Genesis 8:21

God smelled a sweet savour In the Hebrew it is a savour of rest: that is, he accepted the person, and faith, and thank-offering of Noah, and was well pleased therewith, and with these hopeful beginnings of the new world, as men are with agreeable and fragrant smells. I will not again curse the ground Hebrews I will not add to curse the ground any more. God had cursed the ground upon the first entrance of sin, Genesis 3:17; when he drowned it he added to that curse: but now he determines not to add to it any more. For the imagination of man's heart is evil The original word, rendered for, may properly be rendered although. And then the meaning will be, I will not any more destroy the earth, although I have just cause so to do. But the sense given in our translation is confirmed by the Septuagint, and is probably the true meaning of the passage. But what a surprising reason it is for God's resolving no more to curse the earth! It seems to be the same with the reason given for its destruction, Genesis 6:5. There is, however, this difference: there it is said, The imagination of man's heart is evil continually, which implies, his actual transgressions continually cry against him. Here it is said, his heart is evil from his youth, or childhood: he brought it into the world with him, he was shapen and conceived in it. Therefore I will no more take this severe method; for he is rather to be pitied than punished, and it is only what might be expected from such a degenerate race.