THE BOOK GENESIS CHAPTER # 8 _ 8:1 _GOD REMEMBER NOAH. This marks the turning point in the flood story. When the Bible says that God "remembers" someone or his covenant with someone, it indicates that he is about to take action for that person's welfare (9:15; 19:29; 30:22; EXODUS 2:24; 32:13; PSALM 25:6__7; 74:2). All life on the land having been destroyed, God now proceeds to renew everything, echoing what he did in Genesis 1. GOD MADE A WIND BLOW OVER THE EARTH. The Hebrew word for wind, ruakh, is also sometimes translated "Spirit" (1:2; 6:3). While the context normally enables the reader to distinguish ruakh meaning "wind" from ruakh meaning "Spirit" the present verse intentionally echoes 1:2.
8:2__4 _In verse 2 God puts into reverse the process started in 7:11. The waters both rose and abated during the period of 150 DAYS (See 7:17__24). MOUNTAINS OF ARARAT indicates a range of mountains of which Mount Ararat (in modern Turkey) is the highest. The text does not name the specific mountain on which the ark came to rest.
8:15__17 _God's instructions to Noah are reminiscent of chapter 1, especially the statement that Noah and his family are to BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY ON THE EARTH. (See Verse 1:28).
8:18__19 _In obedience to God, Noah goes out of the ark with his family and all the ceeatures.
8:5__14 _The slow, gradual process by which the WATERS receded and the land DRIED OUT (verse 14) is captured by the detailed account of Noah's releasting a RAVEN (verse 7) and then a DOVE (VERSES 8__12). As in chapter 1, the dry land emerges from the waters.
8:20__22 _Noah's first recorded act on emerging from the ark is to build an ATER TO THE LORD (verse 20). On it he presents whole-burnt offerings, using some of the clean animals and birds. While this is undoubtedly intended to express gratitude for divine deliverance, it is also an act of atonement. This is a normal aspect of BURNT OFFERINGS (See LEVITICUS 1:3__17; verse 4) and is supported by the mention of the PLEASING AROMA (GENESIS 8:21; LEVITICUS 1:9, 13, 17). The Hebrew term for "pleasing," nikhoakh, conveys the idea of rest and tranquility. It is related to the name "Noah" (Hebrew noakh) and is probably used here inorder to remind the reader of Lamech's remarks in Genesis 5:29. It also has the sense of "soothing." The burnt offering soothes God's anger at human sin, so although human nature has not been changed by the the flood, God's attitude has changed.
8:20__22 _(FOR THE INTENTION OF MAN'S HEART IS EVIL FROM HIS YOUTH) echoes very closely 6:5 ("every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually"). In spite of the human propensity to sin, atonement though sacrifices is possible, securing a peaceful relationship between the Lord and humantiy. I WILL NEVER AGAIN CURSE THE GROUND (8:21). The clear force of the Hebrew text is that God will not send another flood; he is not revoking the curse pronounced in 3:17, which continues to be in place (the words for "curse" are different. This short comment about the effect of sacrifice underlines the importance of sacrifice in the Bible's plan of salvation.
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