How high the flood rose.

The waters rose to the height of 15 cubits, or 25 feet above the summit of the highest mountain.

Who was saved. The only persons saved were Noah and his three sons, with the four women, their wives;

What else was saved.

Two of every unclean beast and bird, fit for neither food nor sacrifice, and seven of every clean creature.

Calmet says: The number of beasts received into the ark is not so great as some have imagined. We know about 150 species of quadrupeds; of birds somewhat more, but smaller in size; of reptiles 30 or 40 species. Of beasts not more than six species are larger than a horse, and among birds, few are larger than a swan.

On the other hand, Dr. J. Pye Smith says: There are of existing mammalia more than 1000 distinct species; of birds 5000; of reptiles 2000; and of insects at least 100,000 species.-Geo. p. 155.

were saved.

How they All these creatures were saved in a great Ark built by Noah, under the direction of God.

Size of The size of this Ark was about

the ark.

550 feet long, 90 broad, and 50 high. It was built of gopher or cypress wood,

and was pitched both within and without with pitch.

What the ark It resembled in appearance a

resembled.

great house; but it had only one door and one window.

How the ark

was divided.

It was divided into three stories besides the hold, which probably contained fresh water for the use of its inmates.

According to Dr. Hales, the Ark was large enough to contain 20,000 men.

The first storey might be the granary to contain one year's provisions for the animals in the Ark; the second might be appropriated for the quadrupeds; and the third for the fowls. The hold would contain 31,174 bushels of fresh water; the granary was amply sufficient to contain all the hay, fruits, and herbs, which would be required; and the second storey would contain not only the quadrupeds to be saved, but also 3650 sheep for food.-(Calmet.)

took to build.

How long it Noah took 120 years to build the ark; during all which time he exhorted men to repent that God's wroth. might be averted; but they heeded. him not.

A.M. 1657.]

How long Noah

was in the ark.

He was shut up in the ark for twelve months and two weeks, but the waters of the flood began to abate on the 150th day.

Where the

ark stranded.

The wind blew the ark to Armēnia, where it struck against the top of Mount Arărat, and rested there in the 7th month.

Mount Ar'arat lies 39° north latitude, and 40′ 30′ east longitude. It is nearly in the middle of the vast ridge called Taurus, between the Euxine and Caspian Seas. Its summit rises 17,260 feet above the sea, and is in the region of perpetual snow. The entire distance which the Ark passed over in seven months was probably not above 100 miles.

How Noah knew In order to know if the

the flood abated.

waters had abated, Noah sent forth a raven and a dove. The raven never returned, but the dove flew back, and was taken into the ark again.

Why the raven The raven did not return be

did not return.

cause it found ample food in the dead carcases which floated on the waters.

Why the dove did return.

The dove, on the other hand,

returned because it could not feed on carrion, and no green thing had yet appeared.

experiment.

Noah repeats the After a lapse of seven days, Noah sent forth the dove again; and in the evening it came back with a green olive leaf in her beak.

Noah's inference He instantly inferred that the

therefrom.

tops of the trees were above the level of the water.

The dove sent He sent it out a third time

forth again.

after seven more days; and as it returned not, Noah knew the earth was dry enough to supply the bird with food. How Noah pro- He then uncovered the ark, and at God's bidding left it; having been shut up therein for one year and two weeks.

ceeded then.

He entered the Ark, October, B.C. 2344, and debarked October, B.C. 2343.

What was his His first care on debarking

first concern.

was to offer up sacrifice to God for his safe deliverance.

God made him.

What promise GOD thereupon promised him never again to destroy the world by a flood, or to interrupt the regular succession of the seasons. (Gen. ix. 13, 14.)

This promise,

how confirmed.

He confirmed this promise by

a rainbow, which He said should be for a sign or witness of the promise he had made.

Rainbows are caused by the sun shining on drops of rain falling in the opposite part of the heavens. (See Dr. Brewer's Guide to Science.)

If, before the flood, the earth was watered with out rain by a "thick mist issuing daily from the ground" (Gen. ii. 5, 6), there could have been no rainbow; if, on the other hand, rain fell before the flood, the rainbow was not created when Noah left the ark, but merely taken by God as a present and suitable oath of confirmation of his promise. "You see this rainbow, I take it to witness of this promise; and whenever a rainbow appears, it shall remind the world and me of this my oath."

tled afterwards.

Where Noah set. After the flood, Noah and his family settled in Armēnia, a little to the south of Mount Ar'arat.

His three sons. The names of his three sons were Shem, Ham, and Japheth.