eighty-seven years of age; to whom he delivered the government,
when he had retained it nine hundred and sixty-nine years. Now
Lamech, when he had governed seven hundred and seventy-seven
years, appointed Noah, his son, to be ruler of the people, who
was born to Lamech when he was one hundred and eighty-two years
old, and retained the government nine hundred and fifty years.
These years collected together make up the sum before set down.
But let no one inquire into the deaths of these men; for they
extended their lives along together with their children and
grandchildren; but let him have regard to their births only.

5. When God gave the signal, and it began to rain, the water
poured down forty entire days, till it became fifteen cubits
higher than the earth; which was the reason why there was no
greater number preserved, since they had no place to fly to. When
the rain ceased, the water did but just begin to abate after one
hundred and fifty days, (that is, on the seventeenth day of the
seventh month,) it then ceasing to subside for a little while.
After this, the ark rested on the top of a certain mountain in
Armenia; which, when Noah understood, he opened it; and seeing a
small piece of land about it, he continued quiet, and conceived
some cheerful hopes of deliverance. But a few days afterward,
when the water was decreased to a greater degree, he sent out a
raven, as desirous to learn whether any other part of the earth
were left dry by the water, and whether he might go out of the
ark with safety; but the raven, finding all the land still
overflowed, returned to Noah again. And after seven days he sent
out a dove, to know the state of the ground; which came back to
him covered with mud, and bringing an olive branch: hereby Noah
learned that the earth was become clear of the flood. So after he