Genesis 7:11

“In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, etc.] Not complete, but current, for otherwise Noah would have lived after the flood three hundred and fifty one years, whereas he lived but three hundred and fifty; (<010928>Genesis 9:28) in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month: as the Jews had two ways of beginning their year, one at the spring, and the other at autumn; the one on ecclesiastical accounts, which began at Nisan, and which answers to March and April; and then the second month must be Ijar, which answers to part of April and part of May: and the other on civil accounts, which began at Tisri, and answers to part of September and part of October; and then the second month…”

“- XXV. The Flood The date is here given, at which the flood commenced and the entrance into the ark was completed. “In seven days.” On the seventh day from the command. “In the second month.” The primeval year commenced about the autumnal equinox; we may say, on the nearest new moon. The rains began about a month or six weeks after the equinox, and, consequently, not far from the seventeenth of the second month. “All the fountains of the great deep, and the windows of the skies.” It appears that the deluge was produced by a gradual commotion of nature on a grand scale. The gathering clouds were dissolved into incessant showers. But this was not sufficient of itself to effect the overwhelming…”

“The six hundredth year of Noah's life, was 1656 years from the creation. In the second month, the seventeenth day of the month - Which is reckoned to be about the beginning of November; so that Noah had had a harvest just before, from which to victual his ark. The same day the fountains of the great deep were broken up - There needed no new creation of waters; God has laid up the deep in store - houses, Psa 33:7, and now he broke up those stores. God had, in the creation, set bars and doors to the waters of the sea, that they might not return to cover the earth, Psa 104:9; Job 38:9-11, and now he only removed these ancient mounds and fences, and the waters of the sea returned to cover the…”

“7:11-12 on the seventeenth day of the second month: Such information gives the flood account a certain solemnity; it reminds readers that this was a true historical event. • underground waters: See 2:6. • rain fell: The flood undid the boundaries established on the second and third days of creation (1:6-13). Elsewhere, the Bible describes God’s judgment as an undoing of creation (see Jer 4:23-26; Amos 7:4). • forty days and forty nights: See study note on 7:4.”

“second month: The first month was Tisri, which answers to the latter end of September and first half of October; the second was Marchesvan, which answers to part of October and part of November. all: Gen 1:7, Gen 6:17, Gen 8:2; Job 28:4, Job 38:8-11; Psa 33:7, Psa 74:15; Pro 8:28, Pro 8:29; Isa 24:19; Jer 5:22, Jer 51:16; Eze 26:19; Amo 9:5, Amo 9:6; Mat 24:38; Th1 5:3 windows: or, flood-gates, Gen 1:7, Gen 8:2; Kg2 7:2, Kg2 7:19; Psa 78:23, Psa 78:24; Mal 3:10 Genesis 7:12”