Δέκα πέντε πήχεις ἐπάνω ὑψώθη τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐπεκάλυψεν πάντα τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλά (Genesis 7:20 LXX)
Overview: The Flood’s Final Reach
Genesis 7:20 LXX captures the climax of divine judgment in the flood narrative — the point at which even the highest mountains vanish beneath the rising waters. This brief but potent verse is constructed with precision of measurement, a divine passive, and a telling combination of accusative objects that mark the totality of submersion.
Δέκα πέντε πήχεις ἐπάνω ὑψώθη τὸ ὕδωρ: Passive Elevation Beyond Earth
Literal Rendering:
“Fifteen cubits above the water was raised.”
Grammatical Components:
– δέκα πέντε πήχεις: “fifteen cubits” — accusative plural, measurement of length
– ἐπάνω: “above” — functioning adverbially, denoting vertical distance
– ὑψώθη: aorist passive indicative, 3rd person singular, from ὑψόω (“to lift up, raise”)
– τὸ ὕδωρ: nominative subject — “the water”
Syntax and Semantics:
– Though δέκα πέντε πήχεις appears first, it modifies the verb ὑψώθη by indicating the degree of elevation.
– The passive verb ὑψώθη reflects divine agency: the water did not rise randomly — it was lifted, likely by divine decree.
– The word ἐπάνω marks the elevation as not merely spread, but vertical conquest.
Theological Echo:
The elevation of water above the mountains symbolizes creation undone — the reversal of Genesis 1’s gathering of the waters. Heaven’s boundary is breached by judgment. Even the heights cannot stand.
καὶ ἐπεκάλυψεν πάντα τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλά: The Final Submersion
Grammatical Breakdown:
– ἐπεκάλυψεν: aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular, from ἐπικαλύπτω — “to cover over”
– πάντα τὰ ὄρη: “all the mountains” — accusative plural object
– τὰ ὑψηλά: attributive adjective — “the high ones,” modifying τὰ ὄρη
Lexical Focus:
– ἐπικαλύπτω is a strong compound verb, with ἐπί intensifying the action — not just “covered,” but “completely overwhelmed.”
– ὑψηλά (from ὑψηλός, “high”) highlights the extreme topography now under judgment.
Theological Implication:
All terrestrial hierarchy — from valleys to mountaintops — is flattened beneath the flood. The grammatical emphasis on πάντα and τὰ ὑψηλά signals no exceptions. Nothing survives this deluge unaided — except what God preserves.
Stylistic Note: Measured Judgment
Unlike mythic flood accounts, the LXX provides precise metrics — “fifteen cubits.” This:
– Affirms the historicity and intentionality of judgment.
– Shows that God’s acts are not chaotic, but measured and exact.
– Offers a narrative of complete but contained devastation.
Flood Grammar, Faithful Theology
Genesis 7:20 LXX uses just two verbs:
– ὑψώθη — the water was lifted
– ἐπεκάλυψεν — the mountains were covered
One passive, one active. One from heaven, one upon the earth. Together they encapsulate the grammar of divine reversal: what was low (water) is raised; what was high (mountains) is submerged.
God’s justice is not accidental. It has syntax. And here, every participle, preposition, and passive form bows to that holiness — even the mountains.
