Deluge << DEHL yooj >>, according to the Bible, was a great flood that covered the earth thousands of years ago. The Deluge destroyed all living things except those that God permitted to go aboard a huge ark that was built by Noah.
The Deluge is described in two accounts combined in Genesis 6 to 8. In one version, God instructs Noah to save one male and one female of every animal. In the other, God tells Noah to take seven pairs of animals considered “clean” according to ancient dietary laws and one pair of “unclean” animals. Both Biblical accounts agree that God sent the flood to punish the wickedness of humanity.
Stories about great floods occur in the religious tradition of many peoples. A famous account is found in the Epic of Gilgamesh from Mesopotamia. Many scholars believe the Mesopotamian and Biblical accounts are related.
See also Ararat; Ark; Deucalion; Noah.
