The water started rising, lifting the ark with all the people and animals inside. All over the earth, people and animals drowned. Only those who were in the ark survived the flood. The only ones that were not in the ark but still survived were the fish and all the animals that could live only in water, because the earth was covered with water.
After forty days, the water had risen so high that even the highest mountains were fifteen cubits under water. All that one could see was water. No mountain peak rose above the water. Even the birds could not find a resting place or a piece of ground where they could eat. They, too, all perished. The situation of Genesis 1:1 had returned, except for this one ark with humans and animals bobbing on the water.
The water continued to prevail for 150 days. Those inside the ark could see nothing outside but water. There was no way in which they felt that there was still land under the water. All the time of rain and flood, the Lord had taken care of the ark. He made sure that this ship suffered no damage. Noah was not an expert on navigation. The Lord was the captain, and he kept his church and his creation safe in the ark.
17 The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth.