New King James Version
Genesis 8:11
11Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth.
Genesis 8:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth.
- New Living Translation (NLT)This time the dove returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Then Noah knew that the floodwaters were almost gone.
Context of Genesis 8:11
9But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. 10And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 12So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore. 13And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry.
Read all of Genesis 8Genesis 8:11 word by word
וַתָּבֹ֨א אֵלָ֤יו הַיּוֹנָה֙ לְעֵ֣ת עֶ֔רֶב וְהִנֵּ֥ה עֲלֵה־זַ֖יִת טָרָ֣ף בְּפִ֑יהָ וַיֵּ֣דַע נֹ֔חַ כִּי־קַ֥לּוּ הַמַּ֖יִם מֵעַ֥ל הָאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the doveיוֹנָהyônâh · doveH3123
- came inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- to him in the eveningעֶ֫רֶב‛ereb · eveningH6153
- to him in the eveningעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- and, lo, in her mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- an oliveזַ֫יִתzayith · oliveH2132
- leafעָלֶה‛âleh · leafH5929
- pluckt offטָרָףţârâph · fresh-pluckedH2965
- so Noahנֹחַnôach · NoahH5146
- knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- that the watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- were abatedקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
- from off the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
Cross-references for Genesis 8:11
- Nehemiah 8:15and that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”
- Zechariah 4:12And I further answered and said to him, “What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?”
- Romans 10:15And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
Commentaries on Genesis 8:11
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-14Verses 1-14 - The Land Was Dried 1. שׁכך shākak “stoop, assuage.” 3. חסר chāsar “want, fail, be abated.” 4. אררט 'ărārāṭ “Ararat,” a land forming part of Armenia. It is mentioned in 2 Kings 19:37, and Isaiah 37:38, as the retreat of Adrammelek and Sharezer after the murder of their father; and in Jeremiah 51:27 as a kingdom. 8. קלל qālal “be light, lightened, lightly esteemed, swift.” 10. חוּל chûl “twist, turn, dance, writhe, tremble, be strong…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-12Verses 4-12 The ark rested upon a mountain, whither it was directed by the wise and gracious providence of God, that might rest the sooner. God has times and places of rest for his people after their tossing; and many times he provides for their seasonable and comfortable settlement, without their own contrivance, and quite beyond their own foresight. God had told Noah when the flood would come, yet he did not give him an account by revelation, at what…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11Unlike the raven (8:7), the dove eats plants. Olive trees are short, so Noah knew the water was almost gone.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-118-11. Also he sent forth a dove--a bird flying low and naturally disposed to return to the place of her abode.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 8:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries