At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Noah waited a full forty days after the mountains became visible, emphasizing his deep caution and perhaps his lingering fear of God's judgment. He wasn't just waiting for the waters to recede; he was waiting for a clear sign that the earth was truly ready, a testament to his profound respect for the gravity of the past year.
At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After enduring the flood for a significant period, Noah, guided by a divinely appointed sequence of testing the receding waters, sends out birds to gauge the earth's dryness. He waits forty days after the ark settled on the mountains of Ararat before opening a window to release the first messenger, a raven, followed by the dove in subsequent trials.
After a year in the ark, the waters began to recede. Noah must have been eager to see the world again. What did he do?
The text says Noah waited "at the end of forty days" after the mountains appeared before opening the window. This wasn't just idle waiting; it was a deliberate pause.
A Season of Observation
Noah sent out birds to check on the earth. Why birds, and what did he learn from their actions?
Noah's choice of the raven and the dove wasn't random. These birds served as his early warning system, providing crucial information about the receding waters.
Messengers of Hope
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After a year confined to the ark, Noah finally steps out. What's the very first thing he does?
The immediate action after the earth dried and God commanded them to leave the ark wasn't to immediately repopulate or explore. Noah's first act was profound worship.
The Altar of Gratitude
The Significance of the Offering:
God's acceptance of the offering (the "sweet savor") affirmed His covenant and His promise never again to destroy the earth by flood. It was a pivotal moment, sealing God's renewed relationship with creation through Noah's obedient worship.
Understand the original words
tēbāh · Hebrew Noun
A common noun for a vessel, container, or enclosure. In Scripture, it specifically refers to the boat built by Noah to preserve his family and various animals from the judgment of the Flood, serving as a symbol of divine provision, safety, and salvation within God's judgment.
ʿōrēb · Hebrew Noun
A large black scavenger bird, specifically mentioned as being sent out by Noah. In biblical contexts, it is often associated with desolation or impurity, and its departure highlights the persistence of the floodwaters.
c. 2950 BC
The Great Flood Begins
The torrential rains begin, initiating the global flood. Noah and his family enter the ark as commanded by God.
c. 2950 BC
Ark Floats for 150 Days
The waters rise, covering the highest mountains. The ark floats for 150 days, with God remembering Noah.
c. 2949 BC
Ark Rests on Ararat
The waters begin to recede, and the ark comes to rest on the mountains of Ararat.
c. 2949 BC— this verse
Forty Days Pass
Forty days after the ark rested, Noah opens a window to assess the receding waters.
c. 2949 BC
Dove and Olive Branch
Noah sends out a raven, then a dove. The dove returns with an olive leaf, signifying dry land.
c. 2949 BC
Earth Dries and Exit
After further observation and another week, the earth is dry. God commands Noah and his family to leave the ark.
c. 2949 BC
Noah's Altar and Covenant
Noah builds an altar and offers sacrifices. God establishes a covenant with Noah and all living creatures, promising never to destroy the earth by flood again.
This passage directly parallels Noah's experience, highlighting the suddenness and totality of judgment, with life continuing 'as usual' until the very moment of destruction.
2 Peter 3:6This New Testament passage explicitly refers back to the Flood, emphasizing that the world that existed then was destroyed by water, reinforcing the significance of Noah's ark as a vessel of salvation through judgment.
Jeremiah 33:20This verse speaks of God's enduring covenant regarding the regular cycles of day and night, much like Noah's experience marked a transition to a new, divinely ordered normal after the chaos of the flood.
Matthew 24:38Jesus uses the days of Noah as a direct comparison to the signs of His second coming, showing that life continued 'normally' until the judgment, underscoring the importance of vigilance and readiness.
gillGenesis 8:6: "And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:"
And it came to pass at the end of forty days,.... From the appearance of the mountains, that is, from the first day of the tenth month, to forty days after; and being ended, this must be the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the month Ab, which answers to July and August; and according to Bishop Usher (k) it was Friday the twenty eighth of August: that Noah opened the window…
barnesGenesis 8:6: "And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:"
The raven and the dove are sent out to bring tidings of the external world. "Forty days." Before Noah made any experiment he seems to have allowed the lapse of forty days to undo the remaining effect of the forty days' rain. "The window." He seems to have been unable to take any definite observations through the aperture here called a window. The raven found carrion in abundanc…
Noah waited a full forty days after the mountains became visible, emphasizing his deep caution and perhaps his lingering fear of God's judgment. He wasn't just waiting for the waters to recede; he was waiting for a clear sign that the earth was truly ready, a testament to his profound respect for the gravity of the past year.
After enduring the flood for a significant period, Noah, guided by a divinely appointed sequence of testing the receding waters, sends out birds to gauge the earth's dryness. He waits forty days after the ark settled on the mountains of Ararat before opening a window to release the first messenger, a raven, followed by the dove in subsequent trials.
After enduring the flood for a significant period, Noah, guided by a divinely appointed sequence of testing the receding waters, sends out birds to gauge the earth's dryness. He waits forty days after the ark settled on the mountains of Ararat before opening a window to release the first messenger, a raven, followed by the dove in subsequent trials.
"At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth." — Noah waited a full forty days after the mountains became visible, emphasizing his deep caution and perhaps his lingering fear of God's judgment. He wasn't just waiting for the waters to recede; he…
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Last reviewed October 2026