NOTE ON THE FLOOD NARRATIVE I. "The original Babylonian Flood story is often treated as purely mythical, spun out of light (Usener, _Die Sintflutsagen_, pp. 185 ff.), moon (Böklen, _Archiv f. Religionswissenschaft_, vi. p. 5 f.), astral (Jensen, _Gilgamesh Epos in der Weltgeschichte_, i. _passim_),... [ Continue Reading ]
Genesis 8:1-14. The Diminution of the Waters 1 (P). _God remembered_ The same expression occurs in Genesis 19:29; Genesis 30:22. It is a form of anthropomorphism which is not infrequent in the O.T. and which is in continual use in the language of devotion. _and all the cattle_ LXX adds "And all th... [ Continue Reading ]
_the seventh month_, &c. The Flood had begun on the 17th day of the 2nd month (see Genesis 7:11): the highest point of the Flood is reached on the 17th day of the 7th month. Five months have elapsed. Probably the 150 days were reckoned as five months of 30 days each. _the mountains of Ararat_ Arara... [ Continue Reading ]
(P). _the tenth month_ Another date is here given. The tops of other mountains were visible on the 1st day of the 10th month. Reckoning 30 days for a month, we thus have an interval of 73 days between the grounding of the ark upon the mountains of Ararat and the visibility of the other mountains. _... [ Continue Reading ]
The Story of the Raven and the Dove. (J.) 6. _at the end of forty days_ The forty days mentioned in Genesis 7:4; Genesis 7:12. _the window_ LXX θυρίδα, Lat. _fenestram_. This was not mentioned by P in the description of the ark in chap. 6. The word used here is the ordinary equivalent for a window... [ Continue Reading ]
_a raven_ The Heb. and LXX give the definite article, "the raven," which some have explained as the only male raven in the ark. But the article is idiomatically generic; cf. Genesis 8:8, Gesenius, _Heb. Gr._126, § 4. The Israelite story records the sending, first of a raven, and then, on two success... [ Continue Reading ]
_a dove_ The definite article is used also here, though there would have been seven pairs of doves. From the opening clause of Genesis 8:10, we may conclude that the narrative here was originally fuller, and that this verse must have begun "and he stayed seven days.... [ Continue Reading ]
_no rest_ Compare the Babylonian description, "the dove went to and fro; as there was no resting-place, it turned back." Clearly the account in these verses implies that only water was visible: it represents an earlier stage than that in Genesis 8:5 (P). _put forth his hand_ The description is one... [ Continue Reading ]
_yet other seven days_ See note on Genesis 8:8 The word "other" shews that an interval of seven days has already been mentioned. The importance of the period of seven days seems to receive emphasis from this passage, as well as from Genesis 7:4; Genesis 7:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
_at eventide_ i.e. at the time when the dove would return to roost; implying a long absence from the ark. _an olive leaf pluckt off_ Better, as R.V. marg., _a fresh olive leaf_. This would shew two things, (1) that the waters had sunk to a level at which the olive would grow, and (2) that life had... [ Continue Reading ]
Noah is commanded to leave the Ark, and to replenish the Earth. (P.)... [ Continue Reading ]
_that they may breed abundantly_ The same word as in Genesis 1:20, "let the waters bring forth abundantly" (see note). Cf. Genesis 9:7. _be fruitful, and multiply_ as in Genesis 1:22; Genesis 1:24-28. The repetition of the Creation command marks the beginning of a new era in the history of the world... [ Continue Reading ]
_after their families_ A phrase characteristic of P. Cf. Genesis 10:5; Genesis 10:20; Genesis 10:31; Genesis 36:40. It is in accordance with P's fondness for method and order that, in his description, the animals are made to leave the ark "after their families"; they had entered it "after their kind... [ Continue Reading ]
_builded an altar unto the Lord_ It will be noticed that, in this account by J, the first thing that Noah does, on leaving the ark, is to build an altar, and to offer sacrifice. In J's estimation sacrifice was primitive, and not merely Mosaic, in origin. See note on Genesis 7:2. In P there is no me... [ Continue Reading ]
Noah's Burnt-offering and Jehovah's Acceptance of it. (J.)... [ Continue Reading ]
_smelled the sweet savour_ A very strong anthropomorphism which only occurs here. "Sweet savour" is a technical expression in the language of Levitical sacrifice. Cf. Leviticus 1:9; Leviticus 1:13; Leviticus 1:17. Literally, it meant "the smell of complacence" or "satisfaction," with the idea of res... [ Continue Reading ]
_While the earth remaineth_ Observe the poetical character of this verse. The four pairs of words are recorded with an impressive and rhythmical dignity.... [ Continue Reading ]