Discover why the Genesis flood may have been a massive local event rather than a global catastrophe. Catholic apologist Dave Armstrong examines the original Hebrew terms "har" (mountain/hill) and "eretz" (earth/land), revealing how biblical translation choices shape our understanding. Learn how the flat terrain of Southern Mesopotamia, combined with Scripture's use of hyperbole in phrases like "all the earth," supports interpreting Noah's flood as covering the known inhabited world rather than requiring enough water to top Mount Everest. This careful biblical analysis demonstrates how faithful Catholic interpretation honors both Scripture and reason.

Related Books

• The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science, and History Back Up the Bible (Catholic Answers Press: March 15, 2023, 271 pages) [chapter 2] - https://amzn.to/4pK1WMk
• The Word Set in Stone, Volume Two: More Evidence of Archaeology, Science, and History Backing Up the Bible (free online at my blog) - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2023/05/the-word-set-in-stone-volume-two.html

Related Web Page

• Jews, Judaism, and the Old Testament (section VII: “Noah and the Flood”) - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2007/12/jews-judaism-old-testament-index-page.html

Related Scholarly Article

• Carol A. Hill, “The Noachian Flood: Universal or Local?” (Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, Volume 54, Number 3, September 2002) - https://www.csun.edu/~vcgeo005/Carol%201.pdf

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