Bible Commentaries

And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that [was] with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;

And God remembered Noah. — He might begin to think that God had forgotten him, having not heard from God for five months together, and not yet seeing how he could possibly escape. He had been a whole year in the ark; Fuit in arca per annum integrum et decem dies. - Piscator. and now was ready to groan out that doleful Usquequo Domine :Hast thou forgotten to be merciful? … But forgetfulness befalls not the Almighty. The butler may forget Joseph; and Joseph, his father’s house: Ahasuerus may forget Mordecai; and the delivered city the poor man that by his wisdom preserved it. Ecclesiastes 9:15 The Sichemites may forget Gideon; but "God is not unfaithful to forget your work and labour of love," saith the apostle. Hebrews 6:10 And there is "a book of remembrance written before him," saith the prophet, "for them that fear the Lord". Malachi 3:16 A metaphor from kings that commonly keep a calendar or chronicle of such as have done them good service: as Ahasuerus, Esther 6:1 and Tamerlane, Turk. Hist., p. 227. who had a catalogue of their names and good deserts, which he daily perused, oftentimes saying that day to be lost wherein he had not given them something. God also is said to have such a book of remembrance. Not that he hath so, or needeth to have; for all things, both past and future, are present with him: he hath the idea of them within himself, and every thought is before his eyes, so that he cannot be forgetful. But he is said to remember his people (so he is pleased to speak to our capacity) when he showeth his care of us, and makes good his promise to us. We also are said to be his "remembrancers" Isaiah 62:6 when we plead his promise, and press him to performance. Not that we persuade him thereby to do us good, but we persuade our own hearts to more faith, love, obedience, …, whereby we become more capable of that good.

God made a wind. — So he worketh usually by means, though he needeth them not. But many times his works are, as Luther speaketh, in contrariis mediis . As here he assuageth the waters by a wind, which naturally "lifteth up the waves thereof," and enrageth them. Psalms 107:25 Jonah 1:4 God worketh by contraries, saith Nazianzen, Dια την εναντιων εναντια οικονομειται ινα και μαλλον θαυμαζηται that he may be the more admired.

Though our ark be driven in a tempestuous sea, saith one, yet it shall neither sink nor split, whiles we sail in the thoughts of Almighty God.

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The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;

And the rain from heaven was restrained. — These four keys, say the Rabbis, God keeps under his own belt: 1. Of the womb; 2. Of the grave; 3. Of the rain; 4. Of the heart. "He openeth, and no man shutteth; he shutteth and no man openeth". Revelation 3:7

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And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.

And the waters returned continually. — Or, hastily (Heb., äæìã åשׁåá ). In going and returning; or, heaving and shoving, with all possible speed to return to their place, at God’s appointment. See a like cheerfulness in God’s servants. Zechariah 8:21 Isaiah 9:8 Psalms 110:3

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And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

Mountains of Ararat. — On the tops of the Gordaean mountains (where Noah’s ark rested) we find many ruins and huge foundations (saith the Preacher in his travels), The Preacher’s Travels , by John Cartwright, p. 32. of which no reason can be rendered but that which Josephus gives: Joseph. Antiq, lib. i. cap. 5. that they that escaped the flood were so astonished and amazed that they dared not descend into the plains and low countries, but kept on the tops of those mountains, and there built.

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And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth [month], on the first [day] of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.

The waters decreased. — Not all on the sudden, but by little and little, for exercise of Noah’s faith. "He that believeth maketh not haste". Isaiah 28:16 God limiteth our sufferings for time, manner, and measure. Joseph was a prisoner till the time came. Smyrna was in tribulation for ten days. Physic must have a time to work; and gold must lie some while in the fire. "In the opportunity of time," saith Peter, "God will exalt you." εν καιρω , 1 Peter 5:6 Prescribe not to him, with those Bethulians in Judith; but wait his leisure, and let him do what is good in his own eyes. He waits a fit season to show us mercy, Isaiah 30:18 and thinks as long of the time as we do.

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And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:

At the end of forty days. — Viz., After that the tops of the mountains were discovered.

The window of the ark, — i.e., That in the upper loft of the ark, where the fowls were.

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And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.

And he sent forth a raven. — Which when it is made tame, though it delights in dead carcasses, whereof Noah knew the earth was now full, yet doth not easily forget its station, but returns thereto, when nature is satisfied.

Which went forth to and fro. — Fluttered about the ark, but kept out of it. Manet foris cum voce corvina, qui non habet simplicitatem columbinam. ( August. )

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

Also he sent forth a dove. — A bird that being swift and simple, willingly "flies" back "to his windows," Isaiah 60:8 through love and faithfulness to his mate and young. Besides, he fleeth a long while together, and very near the ground, and so was fitter for this service. Josephus saith, that he came into the ark with his feet and wings wet and dirty, which could not but be good news to Noah. Plutarch affirmeth, that Deucalion sent a dove to try whether the waters were dried: Satan est Dei simia .

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