Forty 6. At the end of forty days. days from the date above mentioned, or the time that the mountain tops became visible. -T Noah opened the window of the ark. Heb. 13 hallow, generally interpreted window,' but a different word from that occurring ch. 6. 16, and denoting any aperture in the upper part of a building. But what was its precise forin or position in the present instance it is impossible to say. T Which he had made. The 'which' in this case, according to the Heb. accents, refers not to 'ark' but to 'window.' were abated from off the face of the ground; 9 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. patience.' Henry.¶ Which went forth to and fro. Heb. 2727 87I¬NI¬ which went forth going and returning ; i. e. often flying away from the ark and again returning to it, and resting doubtless on its top. This is rendered both by the Gr. and the Vulg. 'returned not again;' but the meaning of the sacred writer probably is simply that he did not again re-enter the ark, as did the dove, v. 9. From the raven's emission and return Noah could of course learn nothing favourable, and from this circumstance, the raven has ever been considered as a bird of ill omen; while the dove, on the other hand, which brought back an oliveleaf in its beak, is regarded as the significant emblem of peace. 8. Also he sent forth a dove. A bird tenderly attached to its mate, and therefore more likely to return. From its being said, v. 10, that he waited 'other seven days,' the inference is natural that the dove was sent out seven days after the raven. In this fact there is a plain intimation, that the weekly sabbath was observed by Noah in the ark. -T To see if the waters were abated. Heb. p were lightened; a different word from that before rendered 'abated.' 9. Found no rest for the sole of her 7. Sent forth a raven. In order to learn whether the waters were abated, as in the case of the sending forth of the dove; for if they were, the raven would have stayed away to feed on dead bodies, according to its natural instincts, Prov. 30. 17. 'Desires of re-foot. lease out of trouble, earnest expectations of it, and inquiries concerning its advances towards us, will very well consist with the sincerity of faith and For though some of the mountain tops were bare, yet they were either at so great a distance, or so far out of the course she took, that she did not now alight upon them. Besides, it is 10 And he stayed yet other seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. 11 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. 12 And he stayed yet other seven days, and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more. 13 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. caused to come. Genev. Vers. 'received her.' 10. Stayed. Heb. 'patiently abode;' the same word that occurs Ps. 40. 1, 'I waited patiently for God.' So in v. 12 below. 'He that believeth shall not make haste.'- --T Again he sent. Heb. 'added to send.' Thus v. 12, 'Returned not again,' Heb. 'added not to return, So also, v. 21, 'Will not again curse,' Heb. 'will not add to curse.' 11. Came in to him. Rather came to him, as the original has nothing answering to in, and his receiving her into the ark is afterwards mentioned. well known that in general doves fly low and are perhaps on that account called Ezek. 7. 16, 'doves of the valleys,' as ravens also are called ' ravens of the valleys,' Prov. 30. 17, from their usually finding their prey on the low grounds. The vain and weary wanderings of the soul in quest of rest are strikingly shadowed forth in the disappointment of the dove. No solid peace or satisfaction can it find in this deluged, defiling world, till it returns to Christ as to its ark, its Noah. The carnal heart, like the raven, takes up with the world, and feeds on the carrion it finds there, but the gracious soul still sighs out its 'Oh, that I had wings by a newly-pluckt olive-leaf; like a dove,' that I might fly to him and be at rest; and, as Trapp remarks, 'if that 'Oh' will not set her at liberty, then she takes up that 'Wo' to express her misery; 'Wo is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, and dwell in the tents of Kedar." Let our language then ever be, 'Return thou to thy rest (Heb. 7 limnuah, to thy Noah, as it were), 0(-3).' - An olive-leaf pluckt off. Heb. or rather olive twig or branch; not a loose leaf floating on the water, but a small tender twig, such as the dove might have broken off with her bill, which she probably did by supernatural impulse. Compare the use of the original phrase Neh. 8. 15, 'Go forth unto the mount and fetch olive-branches According to Pliny and my soul!' Ps. 116. 7.-¶ Returned Theophrastus, the olive-tree retains its unto him into the ark. Rather, 'return- verdure even under water.¶ Abaed unto him to (3) the ark;' for it was ted. Heb. 13 were lightened. not till after Noah had put forth his 13. Six hundred and first year. That is, hand, and taken hold of her, that she of Noah's life, as the Gr. expressly has actually entered the ark.- T The wait. Removed the covering of the ark. ters were on the face of the whole earth. Heb. non mikseh which occurs Ex. That is, upon the flat or lower regions 26. 14.-36. 19, and elsewhere in referin contradistinction from the moun- ence to the covering of skins spread tains, the tops of which had previously over the tabernacle. It was probably become visible.--¶ Pulled. Heb. a similar envelope which is spoken of 14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried. 15 And God spake unto Noah, saying, 16 Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. 17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, g ch. 7. 13. h ch. 7. 15. nere. The Gr. indeed renders it orεyn roof, as if the meaning were, that Noah now broke up in whole or in part the planking of the roof; but we cannot learn that the original is ever used in that sense. The patient waiting evinced by Noah under these circumstances is worthy of all admiration. Most men in his situation would have been apt to have removed the covering, when the dove returned with the signal of the retiring waters in its mouth; but though the sight of land is always so desirable to the voyager after a long confinement to the walls of a ship, yet Noah discovers no precipitancy, but is calm, moderate, and patient to the end. We must look to the paramount influence of the gracious principle by which he was governed, and to that alone, for an adequate key to his conduct; and let us remember that like causes ever produce like effects. 14. In the second month, &c. was the earth dried. The following table will exhibit a tolerably correct calendar of the time of the continuance of the flood and of Noah's abiding in the ark. ་ 25. Dove again sent outreturned. 12. 2. Dove again sent outreturned not. "28. Unaccounted for in the narrative. 601. 1. 1. Waters dried from off the surface--the body of the earth still saturated with moisture. 2. 27. Ground fully dried; Noah leaves the ark. The aggregate is one year and ten days. If, however, as Ainsworth supposes, the Jewish year consisted of only 354 days, six of the 12 months having each 30 days, and the remaining six but 29-354, then by adding 11 days for the 27th of the second month completed, the amount will be 365 days, or a full solar year. 16. Go forth of the ark, &c. As Noah entered the ark by God's command, so he must wait his time ere he attempts to leave it. Though he saw the ground dry the first day of the first month, yet he is required to tarry for nearly two months longer, before he I makes his egress from his floating house. 'God consults our benefit, rather than our desires; for he knows what is good for us better than we do ourselves; and how long it is fit our 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. 20 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. k Lev. ch. 11. restraints should continue, and desired while he and his little household were mercies be delayed.' Henry. now the sole survivors of an extinguish 19. After their kinds. Heb. 'accord-ed race; to see the whole face of creaing to their families.' That is, they rushed not out confusedly together, but in exact order, the several pairs with the increase which may have accrued to them in the ark. Families are here attributed to brute creatures, as before man and wife, ch. 7. 2. tion so entirely changed, and no trace of former scenes remaining; and then to think of what he owed to the preserving goodness of God, that had kept him safe in the midst of such an awful catastrophe ;-all this could not but inspire him with the most melting and overwhelming emotions of thankfulness, which he would naturally make his first business suitably to express. 20. Builded an altar. The Heb. term for 'altar,' properly signifies a sacrificatory, or place for slaying sac-it rifices. The Eng. word altar, comes from the Lat. altus, high, elevated, because they were originally made of high-raised mounds of earth, Ex. 20. 24, or built on the tops of hills and mountains. The 'high places' so frequently mentioned in the subsequent Scriptures, signify either such altars themselves, a kind of tumuli, or the eminences on which they were built. As altars and sacrifices were undoubtedly common before the flood as a part of the system of religious worship, Noah had no occasion to wait for a particular command relative to this mode of expressing his gratitude for the signal mercies he had experienced; and it was no doubt of so much more value in the sight of God, as he went about it, not of constraint, but willingly.' God is peculiarly pleased with free-will offerings, and with praises spontaneously prompted. And surely if ever an occasion existed for the exercise of grateful and adoring sentiments the present was one. To look back upon the world, and reflect that in so short a space of time all his cotemporaries were blotted from existence, 6 - Offered burnt-offerings. Heb. ascensions or rise-offerings, so called because they went up to the Lord in fire; every part except the skin was consumed; whence they were called in Gr. oλokavpara whole burntofferings, which the Apostle teaches, Heb. 10. 6, 10, were a prefiguration of the sacrifice of the body of Christ. As to the exact nature of the sacrifice now offered, it probably partook of the twofold character of eucharistic and expiatory; the occasion giving it the one, and the material the other; for under the law thank-offerings were not usually of the bloody kind. But in this instance, the offering was probably designed as an atonement in behalf of the remnant that was left, and also as a significant testimonial of Noah's believing respect to the Great Sacrifice afterwards to be made, and on the ground of which he would now acknowledge Jehovah's intention to deal with his creatures in all future periods of the renovated earth. The act also is to be viewed in close connection with the covenant engagement mentioned below. 21. Smelled a sweet savour. Heb. 21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again m curse the ground any more for 1 Lev. 1. 9. Ezek. 20. 41. 2 Cor. 2. 15. Eph. 5. 2. m ch. 3. 17. & 6. 17. savour of rest; having thus a verbal reference to Noah's name, ch. 5. 29. Chal. the Lord accepted with favour his oblation.' Gr. the Lord God smelt a savour of sweetness, (2 μη ).' The meaning is, that Noah's sacrifice was as grateful and acceptable to the Lord as sweet odours are to a man. Thus 1 Sam. 26. 19, 'If the Lord have stirred thee up against me let him accept (Heb. - smeil) an offering.' Lev. 26. 31, 'I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours;' i. e. I will reject your sacrifices. In order however that sacrifices should be thus acceptable to Jehovah it was requisite both that they should conform to his appointment, and that the offerer should be himself a believer, and should present them in faith of the great atonement of the Messiah; as otherwise instead of coming up as fragrant odours before the Lord, they should be to him as a nauseous smell which he abhorred; 'I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt-offerings and your meat-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts.' Am. 5. 21, 22. That the sacrifice of Noah on this occasion prefigured that of Christ is evident from the words of Paul Eph. 5. 2, 'Who hath loved us and iven himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour (oμn evwdius);' | where the phrase used by the apostle is the very phrase used by the Septuagint in this place.- ¶ The Lord said in his heart. Heb. 13 to his heart; i. e. to himself; he inwardly determined. Another meaning, but one less probable, may be that 'the Lord spake to his (Noah's) heart;' i. e. the Lord comforted him, as the phrase sometimes implies, Jud. 19. 3. Ruth 2. 13. Is. 40. 2. Hos. 2. 14. Thus too the Arab. 'God said to his prophet.' But on the contrary the Syr. 'the Lord said in his heart.' Chal.' the Lord said in (or by) his word.' Gr. and the Lord God considering said,' which last undoubtedly gives the true sense. The expression is perhaps equivalent to an oath; the very one, it may be, to which God alludes by the prophet, Is. 54. 9, 'For as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more govern the earth,' &c. ་ We know of no other time but this when this swearing can -¶ Will be supposed to have occurred.not again curse the ground. Heb. will not add to curse;' i. e. as I have done now, by a general deluge. The words are to be considered not as canceling the general curse inflicted upon the earth for man's sin, Gen. 3. 17, nor as precluding a future destruction by fire, but simply as declaring that the judgment of a universal deluge shall not be repeated, though there might still be partial inundations in particular regions that would be marked by very desolating effects. -¶ For the imagination of man's heart, &c. Rather, Heb. ki, though the imagination (or fabrication, y),' &c. Thus Josh. 17. 18, Thou shalt drive out the Canaanites though () they have iron chariots.' As if he should say, 'Notwithstanding I see man's heart is still the same as |