again:
The first phase describes the 40 days and nights of continual rain and outpouring of water from the deep fountains of the earth that covered the world with water. This portion is what most people associate with “the flood” (see Genesis 7:11-23).
The second phase describes the 150-day period from the start of the floodwaters to their end (40 days and nights) and the 110 days that followed when those amassed floodwaters remained on the earth without receding (see Genesis 7:24-8:4).
The third and final phase describes the period after the 150 days when God gradually decreased the floodwaters until the earth’s surface was completely dry (see Genesis 8:5-14).