Gen 8:1-3

Back to Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible

Back to Genesis.

God remembers Noah, and dries up the waters. (1-3) The ark rests on Ararat, Noah sends forth a raven and a dove. (4-12) Noah being commanded, goes out of the ark. (13-19) Noah offers sacrifice, God promises to curse the earth no more. (20-22)

1-3 The whole race of mankind, except Noah and his family, were now dead, so that God's remembering Noah, was the return of his mercy to mankind, of whom he would not make a full end.

The demands of Divine justice had been answered by the ruin of sinners. God sent his wind to dry the earth, and seal up his waters.

The same hand that brings the desolation, must bring the deliverance; to that hand, therefore, we must ever look.

When afflictions have done the work for which they are sent, whether killing work or curing work, they will be taken away. As the earth was not drowned in a day, so it was not dried in a day.

God usually works deliverance for his people gradually, that the day of small things may not be despised, nor the day of great things despaired of.