What Does Genesis 7:19 Mean in the King James?
And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Hebrew says the waters became mighty before the heights were covered, making the flood a prevailing force as much as rising water.
THE MEANING
The verse says the flood’s reach is total: the high hills beneath the whole heaven are covered. Its present image is of overwhelm strong enough to overtake even what seems highest or most protected.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie is that being high or secure places you beyond reach; here, even the high hills are covered.
THE ROOT
גָּבְרוּ
gavru
GROWS FROM
גבר
To grow strong, become mighty, or prevail.
“prevailed” in this verse is gavru. גָּבְרוּ comes from גבר, the word family of growing strong and prevailing, so the waters are presented as a force gaining mastery over the land. The related גִּבּוֹר (gibbôr, mighty one) and גְּבוּרָה (gevurah, might) carry the same consonants, keeping the Hebrew strength-sense audible in the verse.
ALSO GROWS
gibbôr: Mighty one; warrior.
גִּבּוֹר
It shares the consonants ג־ב־ר and shows the strength carried by the verb describing the waters.
gevurah: Might; strength.
גְּבוּרָה
It belongs to the same consonantal root and makes clear that the waters’ prevailing is a display of force.
THE PATTERN
Overwhelming waters erase ordinary boundaries, reaching what seemed high, stable, or out of reach.
Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.THE THREAD
For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.The same root גבר describes the waters here as growing mighty and prevailing. Psalm 117:2 uses it for God’s faithful love as it grows mighty over us, letting the same Hebrew verb express two very different kinds of overwhelming reach.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us