AISBT ReaderGen 8:8–12: the dove and the olive leaf
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language · Gen 8:8–12 · ✓ Approved

Gen 8:8–12: the dove and the olive leaf

Says The dove, הַיּוֹנָה (BDB "dove"), goes out לִרְאוֹת הֲקַלּוּ הַמַּיִם, "to see whether the waters were light" ("to see if the waters had receded," BSB): הֲקַלּוּ is a Qal of qalal, which BDB glosses "be slight, of water, be abated." In 8:9 וְלֹא־מָצְאָה הַיּוֹנָה מָנוֹחַ לְכַף־רַגְלָהּ, "and the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot," כִּי־מַיִם עַל־פְּנֵי כָל־הָאָרֶץ, "for waters were on the face of all the earth."

Says Noah waits twice, with two forms: וַיָּחֶל (8:10), which OSHB parses as a Piel of another root (H2342), and וַיִּיָּחֶל (8:12), a Niphal of yakhal, "wait" (BDB "and he waited yet seven days"). In 8:11 the dove has עֲלֵה־זַיִת טָרָף בְּפִיהָ, "a plucked olive leaf in her mouth" ("a freshly plucked olive leaf in her beak," BSB), and Noah knows כִּי־קַלּוּ הַמַּיִם, "that the waters were light." In 8:12 וְלֹא־יָסְפָה שׁוּב־אֵלָיו עוֹד, "and she did not again return to him" (BDB "it did not again return unto him").

Uncertain "All the earth" in 8:9 is read by some as the whole earth and by others as the land within Noah's horizon, as the Gen 7 note on the flood's extent sets out. No lean is taken here.

Claims

  • SaysThe dove goes out to see whether the waters were light (Qal of qalal); it finds no resting place, for waters covered all the earth.
  • SaysTwo forms of "wait" (8:10 Piel, another root in OSHB; 8:12 Niphal of yakhal); a plucked olive leaf; the dove did not again return.
  • Uncertain"All the earth" (8:9): the whole earth or the land in view; no lean.

Citations

  • OSHB CC BY 4.0 Gen 8:8–12 (WLC/OSHB; morph HTi/Vqp3cp, HNcbsa, HC/Vpw3ms, HAamsa, HC/VNw3ms, HVqp3fs)
  • BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 401 (leaf n424, archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft), s.v. H3123 "dove"; checked against the printed page (scan)
  • BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 886 (leaf n909, archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft), s.v. H7043 "be slight, of water, be abated"; checked against the printed page (scan)
  • BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 403 (leaf n426, archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft), s.v. H3176 "Niph. wait"; checked against the printed page (scan)
  • BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 414 (leaf n437, archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft), s.v. H3254 "it did not again return unto him"; checked against the printed page (scan)
  • BSB public domain Gen 8:8, 11
Sources BDB CC BY 4.0 BSB public domain OSHB CC BY 4.0 Bible Scholarship & Tool CC BY 4.0

2026-11-11

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