Genesis 8: God Remembers and the Waters Recede
God remembers Noah, the flood subsides, the ark rests, and Noah worships with grateful sacrifice.
Genesis 8 (WEB)
1 God remembered Noah, all the animals, and all the livestock that were with him in the ship; 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 continually receded from the earth. After the end of one hundred fifty days the waters decreased.
4 The ship 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 visible.
6 At the end of forty days, Noah opened the window of the ship which he had made,
7 and he sent out a raven. It went back and forth, until the waters were dried up from the earth.
8 He himself sent out a dove to see if the waters were abated from the surface of the ground,
9 but the dove found no place to rest her foot, and she returned to him into the ship, for the waters were on the surface of the whole earth. He put out his hand, and took her, and brought her to him into the ship.
10 He waited yet another seven days; and again he sent the dove out of the ship.
11 The dove came back to him at evening and, behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters were abated from the earth.
12 He waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; and she didn’t return to him anymore.
13 In the six hundred first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth. Noah removed the covering of the ship, 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 out of the ship, you, and your wife, and your sons, and your sons’ wives with you.
17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, including birds, livestock, 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 out, 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 out of the ship.
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 pleasant aroma. 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 every living thing, 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 will not cease.”
Genesis 8 (KJV)
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 asswaged;
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 pluckt 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 savour; 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.
Genesis 8 (ASV)
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.
Summary
God remembers Noah and every creature in the ship and sends a wind so the waters begin to subside. The fountains of the deep and windows of the sky are stopped, and after a hundred fifty days the ark rests on the mountains of Ararat. Noah sends out a raven, then a dove; the dove returns first with nothing, later with a freshly plucked olive leaf, and finally does not return at all. When the ground is dry, God commands Noah to leave the ship with his family and all the animals so they may multiply on the earth. Noah's first act is worship: he builds an altar and offers burnt offerings. Yahweh smells the pleasing aroma and promises never again to curse the ground or destroy all life, assuring that seasons will continue while the earth remains.
Main Characters
- God — The one who remembers Noah, calms the waters, and pledges never again to destroy all life by flood.
- Noah — The patient survivor who waits on God, tests the waters with bird and dove, and worships upon leaving the ark.
- The dove — The bird whose return with an olive leaf signals that the waters have abated and new life is emerging.
Key Verse
Genesis 8:1 (WEB)
God remembered Noah, all the animals, and all the livestock that were with him in the ship; and God made a wind to pass over the earth. The waters subsided.
Lessons Learned
- God remembers his people; his apparent silence is never neglect.
- Waiting on God often requires patience as we watch for signs of his timing.
- When God delivers us, worship and thanksgiving are the fitting first response.
- God's mercy establishes a stable, dependable world in which life can flourish.
- God remembers his own with active love. God remembered Noah and all the animals and made a wind pass over the earth, showing that to 'remember' is to act in faithful care (Genesis 8:1, WEB).
- Deliverance unfolds on God's timetable. The waters receded continually over months before the earth was dry, teaching patience as we wait for God's appointed time (Genesis 8:5, WEB).
- Worship is the right response to rescue. Noah's first recorded act on dry ground is to build an altar and offer burnt offerings to Yahweh in gratitude (Genesis 8:20, WEB).
- God receives the worship of a grateful heart. Yahweh smelled the pleasant aroma, a vivid picture of how he welcomes sincere worship offered in faith (Genesis 8:21, WEB).
- God's mercy restrains judgment for our sake. Knowing the human heart's bent toward evil, Yahweh still pledges not to curse the ground or strike all life again (Genesis 8:21, WEB).
- God upholds a faithful, ordered world. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter will not cease, assuring his steady governance (Genesis 8:22, WEB).
- What does it mean that 'God remembered Noah' (Genesis 8:1), and what does this teach about God's care?
- How does Noah's use of the raven and dove show patience and discernment as he waited?
- What is the significance of Noah building an altar and offering sacrifices as soon as he leaves the ark (Genesis 8:20)?
- When have you had to wait on God during a long season, and how did you watch for signs of his working?
- How does God's promise in verses 21-22 give you confidence about his ongoing faithfulness in your daily life?
- To say God remembered Noah is not to suggest he had forgotten; it signals that God now acts on his commitment, sending the wind and turning back the waters. His care is faithful and timely.
- Noah does not rush; he sends the raven, then the dove repeatedly, reading the freshly plucked olive leaf as evidence the land is recovering. He waits attentively for God's confirmation rather than acting prematurely.
- His first act is worship, not survival or comfort, showing that gratitude and reverence rightly come first; the sacrifices acknowledge that deliverance is God's gift and that life now belongs to him.
- Personal: invite members to describe a prolonged waiting season. Encourage them to name small signs of God's faithfulness, as Noah watched the dove, and to keep trusting through the wait.
- Personal: highlight verses 21-22 as God's pledge of ongoing stability. Encourage people to rest in the dependable rhythms of God's mercy and his promise to sustain the world he loves.