2 Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky.
2 The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;
2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained,
2 The underground springs were shut off, the windows of Heaven closed and the rain quit.
2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained.
2 The underground waters stopped flowing, and the torrential rains from the sky were stopped.
6 After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark
6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:
6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made
6 After forty days Noah opened the window that he had built into the ship.
6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made.
6 After another forty days, Noah opened the window he had made in the boat
(Read Genesis 8:4-12)
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 times and by what steps it should go away. The knowledge of the former was necessary to his preparing the ark; but the knowledge of the latter would serve only to gratify curiosity; and concealing it from him would exercise his faith and patience. Noah sent forth a raven from the ark, which went flying about, and feeding on the carcasses that floated. Noah then sent forth a dove, which returned the first time without good news; but the second time, she brought an olive leaf in her bill, plucked off, plainly showing that trees, fruit trees, began to appear above water. Noah sent forth the dove the second time, seven days after the first, and the third time was after seven days also; probably on the sabbath day. Having kept the sabbath with his little church, he expected especial blessings from Heaven, and inquired concerning them. The dove is an emblem of a gracious soul, that, finding no solid peace of satisfaction in this deluged, defiling world, returns to Christ as to its ark, as to its Noah, its rest. The defiling world, returns to Christ as to its ark, as to its Noah, its rest. The carnal heart, like the raven, takes up with the world, and feeds on the carrion it finds there; but return thou to my rest, O my soul; to thy Noah, so the word is, Psalm 116:7. And as Noah put forth his hand, and took the dove, and pulled her to him, into the ark, so Christ will save, and help, and welcome those that flee to him for rest.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 8:2
Commentary on Genesis 8:1-3
(Read Genesis 8:1-3)
The whole race of mankind, except Noah and his family, were now dead, so that God's remembering Noah, was the return of his mercy to mankind, of whom he would not make a full end. The demands of Divine justice had been answered by the ruin of sinners. God sent his wind to dry the earth, and seal up his waters. The same hand that brings the desolation, must bring the deliverance; to that hand, therefore, we must ever look. When afflictions have done the work for which they are sent, whether killing work or curing work, they will be taken away. As the earth was not drowned in a day, so it was not dried in a day. God usually works deliverance for his people gradually, that the day of small things may not be despised, nor the day of great things despaired of.