Genesis 8:7 kjv

And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.

Genesis 8:7 nkjv

Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth.

Genesis 8:7 niv

and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.

Genesis 8:7 esv

and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth.

Genesis 8:7 nlt

and released a raven. The bird flew back and forth until the floodwaters on the earth had dried up.

Genesis 8 verses

Genesis 8 7 Meaning

Genesis 8:7 describes Noah's initial attempt to determine if the floodwaters had receded enough for life to resume outside the ark. He dispatched a raven, a bird known for its adaptability and ability to survive on various food sources, to observe the state of the earth. The verse highlights the raven's persistent "going to and fro," indicating that while it may have found scattered dry spots or floating carcasses to rest or feed, the land was not yet stable or widespread enough for it to truly settle or return to the ark with a conclusive sign of habitability. It marks the beginning of Noah's patient observational process as he awaited God's timing for departure.

Genesis 8 7 Context

Genesis 8:7 occurs during a critical phase of the flood narrative. After 150 days of waters prevailing and subsiding, Noah has been inside the ark for an extended period (Gen 7:11-8:4). The peak of the waters has passed, and God has remembered Noah, sending a wind to dry the earth (Gen 8:1). The ark rested on the mountains of Ararat (Gen 8:4), but the mountain tops were not yet visible (Gen 8:5). Forty days after the visible mountain tops, Noah decided to open a window (Gen 8:6) and initiated the bird-sending sequence to test the receding waters. This act reveals Noah's active, yet patient, role in awaiting God's explicit instruction to disembark from the ark (Gen 8:16). He doesn't act impulsively but gathers empirical data, complementing his reliance on God's ultimate command. Historically, this account would have resonated with an ancient audience familiar with various flood narratives, contrasting God's deliberate control and Noah's patient obedience with the often chaotic and arbitrary acts of deities in other cultures.

Genesis 8 7 Word analysis

• He sent forth: (וַיְשַׁלַּח, vay'shalach). The Hebrew verb shalach means "to send, stretch out, let go." The Hiphil imperfect form here denotes a specific action of sending away or releasing. This is an intentional act by Noah to test the conditions outside the ark.
• a raven: (הָעֹרֵב, ha'orev). The definite article "the" indicates a specific raven, either a particular bird within the ark or a type known to Noah. The raven, as an omnivorous scavenger, is ideally suited for this initial exploratory mission. Its "unclean" status in later Mosaic law (Lev 11:15) contrasts with the clean dove, a point of theological interest, possibly signifying its practical function for the unredeemed earth versus the dove representing peace and the Spirit on a cleansed world.
• which kept going to and fro: (וַיֵּצֵא יָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב, vayetzei yatzoh vashov). This unique Hebrew construction employs the infinitive absolute (yatzoh) followed by the finite verb (vashov), emphasizing the continuous, repetitive nature of its flight. It means "it went forth, going forth and returning." This does not mean it returned to the ark necessarily, but it maintained a continuous circuit, perhaps flying from floating debris to temporary dry patches, but never finding permanent rest. It indicates the earth was still saturated but not completely devoid of emerged elements.
• until: (עַד, ad). This preposition indicates a temporal limit. The raven's mission, or its continued pattern of movement, lasted for the duration described.
• the waters: (הַמַּיִם, hamayim). Refers specifically to the floodwaters covering the earth.
• had dried up: (יֵחֲרוּ, yecharu). From the root charav, meaning "to be dry, wasted, desolate." The verb is in the Qal imperfect, meaning the waters were drying or had dried as a result of a past process. It implies a significant desiccation rather than just recession.
• from the earth: (מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ, me'al ha'aretz). Literally "from upon the land." Signifies that the land previously submerged was becoming completely free of water.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "He sent forth a raven": Noah initiates the test. The choice of the raven is practical; it's a hardy bird able to sustain itself on varied terrain or carcasses, unlike the more particular dove. This pragmatism highlights Noah's understanding of the conditions and the nature of the birds he possessed.
• "which kept going to and fro": This phrase captures the inconclusive nature of the raven's mission. It did not find a stable, hospitable place to settle, nor did it fully return to the ark as the dove would later. This emphasizes the liminal state of the earth – neither entirely flooded nor truly dry. Its ability to go and not fully return suggests it could find something to land on or consume, reinforcing its role as an "unclean" scavenger.
• "until the waters had dried up from the earth": This specifies the ultimate goal of the waiting period and implies the raven's persistent pattern of "going to and fro" served as a continuous, albeit non-specific, indicator for Noah until complete desiccation occurred. The ultimate success of the drying process would negate the raven's continued mission.

Genesis 8 7 Bonus section

The choice of the raven for the first reconnaissance is significant beyond its practical scavenging ability. In some ancient Near Eastern flood accounts, notably the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim also sends out a dove, swallow, and then a raven. In Gilgamesh, the raven, unlike the first two birds, does not return because it finds food and a place to settle. The biblical account's detailed phrasing for the raven ("going to and fro") emphasizes its continuous activity but does not state it found a permanent settlement immediately or never returned at all; rather, it became independent, implying it found sufficient, albeit not ideal, conditions. This subtle difference could serve as a polemic: in pagan myths, the raven's non-return simply signifies land. In Genesis, Noah is not waiting for a mere sign, but patiently awaiting God's full redemption and instruction, demonstrating that even God's pragmatic creatures like the raven function within His providential plan, which unfolds with perfect timing. Noah's use of an "unclean" bird first also subtly conveys that the land itself, while drying, was not yet fully redeemed or purified for human or clean animal dwelling.

Genesis 8 7 Commentary

Genesis 8:7 details Noah's strategic first step in assessing the world post-flood. The release of the raven is not a sign of impatience but a calculated act of faithful stewardship. Noah, patiently waiting inside the ark, doesn't rush out once the mountains appear. Instead, he applies practical observation, using the raven as an early scout. The raven, being a resilient and scavenger bird (an "unclean" creature in later Israelite law), was uniquely suited to exist in the semi-submerged, carcass-laden landscape. Its failure to return to the ark with an immediate clear message, unlike the dove later, signifies that while perhaps able to find resting places or food outside, the earth was not yet fully cleansed, settled, or prepared for new habitation. This initial test shows Noah's prudent process of seeking divine timing, foreshadowed by God's promise to remember him, by patiently gathering data before moving. The contrasting missions of the raven and the dove (Gen 8:8-12) beautifully illustrate a progression from an unsettled, still-corrupted world to one offering new hope and peace.