Genesis 8

The fountains of the abyss of the clouds are stopped again whereby the waters came to be a stand and abate by the degrees verse 1 the ark sits down upon the mount Ararat 4 Noah lets fly a raven and afterwards a dove returning with an olive branch 7 the earth dried up again 13 Noah on Gods commands comes forth out of the ark with all that was with him 16 buildeth an altar and offereth sacrifice 20 God promiseth to destroy the earth no more thus for mans sake 21.

1. And God remembered Noah [spoken of God after the manner of men God is said to think on or remember when after some delay he either exhibits his mercies below chapter 19.29 Exodus 31:13 Nehemiah 13:14,22 Job 14:13 Psalms 132:1 or executes his judgments Hosea 9:9 Revelation 18:5] and on all the beasts and on all the cattle that was with him in the ark and God caused a wind to pass through over the earth and the waters became still.

2. Also the fountains of the Abyss and the sluices of heaven were shut [which before were broken up and burst forth to execute this terrible judgment off God above chapter 7.11] and the showering rain from heaven was ceased [which had continued forty natural days together see above chapter 7 verse 4 and 12.]

3. With all the waters returned from the above the earth floating to and again [Heb. Going and returning that is more and more returning and lessening so likewise in the next verse compare below chapter 26.13 and see John 1 on verse 11] and the waters decrease at the end of the hundred and fifty days [to reckon from the beginning of the flood see chapter 7.11 all which time the waters had been increasing upon the earth see likewise verse 24 there.]

4. And the ark rested in the seventh month on the seventeenth day of the month upon the hills of Ararat [that is upon the hills of the great Armenia.]

5. And the waters were going and decreasing to the tenth month in the tenth month on the first of the month the tops of the mountain were seen [Hebrews the heads &c. so Deuteronomy 3:27 Josiah 15.8 Judges 9:7.]

6. And it happened at the end of forty days [viz. after the end of the tenth month whereof mention is made in the verse foregoing] that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made [see above chapter 6.16.]

7. And he let forth a raven [viz. to discover whether the earth was cleared of the waters] who went of times to and fro [Heb. Went forth and going forth turning that is flew hither and thither & especially about the ark the earth being for the most part yet covered with waters] until the waters are dried above the earth.

8. After that [To wit seven days after the Raven had been let forth as it is to be seen verse 10] he let forth a dove from him [one that doth not easily abandon its companion but is wont to return still to the same] for to see whether the waters were taken up [that is more lessened further abated] from above the earth.

9. But the dove sound no rest of the hollow of her foot so she turned again to him into the ark for the eaters were upon the whole earth [that is upon the flat country thereabout for otherwise the tops of the mountains had begun to be discovered above verse 5] and he put forth his hand and took her and brought her to him in the ark.

10. And he stayed yet seven other days then he let the dove forth out of the ark again [Heb. He added or continued to let forth or send which kind of speaking we find likewise below verse 12 and 21 and elsewhere frequently signifying the doing of a thing over again and the renewing or repeating of the same.]

11. And the dove came to him again the evening [seeing the sound no food for herself and sought to be the ordinary cote] and lo there was a plucked olive leaf in her bill [Heb. Mouth whereby god comforted Noah assuring him that his deliverance out of the ark was near at hand] so Noah perceived that the waters were taken up from above the earth.

12. Then he tarried yet other seven days and he let forth the dove but she returned no more to him [having no found both rest and food for her self upon the earth.]

13. And it came to pass in the sixth hundred and first year [viz. of the age of Noah which was the year 1557 after the worlds creation compare above chapter 7.11 where it is said that the flood began in the year of Noah age six hundred] in the first month upon the first of the same month that the waters were drying up from above the earth then Noah put off the cover of the ark and behold and lo the ground was dried [Heb. The face of the ground.]

14. And in the second month upon the seven and twentieth day of the month the earth was dried.

15. Then spake God to Noah saying:

16. Go forth out of the ark [the command Noah had waited for as likewise he had gone into the ark on gods command having continued in the same one year and ten days] thou and thy wife and the sons and the wives of the sons with thee.

17. All the beasts that is with thee of all flesh of fowl and cattle [see above chapter 6 on verse 7] and of all the creeping beasts that creepeth upon the earth cause to go forth with the and let them abundantly propagate upon the earth and be fruitful and multiply upon the earth.

18. Then Noah went forth and his sons and his wife and the wives of the sons with him.

19. All the beasts all the fowls and all the creeping creatures all the moves itself upon the earth after their kinds went forth out of the ark [that is they went very orderly each coupled according to its sort or kind.]

20. And Noah built an altar to the Lord and took of all the clean cattle [see above chapter 7.2] and of all the clean fowls offered burnt offerings [so named of being burnt altogether and rising up with the smoke till it was quite consumed in which regard it might likewise be called a rise offering see also Leviticus 6 on verse 9] upon the altar.

21. And the Lord smelled [spoken of God after the manner of men, or comparatively; For even as a pleasant smell much recreates a man, so God took singular delights in the faiths and thankfulness of Noah] that pleasant smells [Heb. That smell of rest, or rest-causing viz. reconciling men with God and settling him in rest and peace, not by the proper virtue of the offering, but by and through the betokened offering of our Lord Jesus Christ, whereby only there hath been purchased an everlasting reconciliation Hebrews 9:12, 13.] and the Lord said in his heart [or to that is by himself spoken to him in a human manner to declare unto us that according to his own pleasure he doth often reveal his secret counsel unto his servants] I will henceforth curse the ground no more [that is I will no more destroy the earth that is by a general inundation Heb. I will no more cause to curse, and so in the end of this verse, see above verse 10.] for mans sake, for the imagination [other, howbeit the imagination] of mans heart is evil from his youth; and I will no more smite all the living (creature) [viz. in the same manner with a deluge. The word smite among other significations, is sometimes taken for to slay or to kill or otherwise to endamage the life, by what means so ever the same is brought to pass. See Exodus 21:18 Numbers 14:12 and 35.16 Deuteronomy 28:22, 27. 1Samuel 17.49 and 26.82Samuel 3.27 1 Kings 22:34 Amos 4:9 &c.] so as I have done.

22. Henceforth, all the dates of the earth, [i.e. while the world is to stand] sowing and reaping, and cold and heat, the summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease.