1 And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;
2 The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;
3 And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.
4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.
6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:
7 And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
8 Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters 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.
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 plucked 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.
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, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.
18 And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him:
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.
21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savor; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
1 And God H430 remembered H2142 Noah, H5146 and every living thing, H2416 and all the cattle H929 that was with him in the ark: H8392 and God H430 made H5674 a wind H7307 to pass H5674 over H5921 the earth, H776 and the waters H4325 asswaged; H7918
2 The fountains H4599 also of the deep H8415 and the windows H699 of heaven H8064 were stopped, H5534 and the rain H1653 from heaven H8064 was restrained; H3607
3 And the waters H4325 returned H7725 from off the earth H776 continually: H1980 H7725 and after the end H7097 of the hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 days H3117 the waters H4325 were abated. H2637
4 And the ark H8392 rested H5117 in the seventh H7637 month, H2320 on the seventeenth H6240 H7651 day H3117 of the month, H2320 upon the mountains H2022 of Ararat. H780
5 And the waters H4325 decreased H2637 continually H1980 until H5704 the tenth H6224 month: H2320 in the tenth H6224 month, on the first H259 day of the month, H2320 were the tops H7218 of the mountains H2022 seen. H7200
6 And it came to pass at the end H7093 of forty H705 days, H3117 that Noah H5146 opened H6605 the window H2474 of the ark H8392 which he had made: H6213
7 And he sent forth H7971 a raven, H6158 which went forth H3318 to H3318 and fro, H7725 until the waters H4325 were dried up H3001 from off the earth. H776
8 Also he sent forth H7971 a dove H3123 from him, to see H7200 if the waters H4325 were abated H7043 from off the face H6440 of the ground; H127
9 But the dove H3123 found H4672 no rest H4494 for the sole H3709 of her foot, H7272 and she returned H7725 unto him into the ark, H8392 for the waters H4325 were on the face H6440 of the whole earth: H776 then he put forth H7971 his hand, H3027 and took her, H3947 and pulled her in H935 unto him into the ark. H8392
10 And he stayed H2342 yet other H312 seven H7651 days; H3117 and again H3254 he sent forth H7971 the dove H3123 out of the ark; H8392
11 And the dove H3123 came in H935 to him in the evening; H6256 H6153 and, lo, in her mouth H6310 was an olive H2132 leaf H5929 pluckt off: H2965 so Noah H5146 knew H3045 that the waters H4325 were abated H7043 from off the earth. H776
12 And he stayed H3176 yet other H312 seven H7651 days; H3117 and sent forth H7971 the dove; H3123 which returned H7725 not again H3254 unto him any more. H5750
13 And it came to pass in the six H8337 hundredth H3967 and first year, H8141 in the first H7223 month, the first H259 day of the month, H2320 the waters H4325 were dried up H2717 from off the earth: H776 and Noah H5146 removed H5493 the covering H4372 of the ark, H8392 and looked, H7200 and, behold, the face H6440 of the ground H127 was dry. H2717
14 And in the second H8145 month, H2320 on the seven H7651 and twentieth H6242 day H3117 of the month, H2320 was the earth H776 dried. H3001
15 And God H430 spake H1696 unto Noah, H5146 saying, H559
16 Go forth H3318 of the ark, H8392 thou, and thy wife, H802 and thy sons, H1121 and thy sons' H1121 wives H802 with thee.
17 Bring forth H3318 with thee every living thing H2416 that is with thee, of all flesh, H1320 both of fowl, H5775 and of cattle, H929 and of every creeping thing H7431 that creepeth H7430 upon the earth; H776 that they may breed abundantly H8317 in the earth, H776 and be fruitful, H6509 and multiply H7235 upon the earth. H776
18 And Noah H5146 went forth, H3318 and his sons, H1121 and his wife, H802 and his sons' H1121 wives H802 with him:
19 Every beast, H2416 every creeping thing, H7431 and every fowl, H5775 and whatsoever H3605 creepeth H7430 upon the earth, H776 after their kinds, H4940 went forth H3318 out of the ark. H8392
20 And Noah H5146 builded H1129 an altar H4196 unto the LORD; H3068 and took H3947 of every clean H2889 beast, H929 and of every clean H2889 fowl, H5775 and offered H5927 burnt offerings H5930 on the altar. H4196
21 And the LORD H3068 smelled H7306 a sweet H5207 savour; H7381 and the LORD H3068 said H559 in H413 his heart, H3820 I will not again H3254 curse H7043 the ground H127 any more for man's H120 sake; H5668 for the imagination H3336 of man's H120 heart H3820 is evil H7451 from his youth; H5271 neither will I again H3254 smite H5221 any more every thing living, H2416 as I have done. H6213
22 While the earth H776 remaineth, H3117 seedtime H2233 and harvest, H7105 and cold H7120 and heat, H2527 and summer H7019 and winter, H2779 and day H3117 and night H3915 shall not cease. H7673
1 And God remembered Noah, and all the beasts, and all the cattle that were with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;
2 the fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;
3 and the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters decreased.
4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.
6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:
7 and he sent forth a raven, and it went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
8 And he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters 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 to the ark; for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: and he put forth his hand, and took her, and brought her in unto him into the ark.
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 at eventide; and, lo, in her mouth an olive-leaf plucked 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; and she returned not again unto him any more.
13 And it came to pass in the six hundred 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 dried.
14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dry.
15 And God spake unto Noah, saying,
16 Go forth from 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 of all flesh, both birds, and cattle, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.
18 And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him:
19 every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, whatsoever moveth upon the earth, after their families, went forth out of the ark.
20 And Noah builded an altar unto Jehovah, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar.
21 And Jehovah smelled the sweet savor; and Jehovah said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake, for that the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living, as I have done.
22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
1 And God remembereth Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle which `are' with him in the ark, and God causeth a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subside,
2 and closed are the fountains of the deep and the net-work of the heavens, and restrained is the shower from the heavens.
3 And turn back do the waters from off the earth, going on and returning; and the waters are lacking at the end of a hundred and fifty days.
4 And the ark resteth, in the seventh month, in the seventeenth day of the month, on mountains of Ararat;
5 and the waters have been going and becoming lacking till the tenth month; in the tenth `month', on the first of the month, appeared the heads of the mountains.
6 And it cometh to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah openeth the window of the ark which he made,
7 and he sendeth forth the raven, and it goeth out, going out and turning back till the drying of the waters from off the earth.
8 And he sendeth forth the dove from him to see whether the waters have been lightened from off the face of the ground,
9 and the dove hath not found rest for the sole of her foot, and she turneth back unto him, unto the ark, for waters `are' on the face of all the earth, and he putteth out his hand, and taketh her, and bringeth her in unto him, unto the ark.
10 And he stayeth yet other seven days, and addeth to send forth the dove from the ark;
11 and the dove cometh in unto him at even-time, and lo, an olive leaf torn off in her mouth; and Noah knoweth that the waters have been lightened from off the earth.
12 And he stayeth yet other seven days, and sendeth forth the dove, and it added not to turn back unto him any more.
13 And it cometh to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first `month', in the first of the month, the waters have been dried from off the earth; and Noah turneth aside the covering of the ark, and looketh, and lo, the face of the ground hath been dried.
14 And in the second month, in the seven and twentieth day of the month, the earth hath become dry.
15 And God speaketh unto Noah, saying, `Go out from the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee;
16 every living thing that `is' with thee, of all flesh, among fowl, and among cattle, and among every creeping thing which is creeping on the earth, bring out with thee;
17 and they have teemed in the earth, and been fruitful, and have multiplied on the earth.'
18 And Noah goeth out, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him;
19 every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl; every creeping thing on the earth, after their families, have gone out from the ark.
20 And Noah buildeth an altar to Jehovah, and taketh of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and causeth burnt-offerings to ascend on the altar;
21 and Jehovah smelleth the sweet fragrance, and Jehovah saith unto His heart, `I continue not to disesteem any more the ground because of man, though the imagination of the heart of man `is' evil from his youth; and I continue not to smite any more all living, as I have done;
22 during all days of the earth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, do not cease.'
1 And God remembered Noah, and all the animals, and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.
2 And the fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were closed, and the pour of rain from heaven was stopped.
3 And the waters retired from the earth, continually retiring; and in the course of a hundred and fifty days the waters abated.
4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat.
5 And the waters abated continually until the tenth month: in the tenth [month], on the first of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.
6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made.
7 And he sent out the raven, which went forth going to and fro, until the waters were dried from the earth.
8 And he sent out the dove from him, to see if the waters had become low on the ground.
9 But the dove found no resting-place for the sole of her foot, and returned to him into the ark; for the waters were on the whole earth; and he put forth his hand, and took her, and brought her to him into the ark.
10 And he waited yet other seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark.
11 And the dove came to him at eventide; and behold, in her beak was an olive-leaf plucked off; and Noah knew that the waters had become low on the earth.
12 And he waited yet other seven days, and sent forth the dove; but she returned no more to him.
13 And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first [month], on the first of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was dried.
14 And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.
15 And God spoke to Noah, saying,
16 Go out of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee.
17 Bring forth with thee every animal which is with thee, of all flesh, fowl as well as cattle, and all the creeping things which creep on the earth, that they may swarm on the earth, and may be fruitful and multiply on the earth.
18 And Noah went out, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him.
19 All the animals, all the creeping things, and all the fowl -- everything that moves on the earth, after their kinds, went out of the ark.
20 And Noah built an altar to Jehovah; and took of every clean animal, and of all clean fowl, and offered up burnt-offerings on the altar.
21 And Jehovah smelled the sweet odour. And Jehovah said in his heart, I will no more henceforth curse the ground on account of Man, for the thought of Man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will no more smite every living thing, as I have done.
22 Henceforth, all the days of the earth, seed [time] and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease.
1 God remembered Noah, all the animals, and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God made a wind to pass over the earth. The waters subsided.
2 The deep's fountains and the sky's windows were also stopped, and the rain from the sky was restrained.
3 The waters receded from off the earth continually. After the end of one hundred fifty days the waters decreased.
4 The ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on Ararat's mountains.
5 The waters receded continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.
6 It happened at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made,
7 and he sent forth a raven. It went back and forth, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
8 He sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the surface of the ground,
9 but the dove found no place to rest her foot, and she returned to him into the ark; for the waters were on the surface of the whole earth. He put forth his hand, and took her, and brought her to him into the ark.
10 He stayed yet another seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark.
11 The dove came back to him at evening, and, behold, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off. So Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
12 He stayed yet another seven days, and sent forth the dove; and she didn't return to him any more.
13 It happened in the six hundred first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth. Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked. He saw that the surface of the ground was dried.
14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.
15 God spoke to Noah, saying,
16 "Go forth from the ark, you, and your wife, and your sons, and your sons' wives with you.
17 Bring forth with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, including birds, cattle, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply on the earth."
18 Noah went forth, with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives with him.
19 Every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, whatever moves on the earth, after their families, went forth out of the ark.
20 Noah built an altar to Yahweh, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
21 Yahweh smelled the sweet savor. Yahweh said in his heart, "I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake, because the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I ever again strike everything living, as I have done.
22 While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
1 And God kept Noah in mind, and all the living things and the cattle which were with him in the ark: and God sent a wind over the earth, and the waters went down.
2 And the fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were shut, and the rain from heaven was stopped.
3 And the waters went slowly back from the earth, and at the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters were lower.
4 And on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.
5 And still the waters went on falling, till on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains were seen.
6 Then, after forty days, through the open window of the ark which he had made,
7 Noah sent out a raven, which went this way and that till the waters were gone from the earth.
8 And he sent out a dove, to see if the waters had gone from the face of the earth;
9 But the dove saw no resting-place for her foot, and came back to the ark, for the waters were still over all the earth; and he put out his hand, and took her into the ark.
10 And after waiting another seven days, he sent the dove out again;
11 And the dove came back at evening, and in her mouth was an olive-leaf broken off: so Noah was certain that the waters had gone down on the earth.
12 And after seven days more, he sent the dove out again, but she did not come back to him.
13 And in the six hundred and first year, on the first day of the first month, the waters were dry on the earth: and Noah took the cover off the ark and saw that the face of the earth was dry.
14 And on the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was dry.
15 And God said to Noah,
16 Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons' wives.
17 Take out with you every living thing which is with you, birds and cattle and everything which goes on the earth, so that they may have offspring and be fertile and be increased on the earth.
18 And Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives;
19 And every beast and bird and every living thing of every sort which goes on the earth, went out of the ark.
20 And Noah made an altar to the Lord, and from every clean beast and bird he made burned offerings on the altar.
21 And when the sweet smell came up to the Lord, he said in his heart, I will not again put a curse on the earth because of man, for the thoughts of man's heart are evil from his earliest days; never again will I send destruction on all living things as I have done.
22 While the earth goes on, seed time and the getting in of the grain, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will not come to an end.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 8
Commentary on Genesis 8 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
With the words, “ then God remembered Noah and all the animals...in the ark, ” the narrative turns to the description of the gradual decrease of the water until the ground was perfectly dry. The fall of the water is described in the same pictorial style as its rapid rise. God's “remembering” was a manifestation of Himself, an effective restraint of the force of the raging element. He caused a wind to blow over the earth, so that the waters sank, and shut up the fountains of the deep, and the sluices of heaven, so that the rain from heaven was restrained. “ Then the waters turned ( ישׁבוּ i.e., flowed off) from the earth, flowing continuously (the inf. absol. ושׁוב הלוך expresses continuation), and decreased at the end of 150 days .” The decrease first became perceptible when the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat on the 17th day of the seventh month; i.e.,, reckoning 30 days to a month, exactly 150 days after the flood commenced. From that time forth it continued without intermission, so that on the first day of the tenth month, probably 73 days after the resting of the ark, the tops of the mountains were seen, viz., the tops of the Armenian highlands, by which the ark was surrounded. Ararat was the name of a province (2 Kings 19:37), which is mentioned along with Minni (Armenia) as a kingdom in Jeremiah 51:27, probably the central province of the country of Armenia, which Moses v. Chorene calls Arairad , Araratia . The mountains of Ararat are, no doubt, the group of mountains which rise from the plain of the Araxes in two lofty peaks, the greater and lesser Ararat, the former 16,254 feet above the level of the sea, the latter about 12,000. This landing-place of the ark is extremely interesting in connection with the development of the human race as renewed after the flood. Armenia, the source of the rivers of paradise, has been called “a cool, airy, well-watered mountain-island in the midst of the old continent;” but Mount Ararat especially is situated almost in the middle, not only of the great desert route of Africa and Asia, but also of the range of inland waters from Gibraltar to the Baikal Sea-in the centre, too, of the longest line that can be drawn through the settlements of the Caucasian race and the Indo-Germanic tribes; and, as the central point of the longest land-line of the ancient world, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Behring Straits, it was the most suitable spot in the world, for the tribes and nations that sprang from the sons of Noah to descend from its heights and spread into every land (vid., K. v. Raumer , Paläst. pp. 456ff.).
Forty days after the appearance of the mountain tops, Noah opened the window of the ark and let a raven fly out (lit., the raven, i.e., the particular raven known from that circumstance), for the purpose of ascertaining the drying up of the waters. The raven went out and returned until the earth was dry, but without being taken back into the ark, as the mountain tops and the carcases floating upon the water afforded both resting-places and food. After that, Noah let a dove fly out three times, at intervals of seven days. It is not distinctly stated that he sent it out the first time seven days after the raven, but this is implied in the statement that he stayed yet other seven days before sending it out the second time, and the same again before sending it the third time (Genesis 8:10 and Genesis 8:12). The dove, when first sent out, “ found no rest for the sole of its foot; ” for a dove will only settle upon such places and objects as are dry and clean. It returned to the ark and let Noah take it in again (Genesis 8:8, Genesis 8:9). The second time it returned in the evening, having remained out longer than before, and brought a fresh ( טרף freshly plucked) olive-leaf in its mouth. Noah perceived from this that the water must be almost gone, had “abated from off the earth,” though the ground might not be perfectly dry, as the olive-tree will put out leaves even under water. The fresh olive-leaf was the first sign of the resurrection of the earth to new life after the flood, and the dove with the olive-leaf a herald of salvation. The third time it did not return; a sign that the waters had completely receded from the earth. The fact that Noah waited 40 days before sending the raven, and after that always left an interval of seven days, is not to be accounted for on the supposition that these numbers were already regarded as significant. The 40 days correspond to the 40 days during which the rain fell and the waters rose; and Noah might assume that they would require the same time to recede as to rise. The seven days constituted the week established at the creation, and God had already conformed to it in arranging their entrance into the ark (Genesis 7:4, Genesis 7:10). The selection which Noah made of the birds may also be explained quite simply from the difference in their nature, with which Noah must have been acquainted; that is to say, from the fact that the raven in seeking its food settles upon every carcase that it sees, whereas the dove will only settle upon what is dry and clean.
Noah waited some time, and then, on the first day of the first month, in the 601st year of his life, removed the covering from the ark, that he might obtain a freer prospect over the earth. He could see that the surface of the earth was dry; but it was not till the 27th day of the second month, 57 days, therefore, after the removal of the roof, that the earth was completely dried up. Then God commanded him to leave the ark with his family and all the animals; and so far as the latter were concerned, He renewed the blessing of the creation (Genesis 8:17 cf. Genesis 1:22). As the flood commenced on the 17th of the second month of the 600th year of Noah's life, and ended on the 27th of the second month of the 601st year, it lasted a year and ten days; but whether a solar year of 360 of 365 days, or a lunar year of 352, is doubtful. The former is the more probable, as the first five months are said to have consisted of 150 days, which suits the solar year better than the lunar. The question cannot be decided with certainty, because we neither know the number of days between the 17th of the seventh month and the 1st of the tenth month, nor the interval between the sending out of the dove and the 1st day of the first month of the 601st year.
The first thing which Noah did, was to build an altar for burnt sacrifice, to thank the Lord for gracious protection, and pray for His mercy in time to come. This altar - מזבּח , lit., a place for the offering of slain animals, from זבח , like θυσιαστήριον from θύειν - is the first altar mentioned in history. The sons of Adam had built no altar for their offerings, because God was still present on the earth in paradise, so that they could turn their offerings and hearts towards that abode. But with the flood God had swept paradise away, withdrawn the place of His presence, and set up His throne in heaven, from which He would henceforth reveal Himself to man (cf. Genesis 9:5, Genesis 9:7). In future, therefore, the hearts of the pious had to be turned towards heaven, and their offerings and prayers needed to ascend on high if they were to reach the throne of God. To give this direction to their offerings, heights or elevated places were erected, from which they ascended towards heaven in fire. From this the offerings received the name of עלת from עולה , the ascending, not so much because the sacrificial animals ascended or were raised upon the altar, as because they rose from the altar to haven (cf. Judges 20:40; Jeremiah 48:15; Amos 4:10). Noah took his offerings from every clean beast and every clean fowl - from those animals, therefore, which were destined for man's food; probably the seventh of every kind, which he had taken into the ark. “ And Jehovah smelled the smell of satisfaction, ” i.e., He graciously accepted the feelings of the offerer which rose to Him in the odour of the sacrificial flame. In the sacrificial flame the essence of the animal was resolved into vapour; so that when man presented a sacrifice in his own stead, his inmost being, his spirit, and his heart ascended to God in the vapour, and the sacrifice brought the feeling of his heart before God. This feeling of gratitude for gracious protection, and of desire for further communications of grace, was well-pleasing to God. He “ said to His heart ' (to, or in Himself; i.e., He resolved), “ I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake, because the image (i.e., the thought and desire) of man's heart is evil from his youth up (i.e., from the very time when he begins to act with consciousness).” This hardly seems an appropriate reason. As Luther says: “ Hic inconstantiae videtur Deus accusari posse. Supra puniturus hominem causam consilii dicit, quia figmentum cordis humani malum est. Hic promissurus homini gratiam, quod posthac tali ira uti nolit, eandem causam allegat .” Both Luther and Calvin express the same thought, though without really solving the apparent discrepancy. It was not because the thoughts and desires of the human heart are evil that God would not smite any more every living thing, that is to say, would not exterminate it judicially; but because they are evil from his youth up , because evil is innate in man, and for that reason he needs the forbearance of God; and also (and here lies the principal motive for the divine resolution) because in the offering of the righteous Noah, not only were thanks presented for past protection, and entreaty for further care, but the desire of man was expressed, to remain in fellowship with God, and to procure the divine favour. “ All the days of the earth; ” i.e., so long as the earth shall continue, the regular alternation of day and night and of the seasons of the year, so indispensable to the continuance of the human race, would never be interrupted again.