Genesis 8:8
"Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;"

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Also he sent forth a dove from him,.... Seven days after he had sent out the raven, as in Gen 8:10 . to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; for the dove is a creature that delights in cleanness, flies low, and goes

far off, so that if it returned not again, he might conclude that the waters were gone off the earth; but being a sociable creature, and familiar to men, and especially loving to its mate, if they were not gone off, it would certainly return again. This some take to be an emblem of the Gospel, bringing the good tidings of peace, pardon, righteousness and salvation by Jesus Christ: rather it is an emblem of a sensible sinner, and true believer in Christ, being mournful, timorous, swift, modest, and affectionate; such persons, like doves of the valley, mourn for their iniquities; tremble at the sight of their sins, and the curses of the law, at the apprehension of divine wrath, at the awful judgment of God; and are fearful lest Christ should not receive them, to whom they swiftly fly for refuge, as doves to their windows; and who are modest, meek, and lowly, and affectionate to Christ, and one another. The Targum of Jonathan calls this an house dove, or tame one: hence, perhaps, came the practice of making use of doves as messengers to carry letters from place to place (o). (o) Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 37.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (10 words)

H7971 שָׁלַח
Definition:

18 +; Aramaicשְׁלַךְ,, SoBuhlBaEs 41compare Arabic(r = l),send forth, drivecattle to pasture,send messenger, etc., but then different √ for I.שֶׁלַךְ, Arabic,weapon; Assyrian probablyšalû(send, hurl?) 18 +; Aramaicשְׁלַךְ,, SoBuhlBaEs 41compare Arabic(r = l),send forth, drivecattle to pasture,send messenger, etc., but then different √ for I.שֶׁלַךְ, Arabic,weapon; Assyrian probablyšalû(send, hurl?)

H0853 אֵת
Definition:

33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34: 33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34:

Possible Meanings:
  • sign (semantic_range)
H3123 יוֹנָה
Definition:

820t.; constructיוֺנֵתPsalm 56:1; suffixיוֺנָתִיSongs 2:142t.; pluralיוֺנִיםNahum 2:86t.; constructיוֺנֵיEzekiel 7:16(see below); —doveGenesis 8:8,9,10,11,12 (all J); often of offerings,בֶּןיֿוֺנָהLev 820t.; constructיוֺנֵתPsalm 56:1; suffixיוֺנָתִיSongs 2:142t.; pluralיוֺנִיםNahum 2:86t.; constructיוֺנֵיEzekiel 7:16(see below); —doveGenesis 8:8,9,10,11,12 (all J); often of offerings,בֶּןיֿוֺנָהLev

H0854 אֵת
Definition:

25;Joshua 14:12, next2 Samuel 24:24; then repeatedly (but not exclusively)1 Kings 20—2 Kings 8, & in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, e.g.1 Kings 20:25(but1 Kings 20:23אִתָּם)1 Kings 22:7,8,24 (besideמֵאִתִּי)2 Kin 25;Joshua 14:12, next2 Samuel 24:24; then repeatedly (but not exclusively)1 Kings 20—2 Kings 8, & in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, e.g.1 Kings 20:25(but1 Kings 20:23אִתָּם)1 Kings 22:7,8,24 (besideמֵאִתִּי)2 Kin

Possible Meanings:
  • sign (semantic_range)
H7200 רָאָה
Definition:

7, compareריחspectacleDeuteronomy 1:12; Sabeanראיsee, expectDHMZMG xxix (1875), 506,599; Arabicsee, so Ethiopicᵑ7רֵו,רֵיוָאhumanappearance, features, etc. (compare Hebrewרְָאִי2)); —Qal1141Perfect3mas 7, compareריחspectacleDeuteronomy 1:12; Sabeanראיsee, expectDHMZMG xxix (1875), 506,599; Arabicsee, so Ethiopicᵑ7רֵו,רֵיוָאhumanappearance, features, etc. (compare Hebrewרְָאִי2)); —Qal1141Perfect3mas

Possible Meanings:
  • vision (semantic_range)
H7043 קָלַל
Definition:

vibrate, whirl(of sword),:see be shaken; — SchwZAW xi (1891), 170 ff.thinksshakeoriginal, seeמַקֵּל); —QalPerfect2masculine singularקַלּוֺתָNahum 1:14; 1singularקַלֹּתיJob 40:4; 3pluralקַלּוּGenesis 8 vibrate, whirl(of sword),:see be shaken; — SchwZAW xi (1891), 170 ff.thinksshakeoriginal, seeמַקֵּל); —QalPerfect2masculine singularקַלּוֺתָNahum 1:14; 1singularקַלֹּתיJob 40:4; 3pluralקַלּוּGenesis 8

Possible Meanings:
  • burnished (semantic_range)
  • light (semantic_range)
  • quick (semantic_range)
H4325 מַיִם
Definition:

14only pluralמַ֫יִםwaters, water(Late Hebrewid.; MI23[ין]מ; SI5המים; Aramaicמַיָּא,מַיִּין,Assyrianmû, pluralmê, alsomâmuDlHWB 394; ArabicEthiopic, plural; Sabean [מו],מוםpluralמון, Minaean [מה], plur 14only pluralמַ֫יִםwaters, water(Late Hebrewid.; MI23[ין]מ; SI5המים; Aramaicמַיָּא,מַיִּין,Assyrianmû, pluralmê, alsomâmuDlHWB 394; ArabicEthiopic, plural; Sabean [מו],מוםpluralמון, Minaean [מה], plur

H5921 עַל
Definition:

“The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). From the opening verses, עַל marks God’s sovereignty above the chaotic deep, foreshadowing His orderly governance of the “The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). From the opening verses, עַל marks God’s sovereignty above the chaotic deep, foreshadowing His orderly governance of the

Possible Meanings:
  • upon (semantic_range)
  • on account of (semantic_range)
  • to (semantic_range)
H6440 פָנִים
Definition:

23and (Ezekiel =Proverbs 21:21=edge; on2 Samuel 10:9see below)feminineface, alsofaces(asturnedtoward one); — plural absoluteמָּנִיםGenesis 32:31+; constructמְּנֵי2 Samuel 14:32+; suffix 1 singularמָּנ 23and (Ezekiel =Proverbs 21:21=edge; on2 Samuel 10:9see below)feminineface, alsofaces(asturnedtoward one); — plural absoluteמָּנִיםGenesis 32:31+; constructמְּנֵי2 Samuel 14:32+; suffix 1 singularמָּנ

H0127 אֲדָמָה
Definition:

25+; constructאַדְמַתGenesis 47:20+;suffixאַדְמָתִיJob 31:382t. etc.;pluralאֲדָמוֺתPsalm 49:12—1ground(as tilled, yielding sustenance)Genesis 2:5,9;Genesis 3:17,23;Genesis 4:2,3,12;Genesis 5:29;Genesi 25+; constructאַדְמַתGenesis 47:20+;suffixאַדְמָתִיJob 31:382t. etc.;pluralאֲדָמוֺתPsalm 49:12—1ground(as tilled, yielding sustenance)Genesis 2:5,9;Genesis 3:17,23;Genesis 4:2,3,12;Genesis 5:29;Genesi

Possible Meanings:
  • land (semantic_range)
  • piece of ground (semantic_range)

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