"After this the ark rested on the top of a certain mountain in Armenia; which, when Noah understood, he opened it; and seeing a small piece of land about it, he continued quiet, and conceived some cheerful hopes of deliverance; but a few days afterwards, when the water was decreased to a greater degree, he sent out a raven, as desirous to learn, whether any other part of the earth were left dry by the water, and whether he might go out of the ark with safety; but the raven, finding all the land still overflowed, returned to Noah again. And after seven days he sent out a dove, to know the state of the ground; which came back to him covered with mud, and bringing an olive branch. Hereby Noah learned that the earth was become clear of the flood. So after he had staid seven more days, he sent the living creatures out of the ark; and both he and his family went out, when he also sacrificed to God, and feasted with his companions. However, the Armenians call this place (Apobaterion) The Place of Descent [see footnote after this quote]; for the ark being saved in that place, its remains are shown there by inhabitants to this [Josephus'] day.
"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."
But as for Noah, he was afraid, since God had determined to destroy mankind, lest he should drown the earth every year; so he offered burnt offerings, and besought God 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" --From Antiquities, Book 1, Chapter 3, sections 5-7.
FOOTNOTE: [from the translator, William Whiston]: This Apobatrion, or Place of Descent, is the proper rendering of the Armenian name of this very city. It is called in Ptolemy Naxuana, and by Moses Chorenensis, the Armenian historian, 'Idsheuan'; but at the place itself, Nachidsheuan, which signifies 'The first place of descent': and is a lasting monument of the preservation of Noah in the ark, upon the top of that mountain, at whose foot it was built, as the first city or town after the Flood. See Antiquities 20.2.3; and Moses Chorenensis, who also says elsewhere, that another town was related by tradition to have been called Seron, or 'The Place of Dispersion' on account of the dispersion of Xisuthrus's or Noah's sons, from then first made. Whether any remains of this ark be still preserved as the people of the country suppose, I cannot certainly tell. Mons. Tournefort had, not very long since, a mind to see the place himself, but met with too great dangers and difficulties to venture through them.
ED: It would seem from this that part of the Ark had survived some time, but perhaps not all of it, or perhaps all of it not forever. As far as Noah living in a tent goes, the fact that he had one near the vineyard does not mean, actually, that that is where he lived. By the evidence of the vineyard, we can see he was not a nomad, but living on one place. It would make every sense, then, to suppose that there was more permanent housing both for himself and his animals.
There is an interesting note in Josephus as well at the beginning of the next chapter (chapter 4), which reads as follows:
"Now the sons of Noah were three, -- Shem, Japheth, and Ham, born one hundred years before the Deluge. These first of all descended from the mountains into the plains and fixed their habitations there; and persuaded others who were greatly afraid of the lower grounds on account of the floods and so were very loath to come down from the higher place, to venture to follow their examples. Now the plain in which they first dwelt was called Shinar."
Did Noah go down with them? There is an indication in, of all places, 'Gilgamesh', that he may not have, but stayed in the mountains. In Gilgamesh, the man we call Noah is called Utnapishtim. But not simply that. He is referred to consistently as "Utnapishtim the remote one." In order to get to him, Gilgamesh records, "I turned, wandering, over all the lands. I crossed uncrossable mountains. I traveled all the seas."
Note from Barry Setterfield: "We know of three formations on the mountain that have been mistaken for the Ark on a number of important occasions in the past. As a consequence, three whole classes of Ark reports can now be dismissed as natural formations. There is only one class of Ark report left (referring to the shape of the thing), for which we have not determined whether it is a formation or possibly the real thing. Furthermore, with the significant melt back of the last few years, and the thinness of the ice cap as a result, a number of claimed locations for the Ark can now be dismissed. In fact, I am aware of only two major locations where the Ark might still be resting on Ararat. Arrangements are being made to check these locations, with the understanding that current conditions in the Middle East will probably prohibit this for some time."
Book of Jasher: CHAPTER V.
5. And all who followed the Lord died in those days, before they saw the evil which God declared to do upon the earth. 6. And after the lapse of many years, in the four hundred and eightieth year of the life of Noah, when all those men, who following the Lord had died away from amongst the sons of men, and only Methuselah was then left, God said unto Noah and Methuselah, saying, 7. Speak ye, and proclaim to the sons of men, saying, Thus saith the Lord, return from your evil ways and forsake your works. and the Lord will repent of the evil that he declared to do to you, so that it shall not come to pass. 8. For thus saith the Lord, Behold l give you a period of one hundred and twenty years; if you will turn to me and forsake your evil ways, then will I also turn away from the evil which I told you, and it shall not exist, saith the Lord. 9. And Noah and Methuselah spoke all the words of the Lord to the sons of men, day after day, constantly speaking to them. 10. But the sons of men would not hearken to them, nor incline their ears to their words, and they were stiff-necked. 11. And the Lord granted them a period of one hundred and twenty years, saying, If they will return, then will God repent of the evil, so as not to destroy the earth. 12. And Noah the son of Lamech refrained from taking a wife in those days, to beget children, for he said, Surely now God will destroy the earth, wherefore then shall I beget children ? 13. And Noah was a just man, he was perfect in his generation, and the Lord chose him to raise up seed from this seed upon the face of the earth. 14. And the Lord said unto Noah, take thee a wife, and beget children, for I have seen thee righteous before me in this generation. 15. And thou shalt raise up seed, and thy children with thee, in the midst of the earth; and Noah went and took a wife, and he chose Naamah the daughter of Enoch, and she was five hundred and eighty years old. 16. And Noah was four hundred and ninety-eight years old, when he took Naamah for a wife. 17. And Naamah conceived and bare a son, and he called his name Japheth, saying' God has enlarged me in the earth; and she conceived again and bare a son, and he called his name Shem, saying, God has made me a remnant, to raise up seed in the midst of the earth. 18. And Noah was five hundred and two years old when Naamah bare Shem, and the boys grew up and went in the ways of the Lord, in all that Methuselah and Noah their father taught them. 19. And Lamech the father of Noah died in those days; yet verily he did not go with all his heart in the ways of his father, and he died in the hundred and ninety-fifth year of the life of Noah. 20. And in the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy years, and he died. 21. And all the sons of men who knew the Lord, died in that year before the Lord brought evil upon them; for the Lord willed them to die, so as not to behold the evil that God would bring upon their brothers and relatives, as he had so declared to do. 22. In that time, the Lord said to Noah and Methuselah, Stand forth and proclaim to the sons of men all the words that I spoke to you in those days, peradventure they may turn from their evil ways, and I will then repent of the evil and will not bring it. 23. And Noah and Methuselah stood forth, and said in the ears of the sons of men, all that God had spoken concerning them. 24.. But the sons of men would not hearken, neither would they incline their ears to all their declarations. 25 And it was after this that the Lord said to Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me, on account of their evil deeds, and behold I will destroy the earth. 26. And do thou take unto thee gopher wood, and go to a certain place and make a large ark, and place it in that spot. 27. And thus shalt thou make it; three hundred cubits its length, fifty cubits broad and thirty cubits high. 28. And thou shalt make unto thee a door, open at its side, and to a cubit thou shalt finish above, and cover it within and without with pitch. 29. And behold I will bring the flood of waters upon the earth and all flesh be destroyed, from under the heavens all that is upon earth shall perish. 30. And thou and thy household shall go and gather two couple of all living things, male, and female, and shall bring them to the ark, to raise up seed from them upon earth. 31. And gather unto thee all food that is eaten by all the animals, that there may be food for thee and for them. 32. And thou shalt choose for thy sons three maidens, from the daughters of men, and they shall be wives to thy sons. 33. And Noah rose up, and he made the ark, in the place where God had commanded him, and Noah did as God had ordered him.
CHAPTER VI.
1. At that time, after the death of Methuselah, the Lord said to Noah, Go thou with thy household into the ark; behold I will gather to thee all the animals of the earth, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and they shall all come and surround the Ark. 2. And thou shalt go and seat thyself by the doors of the ark, and all the beasts, the animals, and the fowls shall assemble and place themselves before thee, and such of them as shall come and crouch before thee, shalt thou take and deliver into the hands of thy sons, who shall bring them to the ark, and all that will stand before thee thou shaft leave. 3. And the Lord brought this about on the next day, and animals, beasts and fowls came in great multitudes and surrounded the ark. 4. And Noah went and seated himself by the door of the ark, and of all flesh that crouched before him, he brought into the ark, and all that stood before him he left upon earth. 8. And Noah brought into the ark from all living creatures that were upon earth, so that there was none left but which Noah brought into the ark. 9. Two and two came to Noah into the ark, but from the clean animals, and clean fowls, he brought seven couples, as God had commanded him. 10. And all the animals, and beasts, and fowls, were still there, and they surrounded the ark at every place, and the rain had not descended till seven days after. 11. And on that day, the Lord caused the whole earth to shake, and the sun darkened, and the foundations of the world raged, and the whole earth was moved violently, and the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared, and all the fountains in the earth were broken up, such as was not known to the inhabitants before; and God did this mighty act, in order to terrify the sons of men, that there might be no more evil upon earth. 12. And still the sons of men would not return from their evil ways, and they increased the anger of the Lord at that time, and did not even direct their hearts to all this. 13. And at the end of seven days, in the six hundredth year of the life of Noah, the waters of the flood were upon the earth. 14.And all the fountains of the deep were broken up and the windows of heaven were opened, and the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. 15.And Noah and his household, and all the living creatures that were with him, came into the ark on account of the waters of the flood, and the Lord shut him in. 16. And all the sons of men that were left upon the earth, became exhausted through evil on account of he rain, for the waters were coming more violently upon the earth, and the animals and beasts were still surrounding the ark. 17. And the sons of men assembled together, about seven hundred thousand men and women, and they came unto Noah to the ark. 18. And they called to Noah saying open for us that we may come to thee in the ark-and wherefore shall we die? 19. And Noah, with a loud voice, answered them from the ark, saying, Have you not all rebelled against the Lord, and said that he does not exist? and therefore the Lord brought upon this evil, to destroy and cut you off the face of the earth. 20. Is not this the thing that I spoke to you of one hundred and twenty years back, and you would not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and now do you desire to live upon earth ? 21. And they said to Noah, We are ready to return to the Lord; only open for us that we may live and not die. 22. And Noah answered them, saying, Behold now that you see the trouble of your souls, you wish to return to the Lord; why did you not return during these hundred and twenty years, which the Lord granted you as the determined period ? 23. But now you come and tell me this on account of the troubles of your souls, now also the Lord will not listen to you, neither will he give ear to you on this day, so that you will not now succeed in your wishes. 27. And the waters prevailed and they greatly increased upon the earth, and they lifted up the ark and it was raised from the earth. 28. And the ark floated upon the face of the waters, and it was tossed upon the waters so that all the living creatures within were turned about like pottage in a cauldron. 29. And great anxiety seized all the living creatures that were in the ark, and the ark was like to be broken. 30. And the living creatures that were in the ark were terrified, and the lions roared, and the oxen lowed, and the wolves howled, and every living creature in the ark spoke and lamented in its own language, so that their voices reached to a great distance, and Noah and his sons cried and wept in their troubles; they were greatly afraid that they had reached the gates of death. 31. And Noah prayed unto the Lord, and cried unto him on account of this, and he said, O Lord help us, for we have no strength to bear this evil that has encompassed us, for the waves of the waters have surrounded us, mischievous torrents have terrified us, the snares of death have come before us; answer us, O Lord, answer us, light up thy countenance toward us and be gracious to us, redeem us and deliver us. 32. And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Noah, and the Lord remembered him. 33. And the wind passed over the earth, and the waters were still and the ark rested. 34. And the fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. 35. And the waters decreased in those days, and the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat. 37. And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Noah, and said to him, When though shalt have completed a full year thou shalt then go forth. 38. And at the revolution of the year, when a full year was completed to Noah's dwelling in the ark, the waters were dried from off the earth, and Noah put off the covering of the ark. 39. At that time, on the twenty-seventh day of the second month, the earth was dry, but Noah and his sons, and those that were with him, did not go out from the ark until the Lord told them. 42. And he said to them Be fruitful and fill all the earth; become strong and increase abundantly in the earth and multiply therein.
Book of Jubilees
Adam said to his Children "And behold, I see your works before me and that you do not walk in righteousness but you have begun to walk in the path of destruction, and you separate each other and are envious of each other and you are not in harmony each of you with his brother. For behold. I see the demons and how they begin to seduce you and your children, and I fear for you that you might begin to shed blood of men after my death, and that you, I too, might be destroyed from the face of the earth." Jub. 7:26-27
"For calamity follows on calamity, and wound on wound, and tribulation on tribulation, and evil tidings on evil tidings, and illness on illness, and all evil judgments such as these, one with another, illness and overthrow, and snow and frost and ice, and fever, and chills, ant torpor, and famine, and death, and sword, and captivity, and all kinds of calamities and pains. And all these will come on an evil generation, which transgresses on the earth: their works are uncleanness and fornication, and pollution and abominations...For all have done evil, and every mouth speaks iniquity and all their works are an uncleanness and. an abomination, and all their ways are pollution, uncleanness and destruction. Behold the earth will be destroyed on account of all their works, and there will be no seed of the vine, and no oil; for their works are altogether faithless, and they will all perish together, beasts and cattle and birds, and all the fish of the sea, on account of the children of men. And they will strive one with another, the young with the old, and the old with the young, the poor with the rich, and the lowly with the great, and the beggar with the prince, on account of the law and the covenant; for they have forgotten commandment, and covenant, and feasts, and months, and Sabbaths, and jubilees, and all judgments. And they will stand (with bows and) swords and war to turn them back into the way; but they will not return until much blood has been shed on the earth, one by another." Jub. 23: 13
Apocalypse of Adam
"And the total (number) of flesh will pass away in the (water). Then God will calm down in his wrath and he will place his power on the water and he will preserve (Noah) and his sons and their wives by the means of the ark, and the animals which were pleasing to him and the birds of the sky which he had called. He put them on the land and God will tell Noah, who will be called Deucalion by the generations:" Apoch. Adam p.70 lines 4-24
Apocalypse of Adam (Copt.) 69-70." Downpourings of rain will destroy all flesh but mighty angels will come down from heaven and lead away those men to a place where the Spirit of life is to be found."
Combat of Adam and Eve, p. 361." The animals were urged on to the ark by the trembling of the earth; the sea rose in violent agitation, the winds were terrible, the sun disappeared and all the sky...The sea cast mountain waves upon the land."
Ginzberg, Legends of The Jews
Are ye not those who rebelled against God, saying "There is no God'? Therefore He has brought ruin upon you, to annihilate you and destroy you off the face of the earth. Have I not been prophesying this unto you these hundred and twenty years, and you would not give heed unto the voice of God? Yet now you desire to keep alive! Then the sinners cried out: So be it! We are all ready now to turn back to God if only thou wilt open the door of the ark to receive us, that we might live and not die." Ginz. 1:158
Cave of Treasures
"And the Lord drew with his own finger for Noah and said: Behold, this is how the vessel should look like, there shall be a hundred-fifty rooms in the right wing and a hundred rooms in the left wing, and it shall be thirty-three rooms in the front and thirty three rooms in the back. In the middle there shall be ten rooms for food storage .
The first story shalt be for lions and beasts and the animals and ostriches all together. The second story shall be for birds and creeping things. And the third story shall be for you and your wife, for your sons and their wives" (Cave of Treasures 14:9)
Zohar
"When Noah grew up and saw how mankind was sinning before the Lord, he withdrew himself from their association and sought to serve his master in order that he would not be led astray. He was especially diligent in the study of the Book of Adam and the Book of Enoch." Vol. 1 p. 58
The Sibylline Oracles Book 1
Noah bidden prepare for the Flood
" Noah alone among al! was most upright and true, a most trustworthy man, concerned for noble deeds., To him God himself spoke as follows from heaven: ' Noah, embolden yourself. and proclaim-repentance to all the peoples, so that all may be saved. ... But if they do not heed, since they have a shameless spirit, I will destroy the entire race with great floods of waters. But I bid you to construct quickly an imperishable wooden house. flourishing with unthirsting roots. I will place a mind in your breast, and crafty skill, and (will put) measures in your lap; I will take care of every thing so that you and as many as live with you will be saved.
He entreated the peoples and began to speak in words like these:
'Men sated with faithlessness, smitten with a great madness, what you did will not escape the notice of God, for he knows all things the immortal savior, who oversees everything, who commanded me to announce to you, so that you may not be destroyed by your hearts. Be sober, cut off evils, and stop fighting violently with each other, having a blood thirsty heart, drenching much earth with human blood. Mortals, stand in awe of the exceedingly great, fearless heavenly creator. imperishable God, who inhabits the vault of heaven. and entreat him, all of you--for he is good- -for life, cities, and the whole world, four-footed animals and birds. so that he will be gracious to all. For the time will come when the whole immense world of men perishing by waters will wail with a dread refrain. Suddenly you will find the air in confusion and the wrath of the great God will come upon you from heaven. It will truly come to pass that the immortal savior will cast forth upon men...unless you propitiate God and repent as from now, and no longer anyone do anything ill-tempered or evil, lawlessly against one another but be guarded in holy life.' When they heard him they sneered at him, each one calling him demented, a man gone mad. Then again Noah cried out a refrain:
'O very wretched, evil-hearted fickle men abandoning modesty, desiring shamelessness, tyrants in fickleness and violent sinners, liars, sated with faithlessness, evildoers, truthful in nothing, adulterers, ingenious at pouring out slander not fearing the anger of the most high God, you who were preserved till the fifth generation to make retribution. You do not bewail each other, cruel ones, but laugh. You will laugh with a bitter smile when this comes to pass I say, the terrible and strange water of God. Whenever the abominable race disappears root and all in a single night, and the earth-shaking land-quaker will .scatter cities complete with their inhabitants. and the hiding places of the earth and will undo walls, then also the entire world of innumerable men will die. But as for me, how much will lament; how much will I weep in my wooden house, how many tears will I mingle with the waves? For if this water commanded by God comes on, earth will swim mountains will swim. even the sky will swim. All will be water and all things will perish in water.'"
Noah enters the Ark
"But when he had spoken these things in vain to a lawless generation the Most High appeared. He again cried out and spoke. 'Now the time is at hand, Noah, (to say all in turn), to do to the immense world everything which on that day I promised and indicated to you, as much as the myriad evils generations did previously, on account of a faithless people.
But quickly go on board with your sons and wife and daughters-in-law. Call as many as I bid you to address, species of four-footed animals, and serpents and birds. I will subsequently put in he breasts of as many as I apportion life to go willingly.' Thus he spoke. But the man went, cried out loudly and spoke and then his spouse and sons and daughters-in-law entered the wooden house. But then the other creatures went in turn, as many as God wished to save."
The Flood
"He threw clouds together and hid the brightly gleaming disk. Having covered the moon, .together with the stars and the- crown of heaven. All around, he thundered loudly, a terror to mortals, sending out hurricanes. All the storm winds were gathered together and all the springs of waters were released as the great cataracts were opened from heaven and from the recesses of the earth. and the endless abyss measureless waters appeared and the entire immense earth was covered
The wondrous house itself swam on the flood. Battered by many raging waves and swimming under the impact of the winds, it surged terribly. The keel cut immense foam as the rushing waters were moved. But when God had deluged the entire world with rains then Noah considered that he might look on... Beholding the great mass of limitless waters, Noah was struck with terror to see with his eyes only death on all sides, and he quivered greatly at heart. And then the air drew back a little, since it had labored many days drenching the whole world, and showed then the great vault of heaven at evening, as it were bloodied greenish-yellow, and the brightly gleaming disk pressed Noah barely maintained his courage. And then taking one dove aside, he cast it out, so that he might know in his heart whether firm land had yet appeared. But she. laboring with her wings, having flown all over, returned again; for the water was not receding, but rather it had filled everything. But he waited again some days and sent a dove once more, so that he might know if the great waters had ceased. But she, flying, winged her way and went on the land. Having rested herself a little on the damp land, she returned to Noah again, bringing an olive twig, a great-sign of her message...Courage and great joy seized them all because they were hoping to see land. And then afterward he sent out quickly another black-winged bird. But this one, trusting in his wings, flew prudently, and when he cane lo the land he stayed there. And Noah knew that land was ,near, closer by. There is a certain tall lofty mountain on the dark mainland It is called Ararat. in this place the Ark remained on. lofty summits when the waters had subsided. Then again from heaven the wondrous voice of the great God cried out as follows: "Noah, trustworthy righteous man who has been preserved, go forth boldly with your sons and wife and three daughters-in-law and fill the whole earth increasing and multiplying, dealing justly with each other, to generations of generations, until the whole race of men comes to trial, when there will be judgment for all. Thus the heavenly voice spoke. But Noah took courage and jumped to the land from the Ark, and his sons with him and his wife, and daughters-in-law and serpents and birds, the species of four-footed animals and all the other creatures together went out of the wooden house into one place. And then Noah most righteous of men, came out eight, having fulfilled forty-one dawns on the waters, through the counsels of the great God. (Book 1)
Josephus: Antiquities of The Jews
3:1-8 : "Now this posterity of Seth continued to esteem God as the Lord of the universe, and to have an entire regard to virtue, for seven generations; but in process of time they were perverted, and forsook the practices of their forefathers, and did neither pay those honors to God which were appointed them, nor had they any concern to do Justice towards men. But for what degree of zeal they had formerly shewn for virtue, they now shewed by their actions a double degree of wickedness, whereby they made God to be their enemy; for many angels of God accompanied with women, and begat sons that proved unjust and despisers of all that was good, on account of the confidence they had in their own strength, for the tradition is that these men did what resembled the acts of those whom the Grecians call giants. But Noah was very uneasy at what they did; and, being displeased at their conduct, persuaded them to change their dispositions and their acts for the better; but, seeing that they did not yield to him, but were slaves to their wicked pleasures he was afraid they would kill him, together with his wife and children, and those they had married; so he departed out of that land.
2. Now God loved this man for his righteousness; yet he not only condemned those other men for their wickedness, but determined to destroy the whole race of mankind, and to make another race that should be pure from wickedness; and cutting short their lives, and making their years not so many as they formerly lived but one hundred and twenty only, he turned the dry land into sea, and thus were all these men destroyed: but Noah alone was saved, for God suggested to him the following contrivances and way of escape:-That he should make an ark of four stories high, three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits broad, and thirty cubits high. Accordingly he entered into that ark, and his wife and sons, and their wives; and Put into it not only other provisions, to support their wants there, but also sent in with the rest all sorts of living creatures, the male and his female, for the preservation of their kinds; and others of them by sevens. Now this ark had firm walls, and a roof, and was braced with cross beams, so that it could not be any way drowned or overborne by the violence of the water, and thus was Noah with his family preserved. Now he was the tenth from Adam, as being the son of Lamech whose father was Methuselah. He was the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, and Jared was the son of Malaleel, who, with many of his sisters were the children of Cainan, the son of Enos Now Enos was the son of Seth, the son of Adam
3. This calamity happened in the sixth hundredth year of Noah's government, [age,] in the second month. called by the Macedonians Dius.
4. For indeed Seth was born when Adam was in his two hundred and thirtieth year, who lived nine hundred and thirty years. Seth begat Enos in his two hundred and fifth year, who when he had lived nine hundred and twelve years, delivered the government to Cainan his son, whom he had in his hundred and ninetieth year; he lived nine hundred and five years. Cainan, when he had lived nine hundred and ten years, had his son Malaleel, who was born in his hundred and seventieth year. This Malaleel, having lived eight hundred and ninety-five years, died, leaving his son Jared, whom he begat when he was in his hundred and sixty-fifth year. He lived nine hundred and sixty-two years, and then his son Enoch succeeded him who was born when his father was one hundred and sixty-two years old. Now he, when he had lived three hundred and sixty-five years, departed, and went to God, whence it is that they have not written down his death. Now Methuselah the son of Enoch, who was born to him when he was one hundred and sixty-five years old, had Lamech for his son when he was one hundred and eighty-seven years of age, to whom he delivered the government, when he had retained it nine hundred and sixty-nine years. Now Lamech. when he had governed seven hundred and seventy-seven years, appointed Noah his son to be ruler of the people, who was born to Lamech when he was one hundred and eighty two years old, and retained the government nine hundred and fifty years. These years collected together make up the sum before set down; but let no one inquire into the deaths of these men, for they extended their lives along together with their children and grandchildren but let him have regard to their births only.
5. When God gave the signal, and it began to rain, the water poured down forty entire days till it became fifteen cubits higher than the earth, which was the reason why there was no greater number preserved, since they had no place to fly to. When the rain ceased, the water but just begin to abate, after one hundred and fifty days (that is, on the seventeenth day of the seventh month) it then ceasing to subside for little while. After this the ark rested on the top of a certain mountain in Armenia; which, when Noah understood, he opened it and seeing a small piece of land about it, he continued quiet, and conceived some cheerful hopes of deliverance; but a few days afterward, when the water was decreased to a greater degree, he sent out a raven, as desirous to learn whether any other part of the earth were left dry by the water, and whether he might go out of the ark with safety but the raven, finding all the land still overflowed, returned to Noah again. And after seven days he sent out a dove, to know the state of the ground which came back to him covered with mud, and bringing an olive-branch. Hereby Noah learned that the earth was become clear of the flood. So after he had stayed seven more days, he sent the living creatures out of the ark; and both he and his family went out, when he also sacrificed to God, and feasted with his companions. However, the Armenians call this place The Place of Descent; for the ark being saved in that place, its remains are shewn there by the inhabitants to this day.
6. Now all the writers of barbarian histories make mention of this flood and of this ark; among whom is Berosus the Chaldean; fur 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 mischief's " 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 he the man about whom Moses the legislator of the Jews wrote."
7. But as for Noah, he was afraid, since God had determined to destroy mankind, lest he should drown the earth every year; so he offered burnt-offerings, and besought God 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 addicted with the terror and sight of the first deluge, and must also be destroyed by a second. He also entreated God to accept of his sacrifice, 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
8. When Noah had made these supplications God, who loved the man for his righteousness granted entire success to his prayers, and said that it w as 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 shall at any time send tempests of rain in an extraordinary manner, be not affrighted at the largeness of the showers, for the waters shall 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 them 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 God;] and when God had said and promised thus, he went away.
"And after that [Enoch] showed me the angels of punishment who are prepared to come and let loose all the powers of the waters...to bring judgment and destruction on all who dwell on the earth. And the Lord of Spirits gave commandments to the angels who were going forth, that they should not cause the waters to rise, but should hold them in check." (1 Enoch 66:1.)
"Then I will command the abyss, and the water reserves of heaven will descend upon the earth . . . and all the earth will be shaken and no longer have foundation. "
Secrets of Enoch 22 (Vaillant)
2 Enoch-"I know the wickedness of men, but I shall leave over one just man with all his house...and that race shall reveal the books of thy handwriting, and of thy fathers...among the children of men; the guardians of the earth shall show them that race.'"
1 Enoch 10:20
"You must cleanse the earth from all uncleanness, wickedness, sin and impiety. Bring to a halt every kind of uncleanness now occurring on earth.
Gizeh 1:5.
" And all the people shall fear...and trembling and great fear shall seize them to the extremities of the earth. 6. And high mountains shall be shaken and shall fall and be dissolved and the mountains shall flow down, "to slip through, to leak, to fall away like water" and be turned into side channels, and shall melt like wax before a flame. 7. And the earth will be rent with a splitting and a crackling], and everything on the earth will be destroyed."
1 Enoch (Black) 102:1-3
" And when he gives forth his voice against you, will ye not be shaken and affrighted by the mighty sound? And the whole earth shall be shaken, and trembling, and thrown into confusion...And the heaven and its lights be shaken and trembling, [and] all the sons of the earth."
Gizeh 10:20
"And cleanse thou the earth from all uncleanness and from all unrighteousness and from all sin and corruption and purge away all impurities, which have come upon the earth. And all the earth shall be cleansed from all pollution and from all impurities.... "
Secrets of Enoch 11
"Therefore I will command the abyss, and the deposits of the waters of heaven will descend...and the earth will be shaken and lose its stability."
bin Gorion 1:195. "The rains of the Flood were intermingled with showers of fire from heaven."
1 Enoch 67:5-7
" And I saw that valley in which there was a great convulsion, and a convulsion of the waters. . . 6. ...from that fiery molten metal and from the convulsion. thereof in that place, there was produced. a smell of sulfur, and it was connected with those waters...7. And through its valley proceed streams of fire."
Black 102:1.
"And when he gives forth his voice...2. the whole earth shall be shaken and trembling and thrown into confusion."
1 Enoch 52-.6.
" These mountains...shall be in the presence of the Elect One as wax; before the fire, and like the water which streams down from above..."
Secrets of Enoch 13 (Vallant).
" I have heard the words of the Lord like a great thunder amidst ceaseless agitation of the clouds. The Lord of the Earth is terrible and most perilous when he gives forth his voice against you, will not--you be shaken and affrighted by the mighty, sound? And the whole earth shall--be shaken and trembling and thrown into confusion".
"The time is approaching when all life is to be destroyed on the earth. For in those days there shall be great disorder on the earth ...and the Adversary will glorify himself and rejoice in [his followers'] works, to my Lord's affliction." As a result, "the order of the entire earth will change, and every fruit and plant will change its season, awaiting the time of destruction...the earth itself will be shaken and lose all solidity." It is the reversal of all values as they "worship not the righteous law...deny the righteous judgment, and...take His name in vain."
1 Enoch 60:6
"Their ruin is accomplished because they have learnt all the secrets of the angels, and all the violence of the Satans, and all their powers the most secret ones"
1 Enoch 65:6.
"More aggressively, they began to sin against the birds and the beasts...and against each other, eating flesh and drinking blood, while the earth fell under the rule of the lawless"
Gizeh Fragment, VII, 4.
"In the Enoch story, darkening heavens, torrential rains, and all manner of meteoric disturbances alternate with periods of terrible drought, when "every cloud and mist and dew shall be withheld because of your sins...If God closes the windows of heaven and hinders the dew and rain from falling because of you, what will you do?" Enoch asks them."
Greek Enoch 100:11.
"The whole earth shall be shaken, and tremble, and be thrown into confusion...and the heavens and its lights be trembling."
Greek Enoch 102:1.
"For they have sinned, all of them, the multitudes of that time, their wives, sons, daughters, horses [mules], their property, and all the birds that were in the world, which God destroyed with them in the Flood. All that sinned were swept away."
BHM 5:171
" Enoch foretold, all the people shall fear...and trembling and great fear shall seize them to the extremities of the earth, and the high mountains shall be shaken and fall down and be dissolved...flow down--be turned into side-channels, and shall melt like wax before a flame; and the earth will be destroyed."
Gizeh Fragment, I, 5.
1 Enoch 60:3." And a great trembling seized me, and fear took hold of me, and my loins gave way and dissolved were my reins, and I fell upon my face, 4. For I had not been able to endure the look of this host, and the commotion and the quaking of heaven. "
1 Enoch (Black) 98:7. "Think not in your souls...that...your wrongdoings are not observed nor written down before the highest. 8. From now on all your transgressions are written down day and night until your judgment."
"Noah and Nir feared greatly, for the child was completely grown and spoke with his mouth and blessed the Lord. And Noah and Nir examined the child and declared: This is from the Lord, my brother! Behold the seal of the priesthood on his breast! Noah said to Nir: Brother, behold the Lord has restored the dwelling of his sanctification among us. And they washed the child and clothed him in the robes of the high Priest and he ate the bread of benediction, and they called him Melchizedek. And Noah said to Nir: Guard the child, for the people have become wicked on all the earth and will try to kill him. Nor, praying to God, was told in a vision of the, night: "A great destruction is coming...As to the child [Melchizedek], I will send my archangel Michael and he will take the child and place him in the Paradise of Eden...and he will be my priest of Priests forever, Melchizedek. And Nir...said I know that this race will be destroyed entirely, and Noah my brother will be saved for the procreations, and that a numerous race will arise from his seed and Melchizedek will become the head of Priests."
Secrets of Enoch 23
"I am Enoch the son of Jared. When the generation of the Flood committed sin and said to God, 'Turn away from us, for the knowledge of thy ways give us no pleasure!' then the Holy One delivered me from them that I might be a witness against them in the high heavens for all ages to come, that no one might say, 'The Merciful One is cruel!"'
A. Jellinek, Be! ha-Midrash (hereinafter BHM),
"The two measures of chastisement that come upon the race are not to be distinguished from two tears of the Holy One, and, when God sets about to destroy the wicked, then the Messiah lifts up his voice and weeps...and all the righteous and Saints break out in crying and lamenting with him."
Zohar, Shemoth
"Dost thou think that there is no anguish to the angels in the presence of the Mighty One?...Dost thou think that in these things the Most High rejoices, or that his name is glorified?"
2 Baruch 67:2-3.
Secrets of Enoch 41:1 (Morfill) " And I saw...and I sighed and wept, and spake of the ruin [caused by] their wickedness. 2. And I meditated in my heart and said: Blessed is the man who is not yet born [etc.].
Gizeh 8.
"And there was a great wickedness in the earth Satan teaching men all manner of ungodliness. 9. Then the great angels...went and reported to God, saying, What shall we do? 10:1. So the Highest sent Israel to the Son of Lamech [Noah]. 2. Tell him in My name to hide himself Teach the righteous what to do...to preserve his soul and escape. because all the earth is going to be destroyed3. And teach him how he may escape.... "
A very early Egyptian ritual text, Papyrus Salt 825, has recently been reexamined. It gives a vivid picture of world upheaval amidst universal weeping: "O make lamentation, Gods and Goddesses...The earth is desolate, the Sun does not come forth, the moon is reversed in her course; Nun [the watery firmament] trembles, the earth is overturned, all mortals shall weep and mourn, the gods and goddesses also, all mankind, the Akhw, the dead, the beast of the field, the herds...with a sore weeping. Hor has wept, the water descending from his eye to the earth....Then Shw and Tefnut set to weeping with a great weeping [this pair represent the heavens above and the earth beneath; cf.] 'The whole heavens shall weep over them...Wherefore should not the heavens weep? Then Re wept anew, and the water that came down to earth.'" [Compiled By Glen W. Chapman, June 1996].
Note: The Book of Jasher quoted is a late fabrication and is not the same book as mentioned in the OT several times.
The book of Enoch is authentic and dates to before the time of Christ. It was quoted in the book of Jude, written by the Half-brother of Jesus!
The book of Jubilees, likewise predates Christ by almost 200 years. Sibylline Oracles dates to about 140 B.C.
To learn more about these ancient books I recommend the two volume set by James Charlesworth. Also, there is a good book with an updated translation of some of these books. I find them fascinating because they help us understand the theology of the period around the time of Christ. I have these books and will be glad to forward passages that anyone wants to study. There is also a rare book (I have a copy) by Jack Lewis, A Study of the Interpretation of Noah and the Flood in Jewish and Christian Literature.Ê This book deals with most of the literature mentioned by Dolphin.
One other note: These ancient books interpret the sin of Gen. 6 as intermarriage between humans and evil angels who took the form of humans. This messing with the human genome is what caused God to judge the earth---according to these writers.
Bill Crouse, bcrouse@fni.com 2/26/03
Revised 2/26/03.