And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that [was] with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; Ver. 1. _And God remembered Noah._] He might begin to think that God had forgotten him, having not heard from God for five months... [ Continue Reading ]
The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; Ver. 2. _And the rain from heaven was restrained._] These four keys, say the Rabbis, God keeps under his own belt: 1. Of the womb; 2. Of the grave; 3. Of the rain; 4. Of the heart. "He op... [ Continue Reading ]
And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. Ver. 3. _And the waters returned continually._] Or, hastily (Heb., הזלד ושׁוב). In going and returning; or, heaving and shoving, with all possible speed to return to their... [ Continue Reading ]
And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. Ver. 4. _Mountains of Ararat._] On the tops of the Gordaean mountains (where Noah's ark rested) we find many ruins and huge foundations (saith the Preacher in his travels), _a_ of which no re... [ Continue Reading ]
And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth [month], on the first [day] of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen. Ver. 5. _The waters decreased._] Not all on the sudden, but by little and little, for exercise of Noah's faith. "He that believeth maketh not haste... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: Ver. 6. _At the end of forty days._] Viz., After that the tops of the mountains were discovered. _ The window of the ark,_] _i.e., _ That in the upper loft of the ark, where the fowls were.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Ver. 7. _And he sent forth a raven._] Which when it is made tame, though it delights in dead carcasses, whereof Noah knew the earth was now full, yet doth not easily forget its station, but re... [ Continue Reading ]
Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; Ver. 8. _Also he sent forth a dove._] A bird that being swift and simple, willingly "flies" back "to his windows," Isa 60:8 through love and faithfulness to his mate and young. Besides, he fleeth a... [ Continue Reading ]
But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters [were] on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. Ver. 9. _And the dove found no rest._] No more doth man's soul (God's... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;_ Ver. 10. _And again he sent forth the dove._] The fitter for such a purpose, because she flieth long and low; and out of love to her mate would soon return with the good news so much longed for by Noah and his co... [ Continue Reading ]
And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth [was] an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. Ver. 11. _In her mouth was an olive leaf._] The olive never casteth her leaf, and is greenest in the spring, saith Pliny. It might very well... [ Continue Reading ]
And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more. Ver. 12. _Which returned not unto him any more._] But, out of love of liberty, forgat both her mate and her master; who yet was hereby certified, to his comfort, that now she had, abroad, met wi... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first [month], the first [day] of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. Ver. 13. _The face of the ground._] The surfac... [ Continue Reading ]
And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried. Ver. 14. _And in the second month._] This was God's good time, which holy Noah was content to wait; which we must also learn to do, or all will be out of order. Christ oft stayeth long, till "the fourth watch... [ Continue Reading ]
And God spake unto Noah, saying, Ver. 15. _And God spake unto Noah._] _See Trapp on "_ Gen 8:16 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. Ver. 16. _Go forth of the ark._] Learn we of this holy patriarch, to do all by God's direction, and not dare to attempt anything without his warrant; approving ourselves to him in our comings in and goings out. He... [ Continue Reading ]
Bring forth with thee every living thing that [is] with thee, of all flesh, [both] of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. Ver. 17. _That they may breed abundantly._]... [ Continue Reading ]
And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: Ver. 18. _And Noah went forth._] In obedience to the divine command. Yεω επου, "follow God," was the old and good rule. _See Trapp on "_ Gen 8:16 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, [and] whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. Ver. 19. _Every beast after their kind._] Heb., After their families: that is, not confusedly and pell-mell, as we say, but distinctly and in order: the lion wi... [ Continue Reading ]
And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. Ver. 20. _And Noah builded an altar to the Lord._] This was his first care; and so it was Abraham's wherever he came. It must be also ours, after great delivera... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart [is] evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. Ver. 21. _And the Lord smelled a sweet... [ Continue Reading ]
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Ver. 27. _While the earth remaineth._] Heb., All the days of the earth. The earth then (though Solomon in some sense says it endureth for ever) hath its set and certain numb... [ Continue Reading ]