and he sent out a raven, and it flew here and there until the water was dried up from the earth.
Parallel translations
- WEB and he sent out a raven. It went back and forth, until the waters were dried up from the earth.
- KJV And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
- BSB and sent out a raven. It kept flying back and forth until the waters had dried up from the earth.
- NKJV Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth.
- NLT and released a raven. The bird flew back and forth until the floodwaters on the earth had dried up.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Noah sent out a raven, which went back and forth until the waters dried up. The first bird tests the condition of the earth.
Overview
The raven, an unclean scavenger able to feed on carrion, did not need to return and so roamed freely. Its sending begins Noah's wise effort to determine when it is safe to leave the ark. The episode shows Noah carefully discerning God's timing for the renewal of life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Job 38:41Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?
- 1 Kgs 17:4You shall drink from the brook. I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”
- 1 Kgs 17:6The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.
- Ps 147:9He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call.
- Lev 11:15any kind of raven,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 8:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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