How long does Genesis say rain fell during the Flood in Noah’s Ark?

Genesis says rain fell for forty days and forty nights during the Flood in Noah’s Ark.

Genesis 7:12 gives the familiar duration of the rainfall after Noah, his family, and the animals entered the Ark. The phrase “forty days and forty nights” is a recurring biblical expression associated with an extended period of testing or transformation.

The same Flood account also describes a much longer overall period. Genesis says the waters prevailed on the earth for 150 days, so the forty days of rain should not be confused with the total time the Flood waters remained high.

Another detail sometimes overlooked is that Genesis presents the Flood in stages: warning, entry into the Ark, rainfall, rising waters, recession, and eventual departure. Thus, forty days describes the rainfall, not the entire voyage or waiting period.