In Genesis's Noah's Ark story, how many days and nights did rain fall on the earth?

In Genesis's Noah's Ark story, rain fell on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights.

Genesis 7:12 gives this duration after Noah, his family, and the animals enter the ark. This period describes the continuous rain itself, not the entire length of the flood. That distinction matters because Genesis separately says that the floodwaters prevailed for 150 days.

The number 40 is also prominent elsewhere in the Bible, including Moses' time on Mount Sinai and Israel's years in the wilderness. In biblical storytelling, it often marks an extended period of testing or transformation.

A common mix-up is to answer 150 days. That figure refers to the waters prevailing, while 40 days and nights refers specifically to the rainfall. The two numbers describe different stages of the same flood narrative.