Genesis 8:12
in Genesis 8And Noah waited seven more days and sent out the dove again, but this time she did not return to him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he stayed yet other seven days, and sent forth the dove; and she returned not again unto him any more.
KJV
And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.
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This verse in Genesis 8
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Noah waited seven more days
on Genesis 8:10-12
Noah waits in sevens, the same count as the seven days of warning at 7:4 and the seven pairs of clean animals at 7:2. The dove comes back that evening with an olive leaf freshly plucked, which means something is growing on the drained ground. On the third sending she does not return. That silence is the answer.
This site's exposition
she did not return to him
The dove that did not return told Noah the ground was dry enough to hold life, yet he waited in the ark until God spoke. Matthew Henry saw faith and patience in that waiting, joined to an eager wish to know. Noah sent the dove and waited on God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
The secular powers often and for a long time spare the wicked from corporal punishment and relieve some of them from their harassments, but the hearts of holy men never have any respite until the end of the world from the sinful conduct of men. It is thus we have the fulfillment of what the apostle said, as I cited it, that "all who will live godly in Christ suffer persecution." Their suffering is more bitter in proportion to its inwardness. This is so until a man passes over the deluge where the ark shelters the raven and the dove.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Noah then understood that the waters had subsided from the earth, and he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove, which did not return to him again.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And he stayed yet other seven days,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Va-yiyyachel (and he stayed) is a nifal and is penultimately accented. Because of the vav conversive (Weiser).
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
‘TARAPH’ (PLUCKED) IN HER MOUTH. Rashi wrote: “I am of the opinion that the dove was a male and that therefore Scripture sometimes speaks of it as masculine. It is indicated by taraph (he plucked) rather than tarpha (she plucked). and sometimes as feminine.
Only the surface of the earth dried; the soil itself was swampy and hence not yet firm enough to walk upon.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּיָּ֣חֶל | vaiyiyachel | and he waited | H3176 → | |
| ע֔וֹד | od | again | H5750 → | 490 times |
| שִׁבְעַ֥ת | shivat | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| יָמִ֖ים | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| אֲחֵרִ֑ים | ʾacherim | other | H312 → | 166 times |
| וַיְשַׁלַּח֙ | vayshalach | and he sent out | H7971 → | 845 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַיּוֹנָ֔ה | haiyonah | the dove | H3123 → | 31 times |
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָסְפָ֥ה | yasefah | it repeated | H3254 → | 212 times |
| שׁוּב־ | shuv- | to return | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אֵלָ֖יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עֽוֹד׃ | od | again | H5750 → | 490 times |
וַיִּיָּ֣חֶלand he waited
vaiyiyachelH3176 →
ע֔וֹדagain
odH5750 →490 times
שִׁבְעַ֥תseven
shivatH7651 →394 times
יָמִ֖יםdays
yamimH3117 →2304 times
אֲחֵרִ֑יםother
ʾacherimH312 →166 times
וַיְשַׁלַּח֙and he sent out
vayshalachH7971 →845 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַיּוֹנָ֔הthe dove
haiyonahH3123 →31 times
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
יָסְפָ֥הit repeated
yasefahH3254 →212 times
שׁוּב־to return
shuv-H7725 →1056 times
אֵלָ֖יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
עֽוֹד׃again
odH5750 →490 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 30:18Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He rises to show you compassion, for the LORD is a just God. Blessed are all who wait for Him.
it leads to
- Lamentations 3:25–26
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
- 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
- Proverbs 16:20
Whoever heeds instruction will find success, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
- Isaiah 25:9
And in that day it will be said, “Surely this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited. Let us…
- Isaiah 8:17
I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in Him.
- Lamentations 3:25–26
Through
Isaiah 25:9And in that day it will be said, “Surely this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited. Let us…
it leads to
- Psalms 27:14
Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!
- Genesis 49:18
I await Your salvation, O LORD.
- Micah 7:7
But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
- Psalms 27:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, LETTERS 248; Bede, Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.