A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Genesis · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Verſ. 4. ANd the Ark reſted in the ſeventh monethmonth, on the ſeventeenth day of the monethmonth, &c.]
Which muſt needs be the next day at the furtheſt after the waters began firſt to decreaſe; for from the beginning of the Floud to this ſeventeenth day of the ſeventh monethmonth are but an hundred fifty and one dayes at the moſt. Nor is this ſtrange that the Ark ſhould reſt ſo ſuddenly, if the Ark did draw thirteen cubits water, as is very likely; when the Floud was at the higheſt, the bottome of the Ark was not above two cubits higher then the higheſt mountains, and two cubits it might well fall in one day.
Verſ. 5. In the tenth monethmonth, on the firſt day of the monethmonth were the tops of the mountains ſeen.]
That is, ſeventy three dayes after the Ark began to reſt, not onelyonly the top of that mountain was dry, the Ark ſtanding there wholy out of the water, but alſo the tops of many lower mountains.
Verſ. 6. And it came to paſſe, at the end of fourty dayes.]
That is, fourty dayes after the tops of the mountains were diſcovered; which was the eleventh day of the eleventh monethmonth.
Verſ. 8. Alſo he ſent forth a dove from him.]
Seven dayes after he had ſent out the raven: (for verſ. 10. he ſpeaks of ſeven other dayes) and that was upon the eighteenth day of the eleventh monethmonth.
Verſ. 9. But the dove found no reſt, &c.]
Becauſe the tops of mountains were yet muddy and ſtanding with water: and beſides the dove delights not in mountains, but in the tops of houſes and lower grounds.
Verſ. 10. And again he ſent forth the dove.]
Namely on the twentie fifth day of the eleventh monethmonth.
Verſ. 12. And he ſtayed yet other ſeven dayes, and ſent forth the dove, &c.]
Namely on the ſecond day of the twelfth monethmonth.
Verſ. 13. And behold the face of the ground was drie.]
That is, as is ſaid before, the water was gone from the earth, ſo that the ſuperficies, the face of the ground was drie; but lying under the waters a whole year it was not yet fit to bear the heavier bodies either of man or beaſt.
Verſ. 14. And in the ſecond monethmonth, &c. was the earth dried.]
That is, it was now throughly dried, hard, and fit for the uſe both of man and beaſt; ſo that after the upper face of the ground was drie▪ Noah and the reſt ſtaied welnigh two moneths in the Ark.
Verſ. 20. And offered burnt offerings on the altar.]
By way of thankfulneſſe, and according to that form of worſhip, which God had before eſtabliſhed in his Church.
Verſ. 21. And the Lord ſmelled a ſweet ſavour.]
Still we ſee that the Scripture ſpeaks of God after the manner of men, who are delighted and refreſhed with ſweet odours, Iſa. 3. 24. The meaning is, that God having in his diſpleaſure puniſht man ſeverely, was now at peace with theſe, and did graciouſly accept of this ſervice which Noah had now performed.
And the Lord ſaid in his heart, &c.]
That is, God decreed that he would never deſtroy the world as now he had done, ſpeaking of that decree which was afterward revealed to Noah, chap. 9. verſ. 8.
For the imagination of mans heart is evil, &c.]
The ſame words are uſed, cap. 6. verſ. 5. as a reaſon why God would deſtroy the world, that are here uſed as a reaſon why God would not deſtroy it, and in both fitly; there to ſhew the juſt cauſe the Lord had to puniſh; here to ſhew that even hence God in the riches of his mercy reſolved to ſpare them: for (ſai…s he) they are corrupt altogether by nature, and ſhould I deal with them according to their deſert, I muſt be continually ſweeping them away with a deluge; but I will henceforth deal more particularly with men, and not overturn the generall courſe of nature any more.