Genesis 8:1

VIII.

(1) God. — Elohim. On the Jehovistic theory, one would have expected Jehovah here. (See Excursus.)

Every living thing. — See Note on Genesis 7:14.

The waters asswaged. — Heb., became still. It is plain from this that the “strength” of the waters, described in Genesis 7:24, has reference to the violent currents, which still existed up to the end of the one hundred and fiftieth day, after which they ceased.

A wind (comp. the creative wind in Genesis 1:2) began to blow as soon as the rains ceased, or even before, as must necessarily have been the case with so vast a disturbance of the atmosphere; but its special purpose of assuaging the waters only began when the downpour was over. This wind would affect the course of the ark, but scarcely so strongly as the currents of the water.