CHAPTER VIII _At the end of one hundred and fifty days the waters begin to_ _subside_, 1-3. _The ark rests on Mount Ararat_, 4. _On the first of the tenth month the tops of the hills appear_, 5. _The window opened and the raven sent out_, 6, 7. _The dove sent forth, and returns_, 8, 9. _The d... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 8:4. _THE MOUNTAINS OF ARARAT._] That Ararat was a mountain of _Armenia_ is almost universally agreed. What is commonly thought to be the Ararat of the Scriptures, has been visited by many travellers, and on it there are several monasteries. For a long time the world has been amused wi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 8:7. _HE SENT FORTH A RAVEN, WHICH WENT FORTH TO AND FRO_] It is generally supposed that the raven _flew off_, and was seen no more, but this meaning the Hebrew text will not bear; ויצא יצוא ושוב _vaiyetse yatso vashob_, and it went forth, going forth and returning. From which it is ev... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 8:8. _HE SENT FORTH A DOVE_] The dove was sent forth _thrice_; the first time she _speedily_ returned, having, in all probability, gone but a little way from the ark, as she must naturally be terrified at the appearance of the waters. After seven days, being sent out a _second time_,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 8:14. _AND IN THE SECOND MONTH, ON THE SEVEN AND TWENTIETH_ _DAY_] From this it appears that Noah was in the ark a _complete_ _solar year_, or _three hundred and sixty-five days_; for he entered the ark the 17th day of the second month, in the _six hundredth_ year of his life, Genesis... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 8:20. _NOAH BUILDED AN ALTAR_] As we have already seen that Adam, Cain, and Abel, offered sacrifices, there can be no doubt that they had _altars_ on which they offered them; but this, builded by Noah, is certainly the _first_ on record. It is worthy of remark that, as the old world b... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 8:21. _THE LORD SMELLED A SWEET SAVOUR_] That is, he was well pleased with this religious act, performed in obedience to his own appointment, and in faith of the promised Saviour. That this sacrifice prefigured that which was offered by our blessed Redeemer in behalf of the world, is s... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 8:22. _WHILE THE EARTH REMAINETH, SEED-TIME AND HARVEST,_ _c._] There is something very expressive in the original, עד כל ימי הארץ _od col yemey haarets_, until all the DAYS of the earth for God does not reckon its duration by centuries, and the words themselves afford a strong presump... [ Continue Reading ]