Noah and the Flood From Genesis

Background By the time Genesis was assembled, Hebrew storytellers knew many different versions of the flood story. Those versions were put together to make one long narrative account Story of a terrifying deluge that occurred in Mesopotamia

Literary Element -- Theme The central insight about life revealed in a work of literature (A life lesson learned) Example: A natural disaster can motivate ordinary people to perform heroic acts.

Reading Skill – Identify Theme Sometimes the theme of a work is stated directly. Sometimes the theme is a moral at the end of a story. Most themes are implied (not directly stated) or the reader must determine the theme from details in the text.

The story... The flood occurred because of human wickedness. God made a vow to destroy all humanity, except Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, followed God’s laws and ways. God gave Noah instructions to build an ark, gather the animals, save his family

All the Facts! Rained 40 days/nights Ark rested on Mount Ararat Rainbow at the end was a sign of God’s covenant Noah was 480 when began to build 600 when the floods came Noah died at 950 Took 120 years to build the ark Made of gopher wood 437 –512 feet long

Other explanations Shifting of the poles Volcano eruption Earthquake Shifting of Earth’s crust

Who was on board? Noah His wife Ham, Shem and Japheth The wives of the three sons

Clean vs. Unclean God instructed Noah to take seven pairs of every clean animal and one pair of the unclean. Clean – animals which could be eaten according to Jewish law (chicken, cow) Unclean – animals which couldn’t be eaten (hare, swine)