THE DELUGE OF NOAH 139 



(Elohim) makes the arrangements, and Jahveh shuts 

 the voyagers in. 



The first note that our witness enters in his ' log' 

 relates to his impressions of the causes of the cata- 

 strophe, which was not effected supernaturally, but by 

 natural causes. These are the ' breaking up of the 

 fountains of the great deep ' and the ' opening of the 

 windows of heaven.' These expressions must be 

 interpreted in accordance with the use of similar 

 terms in the account of creation in Genesis i., the 

 more so that this statement is a portion regarded by 

 the composite theory as Elohistic. On this principle 

 of interpretation, the great deep is that universal 

 ocean which prevailed before the elevation of the dry 

 land, and the breaking up of its fountains is the 

 removal of that restriction placed upon it when its 

 waters were gathered together into one place. In 

 other words, the meaning is the invasion of the land 

 by the ocean. In like manner, the windows of heaven, 

 the cloudy reservoirs of t\e atmospheric expanse, or 

 possibly waterspouts, or even volcanic eruptions, and 

 not necessarily identical with the great rain extend- 

 ing for forty days, as stated in the following clause. 

 The Chaldean record adds the phenomena of thunder 

 and tempest, but omits the great deep ; an indication 

 that it is an independent account, and by a less in- 

 formed or less intelligent narrator. It is worthy of note 

 that our narrator has no idea of any river inundation 

 in the case. 



At this stage we are brought into the presence of 



