Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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9 But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned
unto him into the ark; for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. Then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.
10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the
dove out of the ark.
11 And the dove came in to him in the evening, and, lo, in her mouth
was an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
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.
12 And he stayed yet other seven days, and sent forth the dove, which
returned not again unto him anymore.
We perceive a wisdom and prudence far superior to the inspiration of instinct—we discern the agency of God guiding all the movements of this bird for the instruction of Noah, and reviving the hopes of his household.
13 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first
month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.
Here is,
1 The ground dry (Ge 8:13), that is, all the water carried off it, which, upon the first day of the first month (a joyful new-year's-day it was), Noah was himself an eye-witness of. He removed the covering of the ark, not the whole covering, but so much as would suffice to give him a prospect of the earth about it; and a most comfortable prospect he had. For behold, behold and wonder, the face of the ground was dry. Note,
(1.) It is a great mercy to see ground about us. Noah was more sensible of it than we are; for mercies restored are much more affecting than mercies continued.