The Waters Took Dominion: Imperfect Verbs and the Theology of Rising Judgment

Καὶ ἐπεκράτει τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐπληθύνετο σφόδρα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπεφέρετο ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος (Genesis 7:18 LXX)

A Triple Ascent in the Flood Narrative

Genesis 7:18 LXX presents the crescendo of the flood: rising water, multiplying force, and the ark lifted from the earth. The verse is a rhythmic triplet of imperfect verbs, each building a sense of motion, dominance, and theological weight. The grammar does more than describe — it carries the narrative upward.

Imperfect Verbs of Motion and Continuity

All three main verbs are imperfect indicatives, conveying continuous or progressive action in the past — fitting for a scene where increase, expansion, and floating define the visual frame.

1. ἐπεκράτει τὸ ὕδωρ — “The water was prevailing”

• ἐπεκράτει: 3rd person singular imperfect active, from ἐπικρατέω (“to prevail, be strong over”)
• Subject: τὸ ὕδωρ — “the water”

This is not a single overwhelming moment — it’s gradual domination, water gaining strength day by day. The imperfect highlights an ongoing surge.

2. ἐπληθύνετο σφόδρα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς — “It was multiplying greatly upon the earth”

• ἐπληθύνετο: 3rd person singular imperfect passive, from πληθύνω (“to multiply”)
• The passive form shows the water as subject, but without agency — it spreads because God has loosed it
• σφόδρα: an adverb meaning “greatly” or “exceedingly”
• ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς: a locative prepositional phrase — “upon the land”

The imperfect again conveys expansion in progress — the water is not only strong, but growing in volume and reach.

3. ἐπεφέρετο ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος — “The ark was being carried upon the water”

• ἐπεφέρετο: 3rd person singular imperfect passive, from ἐπιφέρω (“to bring upon, to float, to bear”)
• Subject: ἡ κιβωτός — “the ark”
• ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος: “on top of the water” — a genitive after ἐπάνω, indicating position above

Here is the theological climax: as judgment rises, the ark rises with it. The imperfect tense reflects the slow elevation, not by human means, but by divine buoyancy.

Lexical Theology of the Deluge

Each verb holds theological symbolism:

• ἐπικρατέω: often used for military or divine dominion — here, creation is reversed, and water regains sovereignty
• πληθύνω: recalls Genesis 1’s command to “be fruitful and multiply” — yet here, it is the chaos, not life, that multiplies
• ἐπιφέρω: the ark, passive in Greek, is lifted by judgment — not steered, not powered — only preserved

Word Order and Thematic Progression

The verse unfolds in ascending intensity:

1. Domination: ἐπεκράτει — the water overpowers
2. Expansion: ἐπληθύνετο — the water spreads
3. Elevation: ἐπεφέρετο — the ark floats

This tripartite progression is both poetic and structural, echoing Hebrew narrative rhythm while carried by Greek verbal aspect.

Theology in the Imperfect

The imperfect tense in Koine Greek is ideal for scenes of divine unfolding:

• It denotes process, not completion
• It maintains a sense of tension and waiting
• It invites the reader to step into the moment rather than view it from afar

Here, the use of the imperfect portrays the flood as a sustained event, not a sudden catastrophe. It allows space for human reflection and divine patience.

Rising Judgment, Rising Hope

Genesis 7:18 LXX is a verse where grammar breathes movement:

• The waters prevail — steadily
• The earth is covered — increasingly
• The ark is lifted — silently, steadily, safely

The imperfect tense suspends us within the storm. And in that suspended grammar, we glimpse a theology of mercy: even in judgment, God makes provision to raise the faithful above the flood.

Syntax, in this case, does not merely describe the flood — it participates in it, carrying us moment by moment, wave by wave, toward salvation.