Genesis 7:20
The water was fifteen cubits higher than the mountains which it covered.
Open Genesis 7:20 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Quindecim cubitis altior fuit aqua super montes, quos operuerat.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- δέκα πέντε πήχεις ἐπάνω ὑψώθη τὸ ὕδωρ, καὶ ἐπεκάλυψεν πάντα τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλά.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- חֲמֵ֨שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה אַמָּה֙ מִלְמַ֔עְלָה גָּבְר֖וּ הַמָּ֑יִם וַיְכֻסּ֖וּ הֶהָרִֽים
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm XC
10. Moreover, seventy and eighty years equal a hundred and fifty; a number which the Psalms clearly insinuate to be a sacred one. One hundred and fifty have the same relative signification as fifteen, the latter number being composed of seven and eight together: the first of which points to the Old Testament through the observation of the Sabbath; the latter to the New, referring to the resurrection of our Lord. Hence the fifteen steps in the Temple. Hence in the Psalms, fifteen “songs of degrees.” Hence the waters of the deluge overtopped the highest mountains by fifteen cubits: and many other instances of the same nature. “Our years are passed in thought like a spider.” We were labouring in things corruptible, corruptible works were we weaving together: which, as the Prophet Isaiah saith, by no means covered us. “The days of our years are in themselves,” etc. …