The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained,
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to focus on the grand scale of the flood receding, but notice how the text emphasizes the stopping of these immense sources of water. This isn't just the rain ceasing; it's the very "fountains of the deep" and "windows of heaven" being shut, implying a deliberate divine act to halt the cataclysm. This highlights that the end of the flood was just as miraculous as its beginning.
The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained,
English Standard Version (ESV)
After over a year of being shut inside the ark, Noah and his family have weathered the cataclysmic flood. Now, with God's intervention, the forces that unleashed the deluge begin to recede, marking the turning point towards the earth’s renewal. This verse signifies the divine act of ceasing the torrential rain and closing the subterranean sources that had flooded the world.
The floodwaters didn't just disappear; they were intentionally stopped. What does this 'shutting' reveal about God's power and plan?
The verse describes a deliberate, supernatural act of God. The 'fountains of the deep' and the 'windows of heaven' were 'stopped' (or 'shut up' in Hebrew). This wasn't a natural receding of water but a divine intervention, mirroring the way the flood began.
The Source of the Deluge
A Controlled Reversal
God's power is demonstrated not only in unleashing the flood but also in bringing it to a halt. This wasn't a passive fading away but an active 'shutting off.' It shows that the entire catastrophic event was under God's sovereign control, from its beginning to its end. This restraint signifies the completion of judgment and the initiation of restoration.
The waters are receding, but the flood isn't over yet. What signs tell Noah that God's promise of renewal is on its way?
While verse 2 focuses on the stopping of the waters, the subsequent verses (like the dove and the olive leaf) point to the gradual process of the earth drying out. This period between the stopping of the waters and the earth becoming fully dry is crucial.
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Signs of Hope
God's Faithfulness in the Process
This transitional period, though perhaps still filled with uncertainty for Noah, is a testament to God's faithfulness. He remembered Noah and initiated the process of restoration. The slowing of the waters, marked by the restrained rain, signals that God's judgment has been met, and His promise of preservation is now actively unfolding.
Understand the original words
tehom · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the primeval watery chaos or the vast subterranean reservoirs of water mentioned in creation accounts. It symbolizes the chaotic, unformed power over which God exercises sovereignty and control.
c. 2348 BC
The Great Flood Begins
God unleashes a global flood due to humanity's profound wickedness, destroying all life on earth except for Noah, his family, and the creatures within the ark. The 'fountains of the deep' burst open and the 'windows of heaven' open for 40 days and nights of rain.
c. 2348 BC
Waters Cover the Earth
The floodwaters continue to rise and cover the entire earth for 150 days. The ark, carrying Noah and all the creatures, floats on the immense body of water.
c. 2347 BC— this verse
Ark Rests on Ararat
After a period of subsiding waters, the ark comes to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Noah eventually sends out birds to test the dryness of the land.
c. 2347 BC
Waters Recede and Earth Dries
The 'fountains of the deep' and the 'windows of heaven' are closed, and the rain ceases. The waters gradually recede, revealing dry land once more.
c. 2347 BC
Noah and Family Exit the Ark
God commands Noah and his family to leave the ark, along with all the animals, to repopulate the earth. Noah builds an altar and offers sacrifices to God.
c. 2347 BC
God's Covenant and Promise
God establishes a covenant with Noah and all living creatures, promising never again to destroy the earth with a flood. The rainbow serves as a sign of this promise.
This passage describes the opening of the 'fountains of the deep' and the 'windows of heaven,' directly contrasting with and explaining the cessation of these forces in Genesis 8:2.
Exodus 14:21This verse describes God using a strong wind to divide the Red Sea, similar to how Genesis 8:1 mentions God sending a wind to dry the earth, highlighting God's control over natural forces.
Psalm 104:7This Psalm speaks of waters fleeing at God's rebuke and thunder, echoing the idea of the floodwaters being restrained and the deep waters being commanded by God.
Isaiah 54:9This prophetic passage directly references the floodwaters of Noah as a parallel to God's promise not to be wroth again, showing the significance of the flood's end as a divine covenant.
2 Peter 3:6This New Testament passage explicitly refers to the world being destroyed by the flood, connecting the events of Genesis to a broader biblical narrative of judgment and divine action.
calvinGenesis 8:1-22: "And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;"
But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.
Et non invenit columba requiem plantae pedis sui, et reversa est ad eum in arca…
gillGenesis 8:2: "The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;"
The fountains also of the deep, and the windows of heaven, were stopped,.... The passages which let out the subterraneous waters in great quantity upon the earth, and the clouds of heaven, which poured down water upon it like spouts, were stopped from sending forth any more, as they had from the first of the flood unto one hundred and fifty days from thence: Jarchi obse…
It's easy to focus on the grand scale of the flood receding, but notice how the text emphasizes the stopping of these immense sources of water. This isn't just the rain ceasing; it's the very "fountains of the deep" and "windows of heaven" being shut, implying a deliberate divine act to halt the cataclysm. This highlights that the end of the flood was just as miraculous as its beginning.
After over a year of being shut inside the ark, Noah and his family have weathered the cataclysmic flood. Now, with God's intervention, the forces that unleashed the deluge begin to recede, marking the turning point towards the earth’s renewal. This verse signifies the divine act of ceasing the torrential rain and closing the subterranean sources that had flooded the world.
After over a year of being shut inside the ark, Noah and his family have weathered the cataclysmic flood. Now, with God's intervention, the forces that unleashed the deluge begin to recede, marking the turning point towards the earth’s renewal. This verse signifies the divine act of ceasing the torrential rain and closing the subterranean sources that had flooded the world.
"The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained," — It's easy to focus on the grand scale of the flood receding, but notice how the text emphasizes the stopping of these immense sources of water. This isn't just the rain ceasing; it's the very "foun…
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Last reviewed October 2026