Genesis 7:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Scriptures inform us that the waters “rose up” above the mountains by “fifteen cubits.” This detail is not without significance; it reveals that all living creatures—humans, livestock, terrestrial animals, as well as the birds of the sky and all other voiceless beings inhabiting the mountains—perished in the deluge. The mention of the waters rising “fifteen cubits” underscores the completeness of God's decree. As He proclaimed, “after seven days I will bring a flood upon the earth, and I will destroy every existing thing that I have created from the face of the earth,” ranging from humanity to livestock, and from creeping creatures to the birds (Gen. 7:4).

It should not be believed that the events described are mere figurative expressions rather than actual occurrences. Those who argue that these narratives are not true events, but merely symbolic representations, first dismiss the possibility of a deluge so immense that the waters gradually rose to cover the tallest mountains by fifteen cubits. They cite Mount Olympus as evidence, claiming that it is so elevated that clouds cannot form above it due to its proximity to the heavens, resulting in air that is not dense enough for winds, clouds, or rain to materialize. However, they neglect the fact that the earth, being the heaviest of the elements, can be found at that height. Can they genuinely assert that the summit of the mountain exists without earth?

With spiritual discernment, I beheld paradise. The peaks of every mountain appear diminutive in comparison to its grandeur. The towering surges of the Flood scarcely brushed against its foundation; the mighty waves of the deluge merely enhanced its presence and retreated to overwhelm the summits of mountains and elevations. Only the base of paradise was touched by the flood, which obliterated every lofty height.

Let us consider that the number forty holds a sacred significance marking the commencement of new beginnings. In the Old Testament, we learn that during Noah's time, a wave of wickedness plagued humanity, and it was precisely this number of days that the heavens unleashed floods, engulfing the entire earth. In a profound sense, this forty-day deluge served not merely as a flood but rather as a baptism. It functioned as a baptism because it obliterated the evil in the hearts of sinners while preserving the righteousness of Noah.

The highest point of the water is represented by a rise of fifteen cubits above the peaks of the mountains. This measurement should not be interpreted in an absolute manner concerning the mountains themselves, as they vary in height. However, it can be definitively understood in relation to the ark, which indicated this depth by submerging fifteen cubits while remaining afloat and free from contact with the ground.

When it is stated that the water rose fifteen cubits, submerging 'all the high mountains,' this should not be interpreted in regards to the height of the mountains themselves, as they vary in elevation. Rather, it pertains to the ark, which, while navigating through the waters, never made contact with the mountain peaks that were underwater, even though it was submerged by fifteen cubits.