Genesis 8:16

Gen 8:16 Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee.

Ver. 16. Go forth of the ark.] Learn we of this holy patriarch, to do all by God’s direction, and not dare to attempt anything without his warrant; approving ourselves to him in our comings in and goings out. He hath "charged his angels" {Psa 91:11} with us, so long as we keep the king’s highway; but if we go out of his precincts, we go out of his protection. Take counsel at his mouth, and then we may safely say, "Lord, if I be deceived, thou hast deceived me". {Jer 20:7} This, as at all times we have need to do, so now especially, when there is {as 2Ch 15:5} "no peace to him that goeth out, nor to him that cometh in, but great vexation upon all countries. Nation being destroyed of nation, and city of city," &c.

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.

Noah declareth his obedience, in that he would not depart out of the Ark without God’s express commandment, as he did not enter in without the same: the Ark being a figure of the Church, wherein nothing must be done without the word of God.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee,.... There is a various reading of the word for "bring forth"; according to the margin, as Jarchi observes, the sense is, order them to come forth; and according to the Scripture, if they will not, oblige them to come:

of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; for of each of these there were some that went with him into the ark, and continued there:

that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth, for which end they were preserved in the ark. Jarchi observes, it is said "on the earth", not in the ark, which shows he thinks that birds and beasts were not allowed to couple, and that they did not breed there. It is a question with some, how the creatures, which were only in Asia at their coming out of the ark, could spread themselves all over the earth; particularly how they could get into islands, and especially into America: to which it may be answered, that this might be done by many of them, by swimming over narrow seas, for some wild creatures will swim whole days and nights together, when they are forced to it; and by men's carrying others in vessels to distant and different parts, on one account or another, either for profit or pleasure; and especially, what is it the power and providence of God cannot do, who could not be at a loss for ways and means to replenish a world in all the parts of it he had made desolate, when it was his pleasure?(Most creationists think the earth entered an ice age after the flood. This would make the sea level lower than it is today. If the average sea level was lowered by only six hundred feet, all the major continents would be connected by land bridges. Animals could easily migrate to any continent. Ed.)

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

As Noah expected the command of God for his going into the ark, Gen 7:1-2, so for his coming forth of it.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. Go forth — Noah patiently waited for the divine word, and did not hasten to leave the ark, although it was now about two months since he lifted the cover and saw that the earth was dry. Although, probably, he could see no reason for delay, and the narrative does not enable us to assign any reason for it, yet walking by faith, as one does who “walks with God,” he waited for Jehovah, who “shut him in,” to lead him forth. They who dwell most closely with God are often thus mysteriously bidden to stand and wait when every thing seems to call for action.

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

’אתה ואשתך וגו THOU AND THY WIFE etc. — Husband and wife are mentioned together— now He allowed them to resume family life (Genesis Rabbah 34:8).

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.

וידבר...צא מן התבה אתה ואשתך, in this verse, as opposed to the phraseology used when he was bidden to enter the ark, Noach and his wife were mentioned together, i.e. an indication that henceforth the mating of man and wife was once again permitted.

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.