Friday, March 25, 2011
about Noah's Ark
A painting by the American Edward Hicks (1780 - 1849), showing the animals boarding Noah's Ark two by two.Noah's Ark (Hebrew: תֵּבַת נֹחַ, Tebhath Noaḥ in Classical Hebrew; Tevat Noakh in Modern Hebrew) is the vessel which, according to the Book of Genesis (chapters 6-9) and the Quran (surah Hud), was built by Noah at God's command to save himself, his family, and the world's animals from a worldwide deluge.
God, seeing the wickedness of man, is grieved by his creation and resolves to send a great flood. He sees that Noah is a man "righteous in his generation," and gives him detailed instructions for the Ark. When the animals are safe on board God sends the Flood, which rises until all the mountains are covered and all life is destroyed. At the height of the flood the Ark rests on the mountains, the waters abate, and dry land reappears. Noah, his family, and the animals leave the Ark, and God vows to never again send a flood to destroy the Earth.
The narrative has been subject to extensive elaborations in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, ranging from hypothetical solutions to practical problems (e.g., waste disposal and the problem of lighting the interior), through to theological interpretations (e.g., the Ark as the precursor of the church in offering salvation to mankind). Although traditionally accepted as historical, by the 19th century growing impact of scientific and biblical interpretation had led most people to abandon a literal interpretation of the Ark story. Nevertheless, biblical literalists continue to explore the mountains of Ararat, where the Bible says the Ark came to rest
God, seeing the wickedness of man, is grieved by his creation and resolves to send a great flood. He sees that Noah is a man "righteous in his generation," and gives him detailed instructions for the Ark. When the animals are safe on board God sends the Flood, which rises until all the mountains are covered and all life is destroyed. At the height of the flood the Ark rests on the mountains, the waters abate, and dry land reappears. Noah, his family, and the animals leave the Ark, and God vows to never again send a flood to destroy the Earth.
The narrative has been subject to extensive elaborations in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, ranging from hypothetical solutions to practical problems (e.g., waste disposal and the problem of lighting the interior), through to theological interpretations (e.g., the Ark as the precursor of the church in offering salvation to mankind). Although traditionally accepted as historical, by the 19th century growing impact of scientific and biblical interpretation had led most people to abandon a literal interpretation of the Ark story. Nevertheless, biblical literalists continue to explore the mountains of Ararat, where the Bible says the Ark came to rest
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