• Torah (T): Bereshiyt (Genesis) 8:1-22
• Prophets (P): Isaiah 54:9-10
• Apostolic (A): Matthew 15:1-20
• Additional (ADD): Jubilees 5:32 – 6:4

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Genesis 1:21-31 (T)
• 1 Peter 3:18-20 (T)
• Isaiah 60:1-8 (T)
• Mark 1:1-11 (T)
• Romans 11:16-24 (T)
• Jeremiah 33:19-26 (T)
• 1 Timothy 4:1-5 (T)
• Ephesians 2:1-9 (T)
• Genesis 17:7-14; Exodus 3:1-12; Exodus 12:13; Numbers 17:8-11; Luke 2:8-20, 24-35; Luke 11:29 (T)

RELATED ADDITIONAL REA.D.INGS

• Genesis 8:1-22 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 1.3.6-8 (T)

Note: (T) means the verse relates to that week’s Torah portion. (P) means the verse relates to that week’s Prophets portion. (A) means the verse relates to that week’s Apostolic portion. (ADD) means the verse relates to that week’s Additional portion. We do not use the invented terms Old Testament or New Testament to refer to any portions of Scripture.

Torah Portion (T)

8:1 Elohim remembered Noaḥ, all the animals, and all the livestock[, and all the birds, and all the creeping]^(LXX) that were with him in the ark; and Elohim made a wind to pass over the land. The waters subsided. 2 The deep's fountains and the heaven's windows were also stopped, and the rain from the heavens was restrained. 3 The waters continually receded from the land. After the end of one hundred fifty days the waters receded. 4 The ark rested in the seventh new moon, on the seventeenth day of the new moon, on the mountains of Ararat. 5 The waters receded continually until the tenth new moon. In the tenth new moon, on the first day of the new moon, the tops of the mountains were visible. 6 At the end of forty days, Noaḥ opened the window of the ark which he had made, 7 and he sent out a raven. It went back and forth, until the waters were dried up from the land. 8 He himself sent out a dove to see if the waters were abated from the face of the ground, 9 the dove found no resting place for the palm of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole land. He put out his hand, and took her, and brought her to him into the ark. 10 He waited yet another seven days; and again he sent the dove out of the ark. 11 The dove came back to him at evening and, behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noaḥ knew that the waters were abated from the land. 12 He waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; and she didn't return to him any more. 13 In the six hundred first year [of Noaḥ's life],^(LXX) in the first new moon, the first day of the new moon, the waters were dried up from the land. Noaḥ removed the covering of the ark, and looked. He saw that the face of the ground was dry. 14 In the second new moon, on the twenty-seventh day of the new moon, the land was dry. 15 Elohim spoke to Noaḥ, saying, 16 “Go out of the ark, you, your wife, your sons, and your sons' wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living that is with you of all flesh, including birds, livestock, and every creeping that treads on the land, that they may breed abundantly in the land, and be fruitful, and multiply on the land.” 18 Noaḥ went out, with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives with him. 19 [And all the wild beasts and all the livestock],^(LXX) every creeping, and every bird, whatever moves on the land, after their families, went out of the ark. 20 Noaḥ built an altar to [Elohim],^(LXX) and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 YHWH smelled the pleasant aroma. YHWH said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake for the inclination of man's heart is evil from his youth. I will never again strike every living, as I have done. 22 While the land remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”

Prophets Portion (P)

Apostolic Portion (A)

15:1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Yeshua from Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3 He answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of Elohim because of your tradition? 4 For Elohim [said],^(mss) ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ (cf. Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16) and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ (cf. Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9) 5 But you say, ‘Whoever may tell his father or his mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to Elohim,” 6 he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the [word]^(mss) of Elohim void because of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 ‘These people draw near to me with their mouth,^(mss) honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 And they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’ ” (cf. Isaiah 29:13) 10 He summoned the multitude, and said to them, “Hear, and understand. 11 That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” 12 Then [the]^(mss) disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted. 14 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 Peter answered him, “Explain [this]^(mss) parable to us.” 16 So [he]^(mss) said, “Do you also still not understand? 17 Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly and then out of the body? 18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”

Additional Portion (ADD)

Between 1947 and 1956 approximately 15 Jubilees scrolls were found in five caves at Qumran, all written in Hebrew. The large number of manuscripts (more than for any biblical books except for Psalms, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Exodus, and Genesis, in descending order) indicates that Jubilees was widely used at Qumran. A comparison of the Qumran texts with the Ethiopic version, performed by James VanderKam, found that the Ethiopic was in most respects an accurate and literalistic translation. Scholars have dated Jubilees to have been written sometime around 160-150 B.C.

Related Scriptures

Genesis 1:21-31 (T)

1:21 Elohim created the large sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. Elohim saw that it was good. 22 Elohim blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the land.” 23 There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. 24 Elohim said, “Let the land produce living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the land after their kind;” and it was so. 25 Elohim made the animals of the land after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. Elohim saw that it was good. 26 Elohim said, “Let’s make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the livestock, [and over all the wild animals of the land],^(syr) and over every creeping thing that creeps on the land.” 27 Elohim created man in his own image. In Elohim’s image he created him; male and female he created them. 28 Elohim blessed them, [saying],^(LXX) “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the land, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the heavens, and over the livestock, [and over all the wild animals of the land],^(syr) [and over all the creatures that crawl]^(LXX) on the land.” 29 Elohim said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed, which is on the face of all the land, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food. 30 To every wild animal of the land, [and to every livestock of the land],^(mss) and to every bird of the heavens, and to every creature that creeps on the land, in which there is life, I have given every green plant for food.” 31 Elohim saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

1 Peter 3:18-20 (T)

3:18 Because Messiah also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to Elohim, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, 19 in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who before were disobedient when Elohim waited patiently in the days of Noaḥ while the ark was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

60:1 “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of YHWH has risen on you. 2 For, behold, darkness will cover the land, and thick darkness the peoples; but YHWH will arise on you, and his glory will be seen on you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. 4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see: they all gather themselves together. They come to you. Your sons will come from far away, and your daughters will be carried in arms. 5 Then you will see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you. The wealth of the nations will come to you. 6 A multitude of camels will cover you, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah. All from Sheba will come. They will bring gold and frankincense, and will proclaim the praises of YHWH. 7 All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you. The rams of Nebaioth will serve you. They will be accepted as offerings on my altar; and I will beautify my glorious house. 8 “Who are these who fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?

1:1 The beginning of the Good News of Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of Elohim. 2 As it is written in the Prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you: 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’ ” 4 John came immersing in the wilderness and proclaiming the immersion of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 5 All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were immersed by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. 8 I immersed you in water, but he will immerse you in the Holy Spirit.” 9 In those days, Yeshua came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was immersed by John in the Jordan. 10 Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 A voice came out of the heavens, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

11:16 If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree, 18 don’t boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.” 20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear; 21 for if Elohim didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 See then the goodness and severity of Elohim. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for Elohim is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Jeremiah 33:19-26 (T)

33:19 The word of YHWH came to Jeremiah, saying, 20 “YHWH says: ‘If you can break my covenant of the day and my covenant of the night, so that there will not be day and night in their time, 21 then my covenant could also be broken with David my servant, that he won’t have a son to reign on his throne; and with the Levitical priests, my ministers. 22 As the army of the heavens can’t be counted, and the sand of the sea can’t be measured, so I will multiply the seed of David my servant and the Levites who minister to me.’ ” 23 The word of YHWH came to Jeremiah, saying, 24 “Don’t consider what this people has spoken, saying, ‘Has YHWH cast off the two families which he chose?’ Thus they despise my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.” 25 YHWH says: “If my covenant of day and night fails, if I have not appointed the ordinances of the heavens and earth, 26 then I will also cast away the seed of Jacob, and of David my servant, so that I will not take of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; for I will cause their captivity to be reversed and will have mercy on them.”

1 Timothy 4:1-5 (T)

4:1 But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron, 3 forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which Elohim created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of Elohim is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. 5 For it is sanctified through the word of Elohim and prayer.

2:1 You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience. 3 We also all once lived among them in the coveting of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But Elohim, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Messiah—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Messiah Yeshua, 7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Messiah Yeshua; 8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of Elohim, 9 not of works, that no one would boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which Elohim prepared before that we would walk in them.

Genesis 17:7-14; Exodus 3:1-12; Exodus 12:13; Numbers 17:8-11; Luke 2:8-20, 24-35; Luke 11:29 (T)

Genesis 17:7 I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be an Elohim to you and to your seed after you. 8 I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their Elohim.” 9 Elohim said to Abraham, “As for you, you will guard my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you will guard, between me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you will be circumcised. 11 You will be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any stranger who is not of your seed. 13 He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul will be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.”

Exodus 3:1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to Elohim’s mountain, to Horeb. 2 the angel of YHWH appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the middle of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 Moses said, “I will go now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When YHWH saw that he came over to see, Elohim called to him out of the middle of the bush, and said, “Moses! Moses!” He said, “Here I am.” 5 He said, “Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.” 6 Moreover he said, “I am the Elohim of your father, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at Elohim. 7 YHWH said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 9 Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to me. Moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 Moses said to Elohim, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “Certainly I will be with you. This will be the sign to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will serve Elohim on this mountain.”

Exodus 12:13 The blood will be to you for a sign on the houses where you are. When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

Numbers 17:8 On the next day, Moses went into the Tent of the Witness; and behold, Aaron’s branch for the house of Levi had burst into bloom! It sprouted buds, and the blossom bloomed, and yielded almonds. 9 Moses brought out all the branches from before YHWH to all the sons of Israel. They looked, and each man took his branch. 10 YHWH said to Moses, “Put back the branch of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept for a sign against the sons of rebellion; that you may make an end of their complaining against me, that they not die.” 11 Moses did so. As YHWH commanded him, so he did.

Luke 2:8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. 9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. 11 For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord. 12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” 13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising Elohim and saying, 14 “Glory to Elohim in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.” 15 When the angels went away from them into the heavens, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They came with haste and found both Miriam and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. 17 When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. 18 All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. 19 But Miriam kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising Elohim for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them…25 Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Shimon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Yeshua, that they might do concerning him according to the requirement of the Torah, 28 then he received him into his arms and blessed God, and said, 29 “Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared before the face of all peoples; 32 a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.” 33 Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him. 34 Shimon blessed them, and said to Miriam, his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. 35 Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Luke 11:29 When the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.

Related Additional Readings

Genesis 8:1-22 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)

Composed in Talmudic Israel (c.150 – c.250 AD). Targum Pseudo-Jonathan is a western targum (translation) of the Torah (Pentateuch) from the land of Israel (as opposed to the eastern Babylonian Targum Onkelos). Its correct title was originally Targum Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Targum), which is how it was known in medieval times. But because of a printer’s mistake it was later labeled Targum Jonathan, in reference to Jonathan ben Uzziel. Some editions of the Pentateuch continue to call it Targum Jonathan to this day. Most scholars refer to the text as Targum Pseudo-Jonathan. This targum is more than a mere translation. It includes much Aggadic material collected from various sources as late as the Midrash Rabbah as well as earlier material from the Talmud. It is effectively a combination of a commentary and a translation. In the portions where it is pure translation, it often agrees with the Targum Onkelos. The date of its composition is disputed. It cannot have been completed before the Arabic conquest as it refers to Mohammad’s wife Fatimah, but might have been initially composed in the 4th Century AD. However, some scholars date it in the 14th Century.

Chapter 8 And the Lord in His Word remembered Noaḥ, and all the animals and the cattle which were with him in the ark; and the Lord caused the wind of mercies to pass over the earth, and the waters were dried. [JERUSALEM. And He remembered in His mercies the good which was with Noaḥ. And the Lord caused the wind of mercies.] And the fountains of the deep were shut up, and the windows of the heavens, and the rain was forbidden to descend from the heavens. And the waters returned from being on the earth, going and returning. And the waters were diminished at the end of a hundred and fifty days. And the ark rested in the seventh new moon, which is the new moon of Nisan, in the seventeenth day of the new moon, upon the mountains of Qadron; the name of the one mountain is Qardania, and the name of the other mountain Irmenia; and there was builded the city of Armenia in the land of the east. And the waters went and diminished until the tenth new moon, the new moon Tammuz. In Tammuz, in the first of the new moon, the heads of the mountains were seen. And it was at the end of forty days, and Noaḥ opened the aperture of the ark which he had made. And he sent out a raven; and it went forth, going forth and returning, until the waters had dried from the earth. And he sent forth a house-dove from being with him, to see whether the waters were lightened from off the faces of the earth. And the dove found no rest for the sole of the foot, and returned unto him to the ark; and he knew that the waters were (yet) upon the face of all the earth. And he reached out his hand, and took and brought her unto him into the ark. And he prolonged (waited) yet seven days, [JERUSALEM. And he began to number,] and again he sent the dove from the ark. And the dove came to him at the evening time, and, behold, a leaf of olive gathered, broken off, she brought in her mouth, and which she had taken from the Mount of the Meshiha. And Noaḥ understood that the waters had lightened from being on the earth. And he prolonged yet seven days, and added to send forth the dove; but she added not to return to him again. And it was in the six hundred and first year, in Tishri, in the first of the new moon, in the beginning of the year, that the waters were dried from upon the earth. And Noaḥ removed the covering of the ark, and saw the faces of the ground to be dried. And in the new moon Marchesvan, in the twenty-seventh day of the new moon, the earth was dry. And Noaḥ builded the altar before the Lord; that altar which Adam had builded in the time when he was cast forth from the garden of Eden, and had offered an oblation upon it; and upon it had Kain and Habel offered their oblations. But when the waters of the deluge descended, it was destroyed, and Noaḥ rebuilded it; and he took of all clean cattle, and of all clean fowl, and slaughtered four upon that altar. And the Lord accepted his oblation with favour: and the Lord said in His Word, I will not add again to curse the earth on account of the sin of the children of men; for the imagination of the heart of man is evil from his youth; neither will I add to destroy whatever liveth as I have done. Until all the days of the earth, sowing in the season of Tishri, and harvest in the season of Nisan, and coldness in the season of Tebeth, and warmth in the season of Tammuz, and summer and winter, and days and nights will not fail. [JERUSALEM. Until all the days of the earth from now, sowing and reaping, and cold and heat, and days and nights will not cease.]

Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 1.3.6-8 (T)

Josephus was born Joseph ben Mattathias in 37 AD in Jerusalem of a priestly and royal family. He excelled in his studies of Jewish law and studied with the Sadducees, Pharisees, and the Essenes, eventually aligning himself with the Pharisees. In 62 AD he went to Rome to free some imprisoned priests. After accomplishing this mission through the intercession of Nero’s wife, Poppaea, he returned to Jerusalem in 65 AD to find the country in revolt against Rome. Josephus shrewdly reinterpreted the Messianic prophecies. He predicted that Vespasian would become the ruler of the ‘entire world’. His prophecy became true in 68 AD when Nero committed suicide and Vespasian became Ceasar. As a result, Josephus was freed; he moved to Rome and became a Roman citizen, taking the Vespasian family name Flavius. Vespasian commissioned Josephus to write a history of the war, which he finished in 78 AD, the Jewish War. His second major work, the Antiquities of the Jews, was completed in 93 AD. The extant manuscripts of the book Antiquities of the Jews contain two references to Yeshua of Nazareth (18.3.3. and 20.9.1.) and one reference to the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist (18.5.2.).

1.3.6. Now all the writers of barbarian histories make mention of this flood, and of this ark; among whom is Berosus the Chaldean. For when he is describing the circumstances of the flood, he goes on thus: “It is said there is still some part of this ship in Armenia, at the mountain of the Cordyaeans; and that some people carry off pieces of the bitumen, which they take away, and use chiefly as amulets for the averting of mischiefs.” Hieronymus the Egyptian also, who wrote the Phoenician Antiquities, and Mnaseas, and a great many more, make mention of the same. Nay, Nicolaus of Damascus, in his ninety-sixth book, hath a particular relation about them; where he speaks thus: “There is a great mountain in Armenia, over Minyas, called Baris, upon which it is reported that many who fled at the time of the Deluge were saved; and that one who was carried in an ark came on shore upon the top of it; and that the remains of the timber were a great while preserved. This might be the man about whom Moses the legislator of the Jews wrote.”

1.3.7. But as for Noaḥ, he was afraid, since Elohim had determined to destroy mankind, lest he should drown the earth every year; so he offered burnt-offerings, and besought Elohim that nature might hereafter go on in its former orderly course, and that he would not bring on so great a judgment any more, by which the whole race of creatures might be in danger of destruction: but that, having now punished the wicked, he would of his goodness spare the remainder, and such as he had hitherto judged fit to be delivered from so severe a calamity; for that otherwise these last must be more miserable than the first, and that they must be condemned to a worse condition than the others, unless they be suffered to escape entirely; that is, if they be reserved for another deluge; while they must be afflicted with the terror and sight of the first deluge, and must also be destroyed by a second. He also entreated Elohim to accept of his slaughter, and to grant that the earth might never again undergo the like effects of ‘his wrath; that men might be permitted to go on cheerfully in cultivating the same; to build cities, and live happily in them; and that they might not be deprived of any of those good things which they enjoyed before the Flood; but might attain to the like length of days, and old age, which the ancient people had arrived at before.

1.3.8. When Noaḥ had made these supplications, Elohim, who loved the man for his righteousness, granted entire success to his prayers, and said, that it was not he who brought the destruction on a polluted world, but that they underwent that vengeance on account of their own wickedness; and that he had not brought men into the world if he had himself determined to destroy them, it being an instance of greater wisdom not to have granted them life at all, than, after it was granted, to procure their destruction; “But the injuries,” said he, “they offered to my holiness and virtue, forced me to bring this punishment upon them. But I will leave off for the time to come to require such punishments, the effects of so great wrath, for their future wicked actions, and especially on account of thy prayers. But if I will at any time send tempests of rain, in an extraordinary manner, be not affrighted at the largeness of the showers; for the water will no more overspread the earth. However, I require you to abstain from shedding the blood of men, and to keep yourselves pure from murder; and to punish those that commit any such thing. I permit you to make use of all the other living creatures at your pleasure, and as your appetites lead you; for I have made you lords of them all, both of those that walk on the land, and those that swim in the waters, and of those that fly in the regions of the air on high, excepting their blood, for therein is the life. But I will give you a sign that I have left off my anger by my bow [whereby is meant the rainbow, for they determined that the rainbow was the bow of Elohim]. And when Elohim had said and promised thus, he went away.