The term "inundate" refers to the act of flooding or overwhelming with water. In a biblical context, inundation is often associated with divine judgment, cleansing, and renewal. The most prominent example of inundation in the Bible is the Great Flood during the time of Noah, which serves as a pivotal event in the narrative of God's interaction with humanity.

The Great Flood

The account of the Great Flood is found in Genesis 6-9. God, seeing the wickedness of humanity, decides to cleanse the earth through a flood. He instructs Noah, a righteous man, to build an ark to preserve his family and pairs of every living creature. Genesis 7:11-12 states, "In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And the rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights."

The inundation of the earth serves as both a judgment against sin and a means of renewal. After the floodwaters recede, God establishes a covenant with Noah, symbolized by the rainbow, promising never to destroy the earth by flood again (Genesis 9:11-17).

Symbolism and Themes

Inundation in the Bible often symbolizes God's power and authority over creation. It serves as a reminder of His ability to judge and purify. The flood narrative emphasizes themes of obedience, faith, and divine mercy. Noah's obedience in building the ark and his faith in God's promises highlight the importance of righteousness and trust in divine providence.

Other Biblical References

While the Great Flood is the most significant instance of inundation, other biblical passages also reference flooding as a metaphor for overwhelming circumstances or divine intervention. For example, in Isaiah 59:19 , it is written, "So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; for He will come like a raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD."

In the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of a flood to illustrate the suddenness and totality of divine judgment. In Matthew 24:38-39 , He says, "For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. And they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man."

Spiritual Lessons

The concept of inundation in the Bible teaches believers about the seriousness of sin and the necessity of repentance. It underscores the importance of being prepared for God's judgment and the hope of salvation through faith and obedience. The flood narrative, in particular, serves as a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty, justice, and grace.1. (v. t.) To fill with overflowing abundance; to deluge; to flood; as, the river inundated the town.

2. (v. t.) To fill with an overflowing abundance or superfluity; as, the country was inundated with bills of credit.

2626. katakluzo -- to inundate
... to inundate. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: katakluzo Phonetic Spelling:
(kat-ak-lood'-zo) Short Definition: I flood over, overwhelm Definition: I flood ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2626.htm - 6k7857. shataph -- to overflow, rinse or wash off
... A primitive root; to gush; by implication, to inundate, cleanse; by analogy, to
gallop, conquer -- drown, (over-)flow(- whelm, rinse, run, rush, (throughly ...
/hebrew/7857.htm - 6k

7811. sachah -- to swim
... make to swim. A primitive root; to swim; causatively, to inundate -- (make
to) swim. 7810, 7811. sachah. 7812 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/7811.htm - 5k

2015. haphak -- to turn, overturn
... overturn NASB Word Usage become (1), came (1), change (1), changed (6), changes
(1), come (1), drained (1), give (1), had a change (1), inundate (1), overthrew ...
/hebrew/2015.htm - 6k

Debate on the Proposed Invasion of Greece.
... torrent of military devastation over some portion of the globe; and the fairer,
the richer, the happier the scene which he was thus to inundate and overwhelm ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter iii debate on the.htm

The Gradual Development of Cosmical Order Out of Chaos in the ...
... For He did not all at once inundate light with the splendour of the sun, nor
all at once temper darkness with the moon's assuaging ray. ...
/.../tertullian/against hermogenes/chapter xxix the gradual development of.htm

Abandonment a Source of Joy.
... of slaving for the plague-stricken; in all this they find a plenitude of divine
life, not given to them drop by drop, but in floods which inundate and engulf ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/section iv abandonment a source of.htm

The Puritan Innovations
... of Luther, and pledging the members of the Conference to use their endeavours to
stem the tide of innovation which was threatening to inundate the land. ...
/.../studies in the book of common prayer/chapter ii the puritan innovations.htm

The Survival of the Fittest.
... Many of its details were doubtless suggested by the annual floods and fogs which
inundate that famous valley and recall the primeval chaos so vividly pictured ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/kent/the making of a nation/study iv the survival of.htm

Jesus Before Caiphas.
... Christ, the Son of the living God,' hell appeared to be shaken from one extremity
to the other, and then, as it were, to burst forth and inundate every person ...
/.../chapter viii jesus before caiphas.htm

Turn or Burn
... Did he drown a world with water, and inundate creation with the floods which he
had buried in the bowels of this earth? And will he not punish sin? ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/turn or burn.htm

The Doctrine of the Church.
... of spiritual grace.... What measure we bring thither of faith to hold, so
much do we drink in of grace to inundate. Hereby is strength ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/killen/the ancient church/chapter v the doctrine of.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8. <. ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

Inundate (1 Occurrence)
... of credit. Multi-Version Concordance Inundate (1 Occurrence). Job 12:15
Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he ...
/i/inundate.htm - 6k

Overflow (43 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To flow over; to cover with, or as with, water
or other fluid; to spread over; to inundate; to overwhelm. ...
/o/overflow.htm - 19k

Winter (22 Occurrences)
... win'-ter (choreph, from charaph, "to inundate," "overflow"): The rainy season, also
the autumn harvest season (Genesis 8:22 Psalm 74:17 Zechariah 14:8). It is ...
/w/winter.htm - 14k

Intrusted (5 Occurrences)

/i/intrusted.htm - 7k

Inundated (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Inundate. Multi-Version Concordance
Inundated (1 Occurrence). Psalms 90:5 Thou hast inundated ...
/i/inundated.htm - 6k

Flood (70 Occurrences)
... currency. 4. (vi) Menstrual discharge; menses. 5. (vt) To overflow; to inundate;
to deluge; as, the swollen river flooded the valley. 6 ...
/f/flood.htm - 31k

Flow (85 Occurrences)
... 9. (vi) To discharge blood in excess from the uterus. 10. (vt) To cover with
water or other liquid; to overflow; to inundate; to flood. 11. ...
/f/flow.htm - 32k

Deluge (17 Occurrences)
... vii.). 2. (n.) Fig.: Anything which overwhelms, or causes great destruction.
3. (vt) To overflow with water; to inundate; to overwhelm. ...
/d/deluge.htm - 47k

Drown (5 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (vi) To be suffocated in water or other fluid; to
perish in water. 2. (vt) To overwhelm in water; to submerge; to inundate. ...
/d/drown.htm - 8k

Inundate: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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