Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898)
FLOOD, one of the most remarkable events in the history of our world. It occurred 2500 years before the birth of Christ, and was a judgment upon the world for the great wickedness of its inhabitants, only 8 of whom were saved — Noah and his family. Gen 6:17 ff. Noah obeyed the divine injunction to build the ark and put into it pairs of all the land-animals. The waters of the flood increased for 150 days, until the mountains were covered and the waters attained the depth of 15 cubits, or 22 1/2 feet.
In consequence, "all flesh died that moved upon the earth," and only those animals were saved which were confined in the ark. At the end of this period the waters began to assuage, and the ark rested on Mount Ararat. Noah sent out in turn a raven and, on two occasions, a dove. The second time the dove returned with an olive-leaf. Gen 8:11, which was the best evidence of the abatement of the waters. The biblical narrative is given in Gen 6-8. The description of a vast flood is not confined to the Old Testament. Many peoples have preserved a tradition of the event.
And not only do we find traditions to this effect on the tablets of Assyria and in the literature of Greece, but also among the Chinese and among the aborigines of North and South America and Mexico. The prevalence of a belief in the occurrence of a great deluge confirms the account of Genesis. It is not necessary to assume that the Flood extended over all the earth, although it did most likely destroy all human life except the family of Noah. Such expressions as "all the high hills . . .
were covered," Gen 7:19, do not oblige us to go beyond those portions of the earth which were then inhabited by men. Similar expressions are used where the event referred to was only partial in extent. See, for example, Gen 41:57; Luke 2:1. Opinions still differ as to whether the Flood was universal or only partial. T. Matt 24:37; 2 Pet 2:5; 2 Pet 3:6. The account of the Flood upon the Assyrian tablets has been deciphered by Mr. George Smith and published in his work, The Chaldsean Account of Genesis (London and New York, 1876). We quote a portion of the interesting story, pp.