The "blotting out" of Gen. 6:7, 7:4, and 7:23 and the "bursting open" of the "fountains of the great deep" were examined to determine what constraints these passages place on Flood models. The use of maha (translated "blot out") throughout Scripture, and the theology of the blotting out of sin argue rather strongly against maha meaning the complete obliteration of something without evidence. The bulk of evidence in both theological and non-theological occurrences of the word favors a removal of something or someone, many times with evidence remaining. This suggests that Flood models that argue for the complete obliteration of pre-Flood terrestrial organisms (even of their fossils) should be appropriately revised.
baqa' (translated "break up" in Gen. 7: 11) is best translated "burst open" and implies that a catastrophic bursting initiated the Flood. ma'yan (translated "fountain") means "place of the spring". Biblical usage indicates it refers to both terrestrial and oceanic springs. t ehom (translated "deep") and t ehom rabba (translated "great deep") each may refer to both oceanic and terrestrial waters. Since all the fountains of the great deep were involved, the Flood was initiated by the bursting open of both terrestrial and oceanic springs. Flood models which argue for the bursting of either only terrestrial or only oceanic springs should be appropriately revised.