Noe with his family, and pairs of all kinds of beasts and fowls, being entered into the ark, 12. it raineth forty days and forty nights. 21. All men and other living creatures on the earth, without the ark, are destroyed.Noe with his familie, and paires of al kindes of beastes and foules, being entred into the arke, 12. it raineth fourtie daies and fourtie nights. 21. Al men and other liuing creatures on the earth, without the arke, are destroyed.
And our Lord said to him: Get thee in, thou and all thy house into the ark: for I have seen thee just in my sight in this generation.AND our Lord said to him: Get thee in, thou and al thy house into the arke: for I haue sene thee iust in my sight in this generation.Dixitque Dominus ad eum : Ingredere tu et omnis domus tua in arcam : te enim vidi justum coram me in generatione hac.
2Of all beasts that are clean, thou shalt take seven, and seven, male and female:Of al beasts that are cleane, thou shalt take seauen, and seauen, male & female:Ex omnibus animantibus mundis tolle septena et septena, masculum et feminam : de animantibus vero immundis duo et duo, masculum et feminam.
3but of the beasts that are unclean two and two, male and female. Yea and of the fowls also of the air seven and seven, male and female: that seed may be saved upon the face of the whole earth.but of the beasts that are vncleane two and two, male & female. Yea and of the foules also of the ayre seauen & seauen, male and female: that seede may be saued vpon the face of the whole earth.Sed et de volatilibus cæli septena et septena, masculum et feminam : ut salvetur semen super faciem universæ terræ.
4For yet a while, and after seven days, I will rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights: and I will utterly, completely · Vulgate: delebo destroy all substance, that I have made, from the face of the earth.For yet a while, and after seauen dayes, I wil rayne vpon the earth fourtie dayes and fourtie nights: and I wil cleane destroy al substance, that I haue made, from the face of the earth.Adhuc enim, et post dies septem ego pluam super terram quadraginta diebus et quadraginta noctibus : et delebo omnem substantiam, quam feci, de superficie terræ.
5Noe therefore did all things, which our Lord had commanded him.Noe therfore did al things, which our Lord had commanded him.Fecit ergo Noë omnia quæ mandaverat ei Dominus.
6And he was six hundred years old, when the waters of the flood flowed over the earth.And he was six hundred yeares old, when the waters of the floud flowed ouer the earth.Eratque sexcentorum annorum quando diluvii aquæ inundaverunt super terram.
7And Noe entered and his sons, his wife and the wives of his sons with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.And Noe entred and his sonnes, his wife and the wiues of his sonnes with him, into the arke, because of the waters of the floud.Et ingressus est Noë et filii ejus, uxor ejus et uxores filiorum ejus cum eo in arcam propter aquas diluvii.
8Of beasts also the clean and the unclean, and of fowls, and of all that moveth upon the earth,Of beasts also the cleane and the vncleane, & of foules, and of al that moueth vpon the earth,De animantibus quoque mundis et immundis, et de volucribus, et ex omni quod movetur super terram,
9two and two went to Noe into the ark, male and female, as our Lord had commanded Noe.two & two went to Noe into the arke, male and female, as our Lord had commanded Noe.duo et duo ingressa sunt ad Noë in arcam, masculus et femina, sicut præceperat Dominus Noë.
10And after the seven days were passed, the waters of the flood flowed over the earth.And after the seauen dayes were passed, the waters of the floud flowed ouer the earth.Cumque transissent septem dies, aquæ diluvii inundaverunt super terram.
11In the six hundred year of the life of Noe, in the second month, in the seventeenth day of the month, all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the floodgates of heaven were opened:In the six hundred yeare of the life of Noe, in the second moneth, in the seauententh day of the moneth, al the fountaines of the greate deapth were broken vp, and the floudgates of heauen were opened:Anno sexcentesimo vitæ Noë, mense secundo, septimodecimo die mensis, rupti sunt omnes fontes abyssi magnæ, et cataractæ cæli apertæ sunt :
12and the rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.and the raine fel vpon the earth fourtie dayes and fourtie nights.et facta est pluvia super terram quadraginta diebus et quadraginta noctibus.
13In the very point of that day entered Noe, and Sem, and Cham, and Japheth his sons; and his wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark.In the verie point of that day entred Noe, and Sem, and Cham, & Iapheth his sonnes; and his wife, and the three wiues of his sonnes with them, into the arke.In articulo diei illius ingressus est Noë, et Sem, et Cham, et Japheth filii ejus ; uxor illius, et tres uxores filiorum ejus cum eis in arcam :
14They and every beast according to their kind, and all cattle in their kind, and all that moveth upon the earth according to their kind, and all fowl according to their kind, all birds, and all that fliethThey and euerie beast according to their kind, and al cattle in their kinde, and al that moueth vpon the earth according to their kind, and al foule according to their kind, al birdes, and al that fliethipsi et omne animal secundum genus suum, universaque jumenta in genere suo, et omne quod movetur super terram in genere suo, cunctumque volatile secundum genus suum, universæ aves, omnesque volucres,
15went in to Noe into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein there was breath of life.went in to Noe into the arke, two and two of al flesh, wherin there was breath of life.ingressæ sunt ad Noë in arcam, bina et bina ex omni carne, in qua erat spiritus vitæ.
16And such as entered in, male and female of all flesh did enter in, as God had commanded him: and our Lord shut him in on the outside.And such as entred in, male and female of al flesh did enter in, as God had commanded him: and our Lord shut him in on the out side.Et quæ ingressa sunt, masculus et femina ex omni carne introierunt, sicut præceperat ei Deus : et inclusit eum Dominus deforis.
17And the flood grew forty days upon the earth: and the waters increased, and lifted up the ark on high from the earth.And the floud grew fourtie daies vpon the earth: and the waters increased, and lifted vp the arke on high from the earth.Factumque est diluvium quadraginta diebus super terram : et multiplicatæ sunt aquæ, et elevaverunt arcam in sublime a terra.
18For they overflowed exceedingly: and filled all on the face of the earth: moreover the ark was carried upon the waters.For they ouerflowed exceedingly: and filled al on the face of the earth: moreouer the arke was caried vpon the waters.Vehementer enim inundaverunt, et omnia repleverunt in superficie terræ : porro arca ferebatur super aquas.
19And the waters prevailed out of measure upon the earth: and all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered.And the waters preuailed out of measure vpon the earth: and al the high mountaines vnder the whole heauen were couered.Et aquæ prævaluerunt nimis super terram : opertique sunt omnes montes excelsi sub universo cælo.
20Fifteen cubits higher was the water above the mountains, which it covered.Fiftene cubites higher was the water aboue the mountaines, which it couered.Quindecim cubitis altior fuit aqua super montes, quos operuerat.
21And all flesh was consumed that moved upon the earth, of fowl, of cattle, of beasts, and of all creepers, that creep upon the earth: all men,And al flesh was consumed that moued vpon the earth, of foule, of cattle, of beastes, and of al creepers, that creepe vpon the earth: al men,Consumptaque est omnis caro quæ movebatur super terram, volucrum, animantium, bestiarum, omniumque reptilium, quæ reptant super terram : universi homines,
22and all things, wherein there is breath of life on the earth, died.and al things, wherin there is breath of life on the earth, died.et cuncta, in quibus spiraculum vitæ est in terra, mortua sunt.
23And he utterly, completely · Vulgate: delevit destroyed all substance, that was upon the earth, from man even to beast, as well the creepers as the fowls of the air: and they were destroyed from the earth: and there remained only Noe, and they that were with him in the ark.And he cleane destroied al substance, that was vpon the earth, from man euen to beast, as wel the creepers as the foules of the ayre: and they were destroied from the earth: and there remained only Noe, and they that were with him in the arke.Et delevit omnem substantiam quæ erat super terram, ab homine usque ad pecus, tam reptile quam volucres cæli : et deleta sunt de terra. Remansit autem solus Noë, et qui cum eo erant in arca.
24And the waters held on above the earth a hundred fifty days.And the waters held on aboue the earth an hundred fiftie dayes.Obtinueruntque aquæ terram centum quinquaginta diebus.
Annotations
7:16Shut him in. God who by his only will could in a moment have drowned all the rest of the world, saving whom he pleased, not needing in any thing the help of his creatures, yet would use both natural, and supernatural means, as the labour of Noe to build the ark, new fountains springing, and the heavens pouring down water forty days together, afterwards the wind to dry up the earth, and because the door being great (for Elephants to enter in) was to be firmed without (as St. Ambrose noteth) for better enduring the forcible waters, could not commodiously be closed by Noe, our Lord (by the causes, or ministry of Angels) shut him in on the outside, to teach us by all this, and the like leading disposition of things, that albeit his Divine omnipotency can do what he will serving alone, yet he will have his creatures to concur and cooperate as secondary causes, sometimes naturally, sometimes supernaturally, or miraculously, as it pleaseth his goodness to impart to them power and virtue.
7:23But only Noe. As there is not any thing in all the old Testament, from the creation of the world till the coming of Christ, more notable, more admirable, or of greater importance, than this history of the general flood; so was there nothing (though all or most chanced to them in figure) that ever more aptly, more lively, or more exactly prefigured Christ and his Church, with the rest of all mankind, than did Noe and the ark, and the drowning of the rest of the world in that deluge. Which St. Augustine declareth in many places, but most especially and of purpose in his twelfth book against Faustus the Manichee, from the 14. chapter to the 22. and in his fifteenth book of the city of God, in the two last chapters: where he showeth at large both the certainty of the history, and that as certainly it was a figure of things in the new Testament, and withal the great congruity between the figure and the things figured. The same did Origen explicate (homil. 2. in Gen.) St. Gregory (homil. 12. in Ezech.) Rupertus (li. 4. comment. in Gen. c. 71. & sequent.) and divers other ancient Doctors, confirming their expositions by St. Peter's testimony, saying: In the ark a few, that is eight souls (or persons) were saved (from drowning) by water, whereunto Baptism being of the like form now saveth you also. And by our Saviour's words saying: As in the days of Noe, so shall also the coming of the son of man be. In sum the Doctors teach, that Noe signifying rest was a figure of Christ, the very rest of man's soul. Whomsoever followeth shall find rest for their souls. The ark signifieth the Church, the form thereof being six times so long as broad, and ten times so long as high, resembleth the proportion of man's body, lying prone or prostrate. The door in the side representeth the wound in Christ's side, from whence flowed the holy Sacraments, by which the faithful enter into the Church, and are sanctified. The timber whereof the ark is made, and the water bearing it up, signified the Cross of Christ and Baptism. For as Noe (saith St. Augustine) with his, was delivered by the water and the wood, so the family of Christ, by Baptism signed with Christ's Passion on the Cross. Likewise the squareness of the timber which both sustained the burden of all contained in the ark, and resisted the boisterous waves of the flood beating without, did signify such men in the Church as be constant and stand firmly in all sorts of temptations: especially godly and learned Doctors and Pastors, who by word and example uphold and confirm the faithful people in all afflictions within, and withstand and convince all Heretics, and other Infidels that oppugn the Church without. Again the higher and lower rooms with the middle chambers and third lofts, and other distinctions of cabinets, and partitions, and all sorts of living creatures clean and unclean, received therein, did signify the varieties of all states and functions, and diversity of manners and merits in the Church, in which are persons of all degrees, Clergy and Laity, Potentates, Princes, subjects, good and evil. The most strong kind of glue called bitumen, signified the permanent or everlasting stability, and inseparable connexion of the Church, by the grace and continual assistance of the Holy Ghost conserving the same. The consummation of the ark in one cubit signified the unity of the same Church, which is one in all times, and places. Neither would God almighty have many arks, for Noe and his sons or other creatures, nor many chief rulers (though he would that of them should come many Nations) but one only ark, and one chief governor thereof, and that all without the same should corporally die, to signify that all which die without the Church do perish, and are eternally damned. whereupon St. Jerome, amongst other Fathers, showeth that all within the Church, that communicate with the See Apostolic (wherein St. Damasus sat then governor) are as those in the ark of Noe, and all Schismatics, Heretics and other Infidels are in like case, with the rest of the world, that were drowned with the flood.