The Meaning of Genesis 8:8 Explained

Genesis 8:8

KJV: Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;

YLT: And he sendeth forth the dove from him to see whether the waters have been lightened from off the face of the ground,

Darby: And he sent out the dove from him, to see if the waters had become low on the ground.

ASV: And he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Also he sent forth  a dove  from him, to see  if the waters  were abated  from off the face  of the ground; 

What does Genesis 8:8 Mean?

Study Notes

dove
The raven and the dove have been thought to stand for the believer's two natures: the "old man" satisfied with a world under judgment; the "new man" finding satisfaction only in the things of the new creation.

Context Summary

Genesis 8:1-22 - Noah Leaves The Ark
Traditions of the Flood are found in every country, from the tablets of Babylon to the rude carvings of the Aztecs, proving man's common origin. "God remembered Noah." He could not forget, because He had entered into covenant with him and his. Though the floods have been abroad on your life for long years, God has not forgotten you. Sooner might a woman forget her babe! Noah's window only looked upward. It had no outlook on the waters, therefore he sent forth the birds. Dove and raven issued from the same window, so the child of God and the wayward, willful child may issue from the same family; but the former cannot find satisfaction with what satisfies the other, but wings its flight back to God. See Psalms 116:7. Through God's grace Noah stepped out into the new world-the world of resurrection. His first act was the burned-offering of consecration, which was followed immediately by promise. See Romans 12:1-2. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 8

1  God remembers Noah and calms the waters
4  The ark rests on Ararat
6  Noah sends forth a raven and then a dove
13  Noah, being commanded, goes forth from the ark
20  He builds an altar, and offers sacrifices,
21  which God accepts, and promises to curse the earth no more

What do the individual words in Genesis 8:8 mean?

And He sent out - a dove from himself to see if had receded the waters from the face of the ground
וַיְשַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־ הַיּוֹנָ֖ה מֵאִתּ֑וֹ לִרְאוֹת֙ הֲקַ֣לּוּ הַמַּ֔יִם מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה

וַיְשַׁלַּ֥ח  And  He  sent  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַיּוֹנָ֖ה  a  dove 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: יׄונָה  
Sense: dove, pigeon.
מֵאִתּ֑וֹ  from  himself 
Parse: Preposition-m, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
לִרְאוֹת֙  to  see 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
הֲקַ֣לּוּ  if  had  receded 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָלַל  
Sense: to be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, be light.
הַמַּ֔יִם  the  waters 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
פְּנֵ֥י  the  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָֽאֲדָמָֽה  of  the  ground 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.