Genesis 8:9

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

But the dove found no place for her feet to rest, so she returned to him in the ark, because the water still covered the whole earth. He put out his hand, took her and brought her in to him in the ark.

Berean Standard Bible:

But the dove found no place to rest her foot, and she returned to him in the ark, because the waters were still covering the surface of all the earth. So he reached out his hand and brought her back inside the ark.

American Standard Version:

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.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

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}.

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Commentary for Genesis 8:9

Genesis 8:9 is part of the narrative of the Great Flood, a pivotal event in the early chapters of the Book of Genesis. This verse specifically describes a moment within the broader story of Noah, his family, and the preservation of life on Earth through the Ark. The historical context of this verse is rooted in the ancient Hebrew tradition, which sought to explain the origins of the world, the nature of humanity, and the character of the divine.

In the verse, Noah sends out a dove to find land after the Ark has been afloat for some time. The dove's inability to find a resting place signifies that the waters have not yet receded enough for the earth to be habitable again. This detail underscores the theme of patience and the search for signs of hope or deliverance, which are central to the narrative. The dove's return to the Ark reflects the ongoing waiting period that Noah and his family endure, emphasizing the themes of divine timing and trust in God's promises.

The act of Noah reaching out his hand to take the dove back into the Ark illustrates a moment of care and stewardship, reinforcing the relationship between humanity and creation. It also serves as a precursor to the eventual restoration of life on land, as Noah continues to seek evidence that the flood's destruction has ended. The verse captures a snapshot of anticipation and the longing for a new beginning, which is fulfilled in the subsequent narrative as the floodwaters diminish and life begins anew on Earth.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H3123
   There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יוֹנָה
   Transliteration: yôwnâh
   Pronunciation: yo-naw'
   Description: probably from the same as יַיִן; a dove (apparently from the warmth of their mating); dove, pigeon.
   
2. Strong's Number: H4672
   There are 425 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָצָא
   Transliteration: mâtsâʼ
   Pronunciation: maw-tsaw'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present; [phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
   
3. Strong's Number: H4494
   There are 7 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָנוֹחַ
   Transliteration: mânôwach
   Pronunciation: maw-no'-akh
   Description: from נוּחַ; quiet, i.e. (concretely) a settled spot, or (figuratively) a home; (place of) rest.
   
4. Strong's Number: H3709
   There are 180 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: כַּף
   Transliteration: kaph
   Pronunciation: kaf
   Description: from כָּפַף; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, power; branch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.
   
5. Strong's Number: H7272
   There are 232 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רֶגֶל
   Transliteration: regel
   Pronunciation: reh'-gel
   Description: from רָגַל; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda; [idiom] be able to endure, [idiom] according as, [idiom] after, [idiom] coming, [idiom] follow, (broken-)foot(-ed, -stool), [idiom] great toe, [idiom] haunt, [idiom] journey, leg, [phrase] piss, [phrase] possession, time.
   
6. Strong's Number: H7725
   There are 952 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שׁוּב
   Transliteration: shûwb
   Pronunciation: shoob
   Description: a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again; ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.
   
7. Strong's Number: H8392
   There are 25 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: תֵּבָה
   Transliteration: têbâh
   Pronunciation: tay-baw'
   Description: perhaps of foreign derivation; a box; ark.
   
8. Strong's Number: H4325
   There are 525 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מַיִם
   Transliteration: mayim
   Pronunciation: mah'-yim
   Description: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen; [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
   
9. Strong's Number: H6440
   There are 1890 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: פָּנִים
   Transliteration: pânîym
   Pronunciation: paw-neem'
   Description: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.); [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you.
   
10. Strong's Number: H776
    There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֶרֶץ
    Transliteration: ʼerets
    Pronunciation: eh'-rets
    Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.
    
11. Strong's Number: H7971
    There are 790 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שָׁלַח
    Transliteration: shâlach
    Pronunciation: shaw-lakh'
    Description: a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).
    
12. Strong's Number: H3027
    There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָד
    Transliteration: yâd
    Pronunciation: yawd
    Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves.
    
13. Strong's Number: H3947
    There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: לָקַח
    Transliteration: lâqach
    Pronunciation: law-kakh'
    Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.
    
14. Strong's Number: H935
    There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בּוֹא
    Transliteration: bôwʼ
    Pronunciation: bo
    Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way.