Was the flood global or regional or local?

Since the Hebrew word for earth in Genesis 6 can be used to mean the whole world or a particular area or region, how can the meaning in intended best be determined? As with any statement, context plays a major role in determining meaning of any particular word. In addition, the use of the statement by other historical writers can provide clarity when the meaning in the immediate context is uncertain. This is particularity true when studying Scripture the meaning can be made clear by how it is referenced later in the Bible.

Outline

• Relevant Texts
• Use of the word “earth” in the context of Genesis

Use of the word “earth” in the context of Genesis

Looking at the use of the word translated earth in Genesis, it is translated as both earth and land and depending on the context may be the whole earth (globally) or a particular part of the earth (a specific piece of land). However, examining the context of each use reveals an interesting insight. In each case in Genesis where the word is used to refer to a particular region or part of the earth, a modifier always accompanies the earth making clear exactly what particular piece of earth (or land) it refers. (see Englishman’s Concordance for אָ֫רֶץ (erets) )

Internal References to the flood in Scripture

⁵ and if he didn’t spare the ancient world, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others,^{[Lit Noah, the eighth, a preacher of righteousness]} when he brought the flood on the world of the ungodly;

2 Peter 2:5 CSB

³ Above all, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days scoffing and following their own evil desires, ⁴ saying, “Where is his ‘coming’ that he promised? Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.” ⁵ They deliberately overlook this: By the word of God the heavens came into being long ago and the earth was brought about from water and through water. ⁶ Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded. ⁷ By the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

2 Peter 3:3-7 CSB

In this case, Peter directly equates God’s past judgement on the world through the flood with the coming judgement of the world by fire (2 Peter 2:5; 3:). It iPeter ha2 Peter provides clear references back to the statements Genesis as part of Peter’s argument regarding the certainty of God’s judgement on those who practice evil

Key Words

world kosmos: order, the world
κόσμος (kosmos) — 32 Occurrences in NT

• Strong’s Concordance
  • Original Word: κόσμος, ου, ὁ
  • Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
  • Transliteration: kosmos
  • Phonetic Spelling: (kos’-mos)
  • Definition: order, the world
  • Usage: the world, universe; worldly affairs; the inhabitants of the world; adornment.
• HELPS Word-studies
  • 2889 kósmos (literally, “something ordered“) – properly, an “ordered system” (like the universe, creation); the world.
  • [The English term “cosmetic” is derived from 2889 /kósmos, i.e. the order (“ensemble”) used of treating the face as a whole.]
• Thayer’s Greek Lexicon – κόσμος, κόσμου, ὁ;
  1. in Greek writings from Homer down, an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, or der.
  2. as in Greek writings from Homer down, ornament, decoration, adornment: ἐνδύσεως ἱματίων, 1 Peter 3:3 (Sir. 6:30 Sir. 21:21; 2 Macc. 2:2; the Sept. for צָבָא of the arrangement of the stars, ‘the heavenly hosts,’ as the ornament of the heavens, Genesis 2:1; Deuteronomy 4:19; Deuteronomy 17:8; Isaiah 24:21; Isaiah 40:26; besides occasionally for עֲדִי; twice for תִּפְאֶרֶת, Proverbs 20:29; Isaiah 3:19).
  3. the world, i. e. the universe (quem κόσμονGraeci nomine ornamenti appellarunt, eum nos a perfecta absolutaque elegantia mundum, Pliny, h. n. 2, 3;
     • in which sense Pythagoras is said to have been the first to use the word, Plutarch, de plac. philos. 2, 1, 1, p. 886 c.; but according to other accounts he used it of the heavens, (Diogenes Laërtius 8, 48, of which it is used several times also by other Greek writers (see Menag. on (Diogenes Laërtius, the passage cited; Bentley, Epistles of Phalaris, vol. i., 391 (Lond. 1886); M. Anton. 4, 27 and Gataker’s notes; cf. Liddell and Scott, under the word, IV.)): Acts 17:24; Romans 4:13 (where cf. Meyer, Tholuck, Philippi); 1 Corinthians 3:22; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Philippians 2:15; with a predominant notion of space, in hyperbole, John 21:25 (Wis. 7:17 Wis. 9:3; 2 Macc. 8:18; κτίζειν τόν κόσμον, Wis. 11:18;
     • ὁ τοῦ κόσμου κτίστης, 2 Macc. 7:23; 4 Macc. 5:25 (24); — a sense in which it does not occur in the other O. T. books, although there is something akin to it in Proverbs 17:6, on which see 8 below); in the phrases πρό τοῦ τόν κόσμον εἶναι, John 17:5;
     • ἀπό καταβολῆς κόσμου (Matthew 13:35 R G; ; Luke 11:50; Hebrews 4:3; Hebrews 9:26; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 17:8) and πρό καταβολῆς κόσμου (John 17:21; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:20) (on which see καταβολή, 2); ἀπό κτίσεως κόσμου, Romans 1:20;
     • ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς κόσμου, Matthew 24:21; (on the omission of the article, cf. Winers Grammar, p. 123 (117); Buttmann, § 124, 8 b.; (cf. Ellicott on Galatians, 6:14)).
  4. the circle of the earth, the earth.
     (very rarely so in Greek writings until after the age of the Ptolemies; so in Boeckh, Corpus inscriptions i., pp. 413 and 643, nos. 334 and 1306): Mark 16:15; (John 12:25); 1 Timothy 6:7;
     • βασιλεία τοῦ κόσμου, Revelation 11:15;
     • βασιλεῖαι (plural) τοῦ κόσμου, Matthew 4:8 (for which Luke 4:5 τῆς οἰκουμένης); τό φῶς τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, of the sun, John 11:9; ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ, properly, Matthew 26:13;
     • hyperbolically, equivalent to far and wide, in widely separated places, Romans 1:8; (so ἐν παντί τῷ κόσμῳ, Colossians 1:6); ὁ τότε κόσμος, 2 Peter 3:6;
     • the earth with its inhabitants: ζῆν ἐν κόσμῳ, opposed to the dead, Colossians 2:20 (λῃστής ἦν καί κλέπτης ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, i. e. among those living on earth, Ev. Nicod. 26). By a usage foreign to secular authors,
  5. the inhabitants of the world:
     • θέατρον ἐγενήθημεν τῷ κόσμῳ καί ἀγγέλοις καί ἀνθρώποις, 1 Corinthians 4:9 (Winers Grammar, 127 (121));
     • particularly the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human race (first so in Sap. (e. g. )):
       • Matthew 13:38; Matthew 18:7; Mark 14:9; John 1:10, 29 ( L in brackets);
       • Romans 3:6, 19; 1 Corinthians 1:27f (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 189 (178));
       • 2 Corinthians 5:19; James 2:5 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, as above)
       • 1 John 2:2 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 577 (536));
     • ἀρχαῖος κόσμος, of the antediluvians, 2 Peter 2:5;
     • γέννασθαι εἰς τόν κόσμον, John 16:21; ἔρχεσθαι εἰς τόν κόσμον (John 9:39) and εἰς τόν κόσμον τοῦτον, to make its appearance or come into existence among men, spoken
       • of the light which in Christ shone upon men, John 1:9; John 3:19, cf. 12:46;
       • of the Messiah, John 6:14; John 11:27;
       • of Jesus as the Messiah, John 9:39; John 16:28; John 18:37; 1 Timothy 1:15;
         • also ἐισέρχεσθαι εἰς τόν κόσμον, Hebrews 10:5;
       • of false teachers, 2 John 1:7 (yet here L T Tr WH ἐξέρχεσθαι εἰς τόν κόσμον; (so all texts in 1 John 4:1));
       • to invade, of evils coming into existence among men and beginning to exert their power: of sin and death, Romans 5:12 (of death, Wis. 2:24; Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 3, 4 [ET];
       • of idolatry, Wis. 14:14).
     • ἀποστέλλειν τινα εἰς τόν κόσμον, John 3:17; John 10:36; John 17:18; 1 John 4:9;
     • φῶς τοῦ κόσμου, Matthew 5:14; John 8:12; John 9:5;
     • σωτήρ τοῦ κόσμου, John 4:42; 1 John 4:14 (σωτηρία τοῦ κόσμου Wis. 6:26 (25);
     • 4ἐλπίς τοῦ κόσμου, Wis. 14:6; πρωτόπλαστος πατήρ τοῦ κόσμου, of Adam, Wis. 10:1);
     • στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου (see στοιχεῖον, 3 and 4); ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, among men, John 16:33; John 17:13; Ephesians 2:12;
     • ἐν κόσμῳ (see Winer’s Grammar, 123 (117)), 1 Timothy 3:16;
     • εἶναι ἐν τῷ κόσμου, to dwell among men, John 1:10; John 9:5; John 17:11, 12 R G; 1 John 4:3;
     • εἶναι ἐν κόσμῳ, to be present, Romans 5:13;
     • ἐξελθεῖν, ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, to withdraw from human society and seek an abode outside of it, 1 Corinthians 5:10;
     • ἀναστρέφεσθαι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, to behave oneself, 2 Corinthians 1:12; likewise εἶναι ἐν τῷ κόσμου τούτῳ, 1 John 4:17. used specifically of the Gentiles collectively, Romans 11:12 (where it alternates with τά ἔθνη), 15;
       • (the two in combination: τά ἔθνη τοῦ κόσμου, Luke 12:30). hyperbolically or loosely equivalent to the majority of men in a place, the multitude or mass (as we say the public): John 7:4; John 12:19 (here Tr marginal reading adds ὅλος, in brackets); . equivalent to the entire number, ἀσεβῶν, 2 Peter 2:5.
  6. “the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ” (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 26):
     John 7:7; John 14:27 (); ; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 Corinthians 6:2; 1 Corinthians 11:32; 2 Corinthians 7:10; James 1:27; 1 Peter 5:9; 2 Peter 1:4; 2 Peter 2:20; 1 John 3:1, 13; 1 John 4:5; 1 John 5:19;
     • of the aggregate of ungodly and wicked men in O. T. times, Hebrews 11:38;
     • in Noah’s time, ibid. 7;
     • with οὗτος added, Ephesians 2:2 (on which see αἰών, 3); εἶναι ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου and ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου (see εἰμί, V. 3rd.), John 8:23; John 15:19; John 17:14, 16; 1 John 4:5;
     • λαλεῖν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, to speak in accordance with the world’s character and mode of thinking, 1 John 4:5;
     • ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, i. e. the devil, John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11;
     • ὁ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ he that is operative in the world (also of the devil), 1 John 4:4;
     • τό πνεῦμα τοῦ κόσμου 1 Corinthians 2:12;
     • ἡ σοφία τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, 1 Corinthians 1:20 (here G L T Tr WH omit τούτου); 1 Corinthians 3:19. (τά στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου, Galatians 4:3; Colossians 2:8, 20 (see 5 above, and στοιχεῖον, 3 and 4).)
  7. “worldly affairs; the aggregate of things earthly; the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments, riches, advantages, pleasures, etc., which, although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ”:
     • Galatians 6:14; 1 John 2:16; 1 John 3:17;
     • εἶναι ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, to be of earthly origin and nature, John 18:36; somewhat differently in 1 John 2:16 (on which see εἰμί, V. 3 d.);
     • κερδαίνειν τόν κόσμον ὅλον, Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36; Luke 9:25;
     • οἱ χρώμενοι τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ (critical text τόν κόσμον; see χράομαι, 2), 1 Corinthians 7:31a;
     • μέριμναν τά τοῦ κόσμου, 33f; φίλος and φιλία τοῦ κόσμου, James 4:4;
     • ἀγαπᾶν τόν κόσμον, 1 John 2:15;
     • νικαν τόν κόσμον, the incentives to sin proceeding from the world, 1 John 5:4f;
     • the obstacles to God’s cause, John 16:33; (cf. ἐλθέτω χάρις καί παρελθέτω ὁ κόσμος οὗτος, Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, c. 10 [ET]).
  8. any aggregate or general collection of particulars of any sort (cf. English a world of curses (Shakspere), etc.):
     • ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας, the sum of all iniquities, James 3:6;
     • τοῦ πιστοῦ ὅλος ὁ κόσμος τῶν χρημάτων, τοῦ δέ ἀπίστου οὐδέ ὀβολός (a statement due to the Alex. translators), Proverbs 17:6. Among the N. T. writers no one uses κόσμος oftener than John; it occurs in Mark three times, in Luke’s writings four times, and in the Apocalypse three tinms. Cf. Kreiss, Sur le sens du mot κόσμος dans le N. T. (Strasb. 1837); Düsterdieck on 1 John 2:15, pp. 247-259; Zezschwitz, Profangräcität u. Biblical Sprachgeist, p. 21ff; Diestel in Herzog xvii., p. 676ff; (Trench, Synonyms, § lix.); on John’s use of the word cf. Reuss, Histoire de la theologie chretienne au siecle apostolique, ii., p. 463ff (i. e. livre 7 chapter viii.); cf. his Johanneische Theologie, in the Beiträge zu den theol. Wissenschaften, Fasc. i., p. 29ff; (Westcott on John 1:10, ‘Additional Note’).