Surah Al-`Ankabut 29:14
ﲸ ﲹ ﲺ ﲻ ﲼ ﲽ ﲾ ﲿ ﳀ ﳁ ﳂ ﳃ ﳄ ﳅ ﳆ ﳇ
And We certainly sent Noah to his people, and he remained among them a thousand years minus fifty years, and the flood seized them while they were wrongdoers.
Tafsir of Al-`Ankabut 29:14
Tafsir
Al-Kashshaf
Verse range: 29:14
Al-Ankabut: (14) "And We certainly sent Noah..."
Noah’s Age Noah (peace be upon him) was 1,050 years old. He was commissioned at the age of 40, remained among his people for 950 years, and lived for 60 years after the Flood. According to Wahb, he lived for 1,400 years.
Why the phrasing "50 years" was omitted If you ask: "Why was it not said '950 years'?" I say: What Allah has presented is more precise. Had it been said as you suggested, one might mistakenly assume this number refers to a maximum limit. This misconception is removed by the current phrasing, which implies "950 years, complete and full." Furthermore, the current phrasing is more concise, more eloquent, and richer in meaning.
There is another subtle point: the narrative is intended to recount the trials Noah endured from his people and the long-suffering he bore, in order to console the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and strengthen him. Mentioning the round number—the highest of its kind—is more impactful and effective in making the listener perceive the length of his patience.
Variation in Terminology If you ask: "Why is the noun of specification (the counted object) expressed first as sanah (year) and then as ‘aam (year)?" I say: Repeating the same word in a single discourse is something rhetoric dictates should be avoided, unless it serves a specific purpose intended by the speaker, such as glorification, intimidation, or emphasis.
The Flood (al-Tufan) Al-Tufan is that which encompasses and surrounds with abundance and dominance, whether it be a flood of water, the darkness of night, or similar things. Al-Ajjaj said: "The flood of darkness covered the Athab tree."
The Companions of the Ark They were 78 souls: half male and half female. Among them were Noah’s sons—Sam, Ham, and Yafith—and their wives. Muhammad ibn Ishaq reported they were ten: five men and five women. It has been narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him): "They were eight: Noah, his family, and his three sons."
The pronoun in "And We made it" (wa ja‘alnaha) refers to the Ark, or to the event and the story.