Observations Upon the Old Testament, Genesis · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Ver. 1. A Winde] To asswage; not inrage.
V. 4. Rested in the seventh monethmonth] Called Nisan by the Chaldees, and Abib by the Hebrewes, answering to part of our March and April.
On the seventeenth day] About the beginning of our April; where ended the one hundred and fifty dayes.
mountaines of Ararat] An hilly tract of land in Armenia the greater, not far from the Caspian sea, and near to Assyria and Mesopotamia, 2 Kings 19. 37. Esay 37. 38. Jer. 51. 27. Some take these for the Gordean or Cordean mountaines. Some for the hills of Taurus or Caucusus.
V. 5. In the tenth monethmonth, on the first day] Called Thamus, answering the middle of our June, beginning still the reckoning from September, the beginning of their civil yeare. Thus after seventy three dayes since the Ark first rested, and two hundred twenty three dayes since the flood first began, were the tops of the mountaines seen. To determine the gradual abatements of the waters day by day, is vain curiosity, and foolish presumption, upon uncertain grounds.
V. 6. At the end of fourty dayes] After the mountainetops were first seen. This makes up the number of two hundred sixty three dayes since the flood began, and one hundred and thirteen days since the Ark first rested; and falls on the eleventh day of their eleventh monethmonth, called Ab, and towards the end of our July and not as the great Annotators have it on this place, on the eleventh day of the eleventh monethmonth, called Sebat, Zach. 1. 7. the same which we call January. But to reckon thus were to reckon the yeare according to the Ecclesiastical Account, contrary to their own minde set down in their Annotations, upon the fourth verse of this same chapter.
V. 8. A Dove] seven dayes after the Raven, v. 10. on the eighteenth day of their eleventh monethmonth, about the beginning of our August. The sending out of the Dove is mentioned in Dcucalions history.
V. 9. Found no rest] Though the tops of the mountaines were seen fourty seven dayes before.
V. 10. And again he sent] On the twenty fifth of their eleventh monethmonth, called by some Ab, about the tenth of our August.
V. 11. In the evening] Spending the day abroad.
pluck't off] Not floating on the waters; so now growing trees were discovered. The Dove found a place of rest to her feet; but not yet food fit for her.
V. 12. Yet other seven dayes] On the second day of the twelfth monethmonth, called Elul, Nehem. 6. 15. About the seventeenth of our August. She met with her mate after. Thus there are twenty one dayes from the opening of the window, for the sending out of the Raven, and the Dove.
V. 13. First monethmonth, first day of the monethmonth] Twenty nine dayes after the last sending forth of the Dove, to this time. This monethmonth is the monethmonth Tizri or Ethanim, 1 Kings 8. 2. though there called the seventh monethmonth, according to the Ecclesiastical Account. And the first day if it is about the sixteenth of our September: but we must not here make this the first monethmonth, according to the Ecclesiastical account; which would be the monethmonth Nisan or Abib; the first day of it answering to the middle of our March.
covering of the Ark] v. 6. He opened the window of the Ark.
was dry] Yet soft and muddy.
V. 14. Second monethmonth] Not Jiar or Zif, the second monethmonth according to the Ecclesiastical Account, 1 Kings 6. 1, 3, 7. answering to part of our April, and part of our May: but the monethmonth Bull, according to the Civil Account and yeare; according to the Annotations on the fourth verse of this chapter. And answering to part of our October, and of our November.
Twenty seventh day] The second of our November. And thus there are fifty seven dayes from the first monethmonth, first day to this time. And here is the end of the flood, continuing from first to last, one yeare and ten dayes. The Account whereof must no wise be cast, as in the said Annotations on this fourteenth verse: But thus, beginning on the second monethmonth, seventeenth day, thence to the seventh monethmonth, seventeenth day, are one hundred and fifty dayes, reckoning in them the fourty dayes of raine, as is confessed on ch. 7. ver. 24, and as according to the truth it must needs be. And the Ark then rested on the mountaines of Ararat. Thence to the tenth monethmonth, first day, whereon the tops of the mountaines were seen, are seventy three dayes. Thence fourty dayes, at the end whereof Noah opened the window of the Ark. Thence twenty one dayes of the sending out of the Raven and the Dove. Thence twenty nine dayes reacheth to the first monethmonth, first day, when the ground was dry. Thence fifty seven dayes, to the second monethmonth, twenty seventh day, when Noah came out of the Ark. The total summe of this reckoning ariseth to three hundred and seventy. And the compasse of the yeare, reckoning twelve moneths to the yeare, and thirty days to the monethmonth, ariseth to three hundred and sixty dayes. And the other ten dayes were those ten, wherein he continued in the Ark more then one year.
V. 20 And offered burnt-offerings on the Altar] In this verse is an Altar first nominated, and burnt-offerings, or whole burnt-offering, Lev. 6. 9. And this so long before Moses and the Levitical Law, an Altar likely of earth or turf.
V. 21. In his heart] After spoken to Noah, chapt. 9. 11.
not again curse the ground] This is opened more in this and the next verse, not as formerly, with an universal deluge. Though particular inundations may be.
for the imagination, &c.] This in part moved God to destroy the world, ch. 6. 5, 6. This here is brought in as a motive to mercy, as, Psal 103. 13, 14. A like plea David makes, Psal 25. 11. and God himself, Esay 48. 8, 9. Though sin abound, Gods mercy superabounds, mercy rejoyceth against judgement.
V. 22. While the earth] God restores and repaires the natures of things corrupted by the flood. This hinders not Peters fiery Prophecie of the end of the world, 2 Pet. 3. 7. Esay 54. 8, 9, 10.
Seed-time, &c.] Generaly so, which hindereth not particular judgements upon particular places to the contrary, as, 1 Kings 17. 1. God will henceforth deal more particularly with men, and not overturn the general course of nature any more.