כִּי֩ לְיָמִ֨ים ע֜וֹד שִׁבְעָ֗ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ מַמְטִ֣יר עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָ֑יְלָה וּמָחִ֗יתִי אֶֽת־כָּל־הַיְקוּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔יתִי מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃
Sebab tujuh hari lagi Aku akan menurunkan hujan ke atas bumi empat puluh hari dan empat puluh malam, dan Aku akan menghapus dari muka tanah segala makhluk hidup yang telah Kujadikan.
Bereshit Rabbah
It is written: “The Lord tests the righteous, but He hates the wicked and the one who loves injustice” (Psalms 11:5) – Rabbi Yonatan said: A potter does not test flimsy jugs, as he would not be able to knock on them even once without breaking them. What does he test? Sturdy jugs, as even if he knocks on them several times, they do not break. So, too, the Holy One blessed be He does not test the wicked, but only the righteous, as it is stated: “The Lord tests the righteous,” and it is written: “God tested Abraham” (Genesis 22:1). Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥanina said: A linen producer, when he knows that his flax is high quality, the more he crushes it, the better it becomes, the more he beats it the more it improves. But when he knows that the flax is low quality, he would not be able to beat it even once without it breaking. So, too, the Holy One blessed be He does not test the wicked, but only the righteous, as it is stated: “The Lord tests the righteous.”
Rabbi Elazar said: This is analogous to a proprietor [of a farm] who had two cows, one strong and one feeble. Upon which does he place the yoke? Is it not upon the strong one? So, too, the Holy One blessed be He tests the righteous, as it is stated: “The Lord tests the righteous.” “The Lord tests the righteous” – this refers to Noah,11Noah was commanded to enter the ark several days before the rain started (see Genesis 7:4). This was to test whether he would follow God’s commands. as it is stated: “The Lord said to Noah…as I have seen you to be righteous before Me in this generation.”
Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya said: We find that one speaks some of a person’s praises in his presence, and all of it [his praises] when not in his presence, as it says in Noah’s regard: “Noah was a righteous man, faultless [in his generation]” (Genesis 6:9) – when not in his presence; and it is written: “As I have seen you to be righteous12Omitting “faultless.” before Me in this generation” – when in his presence.
Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili said: We have found that one speaks some of the praises of the One who spoke and made the world come into being when in His presence,13When speaking to Him directly. as it is stated: “Say to God: How awesome are Your deeds…” (Psalms 66:3). And when not in His presence, it says: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His kindness is forever” (Psalms 136:1).14Stressing that God’s goodness is forever, which goes beyond what the first verse says.
Rabbi Elazar said: This is analogous to a proprietor [of a farm] who had two cows, one strong and one feeble. Upon which does he place the yoke? Is it not upon the strong one? So, too, the Holy One blessed be He tests the righteous, as it is stated: “The Lord tests the righteous.” “The Lord tests the righteous” – this refers to Noah,11Noah was commanded to enter the ark several days before the rain started (see Genesis 7:4). This was to test whether he would follow God’s commands. as it is stated: “The Lord said to Noah…as I have seen you to be righteous before Me in this generation.”
Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya said: We find that one speaks some of a person’s praises in his presence, and all of it [his praises] when not in his presence, as it says in Noah’s regard: “Noah was a righteous man, faultless [in his generation]” (Genesis 6:9) – when not in his presence; and it is written: “As I have seen you to be righteous12Omitting “faultless.” before Me in this generation” – when in his presence.
Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili said: We have found that one speaks some of the praises of the One who spoke and made the world come into being when in His presence,13When speaking to Him directly. as it is stated: “Say to God: How awesome are Your deeds…” (Psalms 66:3). And when not in His presence, it says: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His kindness is forever” (Psalms 136:1).14Stressing that God’s goodness is forever, which goes beyond what the first verse says.
Bereshit Rabbah
“For in seven more days, I will make it rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will obliterate all existence that I made from on the face of the earth” (Genesis 7:4).
“For in seven more days, [I will make it rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights]” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: They violated the Torah that was given in forty days; therefore, [the Flood lasted] “forty days and forty nights.” Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakai said: They corrupted the human form that comes into being at forty days,16A fetus is considered to possess human form after forty days of gestation. therefore [the Flood lasted] “forty days and forty nights.”
“I will obliterate all existence [hayekum]” – Rabbi Berekhya said: The living beings [kiyum]. Rabbi Avun said : Its sustainers [yekuminei].17Mankind. Rabbi Levi said in the name of Reish Lakish: This refers to Cain,18Who “rose up” [kam] against Abel to kill him (Genesis 4:8). who had been suspended in abeyance until the Flood came and swept him away, as it is stated: “He obliterated all existence [yekum]” (Genesis 7:23).
“Noah did; according to everything that God commanded him, so he did” (Genesis 6:22) – this pertains to the gathering of the animals, beasts, and birds.
“For in seven more days, [I will make it rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights]” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: They violated the Torah that was given in forty days; therefore, [the Flood lasted] “forty days and forty nights.” Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakai said: They corrupted the human form that comes into being at forty days,16A fetus is considered to possess human form after forty days of gestation. therefore [the Flood lasted] “forty days and forty nights.”
“I will obliterate all existence [hayekum]” – Rabbi Berekhya said: The living beings [kiyum]. Rabbi Avun said : Its sustainers [yekuminei].17Mankind. Rabbi Levi said in the name of Reish Lakish: This refers to Cain,18Who “rose up” [kam] against Abel to kill him (Genesis 4:8). who had been suspended in abeyance until the Flood came and swept him away, as it is stated: “He obliterated all existence [yekum]” (Genesis 7:23).
“Noah did; according to everything that God commanded him, so he did” (Genesis 6:22) – this pertains to the gathering of the animals, beasts, and birds.