Genesis 8

Genesis 08 General Notes

Structure and formatting

Some translations set poetry farther to the right than the rest of the text to show that it is poetry. The ULB does this with the poetry in 8:22, which is part of what Yahweh was telling Noah.

Special concepts in this chapter
Flood waters

The waters receded after this great flood. Because there was so much water, and it came from God, it is described in a unique way.

The mountains of Ararat

It is unclear where Ararat was located. Many people believe it is located in the modern country of Turkey.

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Genesis 8:1

considered Noah

"remembered Noah" or "decided to help Noah"

ark

This refers to a very large box that would be able to float on water even in a very bad storm. See how you translated this in Genesis 6:14. Alternate translation: "a large boat" or "a ship" or "a barge"

Genesis 8:2

The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were closed

"The water stopped coming out of the ground and the rain stopped falling." This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "God closed the fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

fountains of the deep

"water from under the earth." See how this is translated in Genesis 7:11.

the windows of heaven were closed

This refers to the rain stopping. It describes the sky as a ceiling that keeps the waters above it from falling down to the earth. When the windows, or doors, in the sky were closed, the water stopped coming through them. See how "the windows of heaven" is translated in Genesis 7:11. Alternate translation: "the sky closed" or "the doors in the sky closed"

Genesis 8:3

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Genesis 8:4

came to rest

"landed" or "stopped on solid ground"

in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month

Because Moses wrote this book, it is possible he is referring to the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, but this is uncertain. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-hebrewmonths and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-ordinal)

Genesis 8:5

tenth month

Because Moses wrote this book, it is possible he is referring to the tenth month of the Hebrew calendar, but this is uncertain. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-hebrewmonths and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-ordinal)

On the first day of the month

"On the first day of the tenth month"

appeared

This can be made more explicit: "appeared above the surface of the water." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Genesis 8:6

It came about

This phrase is used here to mark the beginning of a new part of the story. If your language has a way for doing this, you could consider using it here. Alternate translation: "It happened that"

It came about ... the window of the ark which he had made

The phrase "which he had made" tells about the window. Some languages may need to make this phrase a separate sentence: "Noah had made a window in the boat. It came about after forty days that he opened the window" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-distinguish)

Genesis 8:7

raven

a black bird that eats mainly the flesh of dead animals

it flew back and forth

This means that the raven kept leaving the boat and returning.

until the waters were dried up

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "until the wind dried up the waters" or "until the waters dried up" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

Genesis 8:8

he sent out a dove

If you use masculine pronouns for the word "dove," you may need to insert Noah's name here to avoid confusion: "Noah sent out a dove."

Genesis 8:9

to rest her foot

"to land" or "to perch." It means to land on something in order to rest from flying.

her foot ... she returned ... and brought her

The word "dove" is feminine in the author's language. You could translate these phrases with the pronouns "its ... it ... it" or "his ... he ... him," depending on how your language refers to a dove.

he ... him

If you use masculine pronouns for the word "dove," you may need to insert Noah's name here to avoid confusion: "Noah sent out a dove," "Noah stretched forth his hand," etc.

Genesis 8:10

He waited another seven days

"He again waited for seven days"

Genesis 8:11

Look

"Pay attention" or "This is important"

a freshly plucked olive leaf

"a leaf that she had just plucked from an olive tree"

plucked

"broken off"

Genesis 8:12

She did not return again to him

If people would not understand, you could state the reason explicitly: "She did not return again to him because she found a place to land." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Genesis 8:13

It came about

This phrase is used here to mark the beginning of a new part of the story. If your language has a way for doing this, you could consider using it here.

in the six hundred and first year

"when Noah was 601 years old" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-ordinal)

the first month, on the first day of the month

Since Moses wrote this book it is possible he is referring to the first month of the Hebrew calendar, but this is uncertain. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-hebrewmonths and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-ordinal)

the waters were dried up from off the earth

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "the waters covering the earth dried up" or "the wind dried up the waters covering the earth" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

the covering of the ark

This refers to a cover that kept the rain water from going into the ark.

behold

The word "behold" tells us to pay attention to the important information that comes next.

Genesis 8:14

In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month

"On the twenty seventh day of the second month." This may refer to the second month of the Hebrew calendar, but this is uncertain. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-hebrewmonths and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-ordinal)

the earth was dry

"the ground was completely dry"

Genesis 8:15

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Genesis 8:16

Go out of

"Leave." Some translations read "Come out." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-go)

Genesis 8:17

Take out

"Take." Some translations read "Bring out." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-go)

every living creature of all flesh

"every kind of living creature." See how "all flesh" is translated in Genesis 6:12.

be fruitful and multiply

This is an idiom. See how this is translated in Genesis 1:28. God wanted the humans and animals to reproduce, so there would be many of them. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-doublet and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)

Genesis 8:18

Noah went out

Some translations read "Noah came out." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-go)

Genesis 8:19

according to their families

"in groups of their own kinds"

Genesis 8:20

built an altar to Yahweh

"built an altar dedicated to Yahweh" or "built an altar for worshiping Yahweh." He may have built it with stones.

clean animals ... clean birds

Here "clean" means that God allowed these animals to be used in sacrifice. Some animals were not used for sacrifices and were called "unclean."

offered burnt offerings

Noah killed the animals and then completely burned them up as an offering to God. Alternate translation: "burned the animals as offerings to Yahweh"

Genesis 8:21

pleasing aroma

This refers to the good smell of the roasted meat.

said in his heart

Here the word "heart" refers to God's thoughts and emotions.

curse the ground

"do very serious harm to the earth"

because of mankind

This can be made more explicit: "because mankind is sinful." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

the intentions of their hearts is evil from childhood

"from their earliest years they tend to do evil things" or "when they are young, they want to do evil things"

the intentions of their hearts

Here the word "hearts" refers to people's thoughts, emotions, desires, and will. Alternate translation: "their tendency" or "their habit"

from childhood

This refers to an older child. Alternate translation: "from their youth"

Genesis 8:22

While the earth remains

"While the earth lasts" or "As long as the earth exists"

seed time

"the season for planting"

cold and heat, summer and winter

These expressions both refer to two major weather conditions in the year. Translators may use local expressions. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-merism)

summer

the hot, dry time of the year

winter

the cool, wet or snowy time of the year

will not cease

"will continue"