Zóhar, Noé 28

1AND HE BLOTTED OUT EVERY (eth-kol) LIVING SUBSTANCE WHICH WAS UPON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. Said R. Abba: ‘The particle eth signifies the inclusion of all those higher chieftains who control and superintend the earth: these are “the substance which was upon the face of the earth”. For whenever the Holy One, blessed he He, executes judgement on the earth, those higher chieftains are brought to justice first, and only in the next place those who abide beneath the shelter of their wings. This is illustrated in the passage, “the Lord will punish the host of the high heavens on high”, and then “and the kings of the earth upon the earth” (Is. 24, 21).

2The punishment of these chieftains is, to be driven through burning fire, as it is written, “for the Lord thy God is a devouring fire, a jealous God” (Deut. 4, 24); that is, fire consuming fire. The “living substance” of the upper regions were thus passed through fire, and those under their control through water; and so, first, HE BLOTTED OUT EVERY LIVING SUBSTANCE WHICH WAS UPON THE FACE OF THE GROUND, and then, BOTH MAN AND CATTLE AND FOWL OF THE HEAVEN, AND THEY WERE BLOTTED OUT FROM THE EARTH-to wit, all those beneath. AND NOAH ONLY WAS LEFT; the particle ach (only) shows that absolutely nothing was left save what was in the ark’. R. Jose said: ‘It indicates that even Noah was not left intact, as he was injured by a blow from a lion, as elsewhere explained.’