As the chaotic struggle for survival against the rising floodwaters comes to an end, a profound and absolute silence falls over the earth. The narrative captures this devastating transition by focusing on the cessation of breath. Life is defined by the air drawn into the lungs, but commentators differ on how to categorize this life force. The primary approach among commentators is that this refers simply to respiration—the physical act of breathing shared by all living creatures [רש״י, מזרחי, שפתי חכמים, גור אריה, יריעות שלמה, מלבי״ם]. Others suggest a more nuanced view, seeing a pairing of two distinct concepts: the unique spiritual soul of humanity alongside the physical animating spirit of the animal kingdom [רד״ק, תולדות יצחק]. In either case, the nose is highlighted as the biological and spiritual center of existence. The soul enters and exits the body through the nostrils, making breath the ultimate measure of vitality and the primary indicator of whether a creature is still alive [רבנו בחיי, תורה תמימה].
The scope of the devastation was global, sweeping across all continents and wiping out every breathing creature [אם למקרא]. This widespread annihilation explains why layers of destruction primarily contain the remains of land-dwelling animals [רש ר הירש]. The decree of death even extended to amphibians living in wetlands and swamps; because they still relied on air, they ultimately suffocated and drowned in the rising waters [מלבי״ם]. However, amidst this total ruin, a subtle limitation is implied. The destruction was not entirely absolute, as the seeds of plant life endured the deluge, waiting to sprout once the waters receded [קונטרס חיבה יתירה].
By explicitly targeting creatures of the dry land, marine life was naturally excluded from the decree. The survival of fish is understood through a blend of natural and divine factors. On a purely physical level, fish do not require air to breathe [רד״ק, מלבי״ם] and could seek refuge from the turbulence in the deep ocean or within rock crevices [הטור הארוך, רבנו בחיי]. Yet, because the floodwaters were boiling, their survival was ultimately a miraculous act of divine providence. Spiritually, the fish were spared because they had not corrupted their ways or crossbred with other species, unlike the land animals and birds [תורה תמימה, מזרחי, שפתי חכמים, משכיל לדוד]. Furthermore, because they inhabited an entirely different environment from humanity, they were untouched by the influence of human sin [גור אריה, רד״ק]. From an ecological perspective, God did not want to entirely wipe out His creation only to start over. Since fish could not be housed in the Ark, subjecting them to the flood's destruction would have meant the permanent extinction of their species, a complete erasure God did not desire [רד״ק].
The conclusion of this catastrophic event is marked by a sudden, stark finality. Earlier moments in the flood narrative depicted the active, desperate struggle of creatures perishing in the vast, boiling waters. Now, that chaotic battle is replaced by a single, definitive reality. The struggle is over, leaving only the absolute and quiet state of death resting upon the ruined world [קאסוטו, ביאור שטיינזלץ].