“Genesis 8:6-12”

Saturday, November 02, 2019

“Then it came about at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made; and he sent out a raven, and it flew here and there until the water was dried up from the earth. Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark. The dove came to him toward evening, and behold, in her beak was a freshly picked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water was abated from the earth. Then he waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; but she did not return to him again.”

---End of Scripture verses---

“Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made.” (verse 6) This was truly “Noah’s ark”—the ark which he had made. He opened “the window”—the single aperture or opening besides the lone door for entering and exiting the giant barge. He did this “forty days” after “the tenth month…on the first day of the month” when “the tops of the mountains became visible.” (verse 5)

“And he sent out a raven” or literally “the raven”. (verse 7) Much speculation has been made about this raven and understandably so because the Lord really gives no reason why he selected this bird first. Some have speculated that it is called “the raven” because “there was only one male raven in the ark, the raven being among the unclean birds.” (Pulpit Commentary) I think more likely it was called “the raven” because it was simply “the raven” selected by Noah to do this particular job.

The raven “flew here and there” or literally “it went forth going and returning.” Some scholars believe the raven flew “here and there” finding food sources for survival and never again returned to the ark. It is more likely, however, that “it went forth going and returning” to the ark but never reentered the ark. Nahum Sarna commented that, ‘The raven is a wild bird that is not discriminating in its diet. It feeds on carrion as well as vegetation and could thus obtain its food from among the floating carcasses. That is why it made repeated forays from the ark. Noah could observe its movements over several days.”

“Literally, and it went forth going and returning, i.e. flying backwards and forwards, from the ark and to the ark, perhaps resting on it, but not entering into it… Whether it entirely disappeared at the first, or continued hovering round the ark, Noah was unable from its movements to arrive at any certain conclusion as to the condition of the earth, and accordingly required to adopt another expedient, which he did in the mission of the dove.” (Pulpit Commentary)

“Then he sent out a dove…” (verse 8) The dove was a more “delicate” bird and maybe Noah could determine more about the surrounding conditions by setting it free. “The selection which Noah made of the birds may…be explained quite simply from the difference in their nature, with which Noah must have been acquainted; that is to say, from the fact that the raven in seeking its food settles upon every carcass that it sees, whereas the dove will only settle upon what is dry and clean.” (Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament)

“But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot…” (verse 9) Some of the mountain tops were visible, but as of yet, not enough “quality” dry real estate was available for the dove to feel good about alighting upon. Noah sent the raven and the dove out of the ark at intervals of “seven days”. (verse 10) Fourteen days after opening the window and sending out the raven, and seven days after sending out the dove for the second time, “The dove came to him toward evening, and behold, in her beak was a freshly picked olive leaf.” (verse 11) That the dove did not return until evening strongly suggests that it found plenty of dry places to perch and rest. That the olive leaf was “freshly picked” suggests it was growing on a live, exposed tree, and not merely floating on water or lying on the ground.

“The olive tree, one of the earliest to be cultivated in the Near East, is an evergreen. It is extraordinarily sturdy and may thrive for up to a thousand years. Thus it became symbolic of God’s blessings of regeneration, abundance, and strength, which is most likely the function it serves here. In the present context the olive branch is invested with the idea of peace and reconciliation, and for this reason it was incorporated into the official emblem of the State of Israel.” (Nahum Sarna) “It is said by Theophrastus…and Pliny…that the olive strikes leaves even under water. From this event, the olive branch became the symbol of peace, and the dove the emblem of the Comforter, the messenger of peace.” (Barnes’ Notes on the Bible)

“Then he waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; but she did not return to him again.” (verse 12) This was a sign that the water had dried considerably or completely from the earth’s surface. “The number seven figures very conspicuously in this narrative. Seven days before the showers commence the command to enter the ark is given; and at intervals of seven days the winged messengers are sent out… The clean beasts also and the birds are admitted into the ark by seven pairs. This points to the sacredness associated with the number arising from the hallowed character of the seventh day.” (Barnes’ Notes on the Bible)

While I wholeheartedly agree that seven is a richly symbolic number, and that the seventh day was pronounced “holy” or “sacred” by the Lord (Genesis 2:3), He did so in anticipation the future covenant He would make with Israel. The first time the word “Sabbath” is used in the Bible is after Israel’s exodus from Egyptian slavery and the giving of the Law to Moses at Sinai (Exodus 16:23). We do not read of a single commandment or example for any of the ancient patriarchs, including Moses, to keep the Sabbath day holy. But still, it is likely that the number seven did acquire its “sacred” symbolic status because of the seven days of Creation and the seventh day of Creation.

Please read Genesis 8:13-19 for tomorrow.

Have a blessed day!

- Louie Taylor

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