I found one interesting article about the Genesis account
of the Noachian Flood. It is:
Wenham, Gordon J., 1978, The coherence of the
flood narrative. Vetus Testamentum. vol. 23,
pp. 336-348).
In this article, Wenham argues that the narrative
about the flood in Genesis 6-9 is complex. He
noted that its narrative structure is that of an
extended palistrophe, in which the first item
is matched by the last item, the second item is
matched by the second to the last item, and
forth. The result of this structure is that the
second half of the story is thus a mirror image
of the first half.
Below is a chart from Wenham (1978) that
illustrates the palistrophic structure of the
Noachian Flood narrative.
Genesis 6:10-9:19
A Noah (6:10A)
B--Shem, Ham, and Japeth (10b)
C---Ark to be built (14-16)
D----Flood announced (17)
E-----Covenant with Noah (18-20)
F------Food in the ark (21)
G-------Command to enter ark (7:1-3)
H--------7 days waiting for flood (4-5)
I-----------7 days waiting for flood (7-10)
J------------Entry to ark (11-15)
K------------Yahweh shuts Noah in (16)
L-------------40 days flood (17a)
M--------------Waters increase (17b-18)
N----------------Mountains covered (19-20)
O-----------------150 days waters prevail (21-24)
P-------------------GOD REMEMBERS NOAH (8:1)
O'-----------------150 days waters abate (3)
N'----------------Mountain tops visible (4-5)
M'---------------Waters abate (5)
L'--------------40 days (end of)(6a)
K'------------Noah opens window of ark (6b)
J'-----------Raven and dove leave ark (7-9)
I'----------7 days waiting for waters to subside (10-11)
H'-------7 days waiting for waters to subside (12-13)
G'------Command to leave ark (15-17(22))
F'-----Food outside ark (9:1-4)
E'----Covenant with all flesh (8-10)
D'---No flood in future (11-17)
C'--Ark (18a)
B'-Shem, Ham, and Japeth (18b)
A' Noah
It was a quote fascinating article to read.
Yours,
Bill Birkeland.