And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth [was] an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
11. at eventide ] i.e. at the time when the dove would return to roost; implying a long absence from the ark.
an olive leaf pluckt off ] Better, as R.V. marg., a fresh olive leaf. This would shew two things, (1) that the waters had sunk to a level at which the olive would grow, and (2) that life had revived upon the earth. The scene has universally been accepted as symbolical of reconciliation and peace. It finds no counterpart in the Babylonian story. The olive would be the most familiar tree to the dweller in Palestine.
LXX , Lat. ramum olivae virentibus foliis.
13 (P). And it came to pass earth ] The disappearance of the waters is dated by P as coinciding with the 1st day of the 1st month of Noah’s 601st year. The 1st month would be Tisri, corresponding to our October. See note on Gen 7:11. Those who assume a reference to the later Heb. reckoning, which was identical with that of the Babylonian calendar, suppose the 1st month to be that of Abib, in the spring time, when the rainy season ended.
(J) and Noah removed ] LXX , Lat. aperiens tectum arcae.
the covering of the ark ] The literal rendering of the Heb. But what it was, and how it was removed, we are not told. The details of the structure of the ark, according to J, were probably left out, in order to make way for the description of P in Gen 6:14-16.
14 (P). And in the second month ] We have here the last date in the Flood story. The earth is dry on the 27th day of the 2nd month in the 2nd year. The Flood had begun on the 17th day of the 2nd month in the previous year (Gen 7:11). From first to last we have here a period of one year and 10 days. It has been pointed out that a lunar year consists of 354 days; and that one lunar year and 11 days is exactly a solar year of 365 days. This may be merely a coincidence; and in calculating the months we reckon them as solar months of 30 days each.
The LXX in Gen 7:11 dated the commencement of the Flood from the 27th day of the 2nd month of the 1st year; and, therefore, assigns an exact year to its duration.
dry ] Note the successive stages in P: Gen 8:5 waters decreased, tops of mountains visible; Gen 8:13 waters gone; Gen 8:14 soil dry.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The dove came in to him in the evening, as the manner of doves is, partly for better accommodation, both for food and lodging, than yet she could meet with abroad; and partly from her love to her mate.
In her mouth was an olive leaf.
Quest. Whence was this leaf, when trees had been so generally overthrown and rooted up by the deluge?
Answ.
1. Many trees might be preserved by an advantageous situation, between the rocks or hills which broke the force of the waters.
2. It is probable that God, by his powerful providence, preserved the plants and trees for future ages; and therefore there is no mention of any of their roots or seeds preserved in the ark.
3. The olive-tree especially will not only stand, but live and flourish under the waters, as Pliny, 1. 13. c. 25, and 16. 20, and Theophrastus, 4. 8, observe. Add, that the word here rendered leaf signifies also a tender branch.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8-11. Also he sent forth a doveabird flying low and naturally disposed to return to the place of herabode.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the dove came in to him in the evening,…. It having been out all day delighting itself in a free air, and perching upon the trees, but yet not finding sufficient food, or a proper lodging, it returned to Noah at the evening for food and dwelling in the ark:
and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off: which might easily be done, and even an “olive branch”, as the word sometimes signifies, and is by some p rendered; for it being now the summer season, young branches sprouted out, which being tender, were easily cropped: the Targum of Jonathan adds,
“which it had took from the mount of Olives;”
but there is no necessity to suppose it went so far from the ark, since Assyria, a country nearer, was a land of olive oil, like that of Judea;
2Ki 18:32 and besides, olives grew in Armenia itself, where the ark rested. Gogarene, in Armenia, is said by Strabo q to produce olive trees; though a modern author says r
“I do not see where the dove which was sent out of the ark could find an olive branch, if the ark be supposed to have rested on Mount Ararat, or any of the mountains in Armenia; for this sort of trees is not found hereabout, where the species must be lost, and yet olives are known to be a kind of trees which never die:”
but the above accounts show it to be otherwise in ancient times:
so Noah knew the waters were abated from off the earth: by this he perceived not only that they were gone off the mountains, but the lower grounds, at least the hills on which olive trees delight to grow; and yet that they were only abated, and not entirely gone off, since the dove returned to him: this dove sent out the second time, and returning, may be considered as an emblem of a Gospel minister, comparable to a dove, for the dove like gifts of the Spirit of God, by which he is qualified for his work, and for his simplicity, harmlessness, meekness, and humility; and the olive leaf in its mouth may be an emblem of the Gospel, which is from Christ, the good olive; is the Gospel of peace, which an olive branch is a symbol of, proclaiming and publishing peace and reconciliation by Christ; and as that is ever green, the Gospel always continues, and is the everlasting Gospel, and which was brought, and more fully and clearly dispensed in the evening of the world; and by it, it is known that the waters of divine wrath are assuaged, and the people of God may be assured they will never return to come upon them.
p “ramum olivae”, V. L. so Ainsworth, see Neh. viii. 15. q Geograph. l. 11. p. 363. r Tournefort’s Voyage to the Levant, vol. 3. p. 173.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
11. Olive leaf plucked off Not picked up . The freshly torn leaf or twig showed that the bird had plucked it from the tree . The olive tree puts out its leaves even if covered with water; and Noah saw by this freshly plucked leaf that the waters had subsided to the plains or slopes where the olive trees grew, and that their tops at least now rose above the surface. This fresh leaf was the first sign of the earth’s resurrection to life. The dove, with the olive branch in her mouth, has thus become the herald of peace and salvation.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 8:11 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.
Ver. 11. In her mouth was an olive leaf. ] The olive never casteth her leaf, and is greenest in the spring, saith Pliny. It might very well continue so under water during the flood. It may also very well, by an allegory, set forth that grace and peace by Jesus Christ, brought in the mouth of his ministers in this evening of the world. Rom 10:15 The dove returned at first without her errand; but, sent again, she brought better tidings. The man of God must not only be “apt to teach,” but “patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; proving, if at any time, God will give them repentance.” a All are not sent into the vineyard at the same hour of the day. Holy Melancthon, being himself newly converted, thought it impossible for his hearers to withstand the evidence of the gospel. But after he had been a preacher a while, ‘tis said he complained, “that old Adam was too hard for young Melancthon.” b And yet he lacked not afterwards the seal of his ministry. For among many others converted by him, was that sweet saint, George, Prince of Anhalt, whose house was eccelesia, academia, curia , and whose heart was so upright with God, his life so laudable among men, that Melancthon c (once publicly defending the certainty of our future felicity by this argument, that godly men must be hereafter rewarded, wicked men punished), he named this pious prince as an unquestionable example of such a man, as might assuredly expect the promised crown of life eternal, which God the righteous Judge will give to all his. 2Ti 4:8
a D, . 2Ti 2:24 A . – Epictet.
b Melch. Adam.
c Scultet. (ex ore Bucholceri, qui Melancthonis fuit auditor.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
olive leaf. Hebrew a newly-sprouted olive leaf.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
an olive: Neh 8:15, Zec 4:12-14, Rom 10:15
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8:11 And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth [was] an {f} olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
(f) Which was a sign that the waters were much diminished: for the olives do not grow on the high mountains.