Genesis 8:10

Gen 8:10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;

Ver. 10. And again he sent forth the dove.] The fitter for such a purpose, because she flieth long and low; and out of love to her mate would soon return with the good news so much longed for by Noah and his company.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

again he sent forth the dove--Her flight, judging by the time she was abroad, was pursued to a great distance, and the newly plucked olive leaf, she no doubt by supernatural impulse brought in her bill, afforded a welcome proof that the declivities of the hills were clear.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(10-12) Again he sent forth the dove . . . —When, after another week’s delay, Noah again sent forth the dove, it remained away until “the time of evening,” finding both food and ground on which it could alight near the ark. It was not till nightfall that it came home, bringing to him “an olive leaf pluckt off,” or, possibly, a fresh olive-leaf. The olive-tree, which grows abundantly in Armenia, is said to vegetate under water; but what Noah wanted to learn was, not whether the topmost boughs were emerging from the flood, but whether the soil beneath was becoming free from water. Now, after a seven days’ interval, when Noah again sent forth the dove, she did not return, “because the ground was dry.” It is thus plain that the olive-tree had had plenty of time on some of the higher lands, while the flood was subsiding, to put forth new leaves. From this event the olive-leaf, thus sent by the regenerated earth to Noah in proof that she was ready to yield herself to him, has been ever since, among all mankind, the symbol of peace.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. yet other seven days] See note on Gen_8:8 The word “other” shews that an interval of seven days has already been mentioned. The importance of the period of seven days seems to receive emphasis from this passage, as well as from Gen_7:4; Gen_7:10.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he stayed yet other seven days,.... As he had stayed seven days between the sending out of the raven and the dove, so he stayed seven days more after he had sent out the dove, and it returned to him, waiting patiently for his deliverance, and the signs of it; though he could have been glad to have known its near approach, for which he made the experiments be did:

and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; very probably the selfsame dove he had sent out before.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

10. Yet other seven days — Here and in Gen_8:12 is a clear allusion to the sevenfold division of time, the week, a period which was adopted by all the Shemitic races, by the Egyptians, by the Chinese and Hindus as far back as authentic history extends, and which was even found among the ancient Peruvians. Unlike the year, the month, the day, this division does not correspond with any natural phenomena, and can only be reasonably accounted for by supposing it to be a traditional remembrance of the creative week. It is probable that Noah, on the Sabbath, sent forth the raven and the dove, in earnest prayer seeking providential aid and guidance. These weekly waitings from Sabbath to Sabbath were additional trials to his faith.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he stayed. ljyw, fut. apoc., Hif. of lWj, to turn, to twist, to be afraid, to tremble, to wait (Furst); fut. apoc. Kal (Gesenius). Yet other seven days. dwO, prop. the inf. absol, of the verb fW, to go over again, to repeat; hence, as an adverb, conveying the idea of doing over again the action expressed in the verb (cf. Gen_46:29; Psa_84:5) And again he sent forth literally, he added to send (cf. vers. 12, 21) the dove out of the ark.

Vers. 10-12.

Hoping and waiting.

I The PATIENCE Of Noah"s hope.

1. Patience a characteristic of all true hope. (Rom_8:25)

2. Faith in the Divine covenant is the secret of hope"s patience. (Heb_11:1)

3. The patience of hope is always proportioned to the brightness of faith"s vision.

II The EAGERNESS of Noah"s hope.

1. While waiting God"s time he kept a steady outlook for the coming of the promise.

2. He employed different methods to discover its approach the raven and the dove.

3. He sanctified the means he used by devotion.

III The REWARD Of Noah"s hope. In due time the dove returned with an olive leaf, which was

1. A timely answer.

2. An intelligible answer.

3. A joyous answer; and

4. A sufficient answer.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Look

"Pay attention" or "This is important"

a freshly plucked olive leaf

"a leaf that she had just plucked from an olive tree"

plucked

"broken off"

He waited another seven days

"He again waited for seven days"

She did not return again to him

If people would not understand, you could state the reason explicitly: "She did not return again to him because she found a place to land." (See:Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

dove

olive

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

ויחל AND HE STAYED — The word means waiting, as (Job 29:21) “Unto me they gave ear and waited (ויחלו)”, and it occurs frequently in the Scriptures.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

ויחל, the root of this word is חול, it is used in the transitive mode, הפעיל, similar to Judges 3,25 ויחולו עד בוש, “they waited a long time.”

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.