Greek: Septuagint (LXX)
English: John Barach
English: John Barach
Chapter 8
Flood Subsides
| 1 καὶ ἐμνήσθη ὁ θεὸς τοῦ Νῶε, καὶ πάντων τῶν θηρίων, καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν, καὶ πάντων τῶν πετεινῶν, καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν, ὅσα ἦν μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ, καὶ ἐπήγαγεν ὁ θεὸς πνεῦμα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἐκόπασεν τὸ ὕδωρ. 2 καὶ ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ πηγαὶ τῆς ἀβύσσου, καὶ οἱ καταρράκται τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ συνεσχέθη ὁ ὑετὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. 3 καὶ ἐνεδίδου τὸ ὕδωρ πορευόμενον ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἐνεδίδου καὶ ἠλαττονοῦτο τὸ ὕδωρ μετὰ πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν ἡμέρας. 4 καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐν μηνὶ τῷ ἑβδόμῳ, ἑβδόμῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μηνός, ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τὰ Ἀραράτ. 5 τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ πορευόμενον ἠλαττονοῦτο ἕως τοῦ δεκάτου μηνός· ἐν δὲ τῷ ἑνδεκάτῳ μηνί, τῇ πρώτῃ τοῦ μηνός, ὤφθησαν αἱ κεφαλαὶ τῶν ὀρέων. — | 1 And God remembered Noah, and all the wild animals, and all the cattle, and all the birds, and all the creeping things, as many as were with him in the ark; and God brought a spirit[1] (wind) over the earth, and the water abated. 2 And the fountains of the abyss were covered, and the floodgates of heaven, and the rain from heaven was restrained. 3 And the water subsided, departing from the earth; it subsided and the water was diminished after one hundred and fifty days. 4 And the ark settled[2] in the seventh month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the water continued to diminish until the tenth month; and in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen. |
[1]The word πνεῦμα (pneuma) can mean "spirit," "wind," or "breath." In the context of Gen 1:2, the pneuma was over the waters at creation; here, it is sent to restore the earth, signaling a New Creation.
[2]Interestingly, the Greek verb for "rested" or "settled" (ἐκάθισεν) literally means "sat." It provides a vivid image of the massive vessel finally "taking a seat" on the peak as the waters retreated.
[2]Interestingly, the Greek verb for "rested" or "settled" (ἐκάθισεν) literally means "sat." It provides a vivid image of the massive vessel finally "taking a seat" on the peak as the waters retreated.
| 6 καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας ἠνέῳξεν Νῶε τὴν θυρίδα τῆς κιβωτοῦ, ἣν ἐποίησεν. 7 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν τὸν κόρακα τοῦ ἰδεῖν εἰ κεκόπακεν τὸ ὕδωρ· καὶ ἐξελθὼν οὐχ ὑπέστρεψεν ἕως τοῦ ξηρανθῆναι τὸ ὕδωρ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς. 8 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν τὴν περιστερὰν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ, ἰδεῖν εἰ κεκόπακεν τὸ ὕδωρ ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς. 9 καὶ οὐχ εὑροῦσα ἡ περιστερὰ ἀνάπαυσιν τοῖς ποσίν αὐτῆς, ὑπέστρεψεν πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν, ὅτι ὕδωρ ἦν ἐπὶ παντὶ προσώπῳ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἔλαβεν αὐτὴν καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὐτὴν πρὸς ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν. 10 καὶ ἐπισχὼν ἔτι ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ ἑτέρας, πάλιν ἐξαπέστειλεν τὴν περιστερὰν ἐκ τῆς κιβωτοῦ· 11 καὶ ἀνέστρεψεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ περιστερὰ τὸ πρὸς ἑσπέραν καὶ εἶχεν φύλλον ἐλαίας κάρφος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῆς, καὶ ἔγνω Νῶε ὅτι κεκόπακεν τὸ ὕδωρ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς. 12 καὶ ἐπισχὼν ἔτι ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ ἑτέρας πάλιν ἐξαπέστειλεν τὴν περιστεράν καὶ οὐ προσέθετο τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔτι. — | 6 And it happened after forty days, Noah opened the window[1] of the ark which he had made. 7 And he sent out the raven to see if the water had abated; and having gone out, it did not return until the water was dried from the earth. 8 And he sent the dove after it, to see if the water had abated from the face of the earth. 9 And the dove, not finding rest for its feet, returned to him into the ark, because water was upon every face of all the earth; and stretching out his hand, he took it and brought it to himself into the ark. 10 And having waited yet seven other days, again he sent out the dove from the ark. 11 And the dove returned to him toward evening, and it had an olive leaf, a twig in its mouth; and Noah knew that the water had abated from the earth. 12 And having waited yet seven other days, again he sent out the dove, and it did not proceed to return to him anymore. |
[1]The Greek uses θυρίδα (thyrida), a diminutive of "door," suggesting a specific portal or hatch for observation.
| 13 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ καὶ ἑξακοσιοστῷ ἔτει ἐν τῇ ζωῇ τοῦ Νῶε, τοῦ πρώτου μηνός, μιᾷ τοῦ μηνός, ἐξέλιπεν τὸ ὕδωρ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς· καὶ ἀπεκάλυψεν Νῶε τὴν στέγην τῆς κιβωτοῦ ἣν ἐποίησεν, καὶ εἶδεν ὅτι ἐξέλιπεν τὸ ὕδωρ ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς. 14 ἐν δὲ τῷ μηνὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ, ἑβδόμῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μηνός, ἐξηράνθη ἡ γῆ. 15 καὶ εἶπεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῷ Νῶε λέγων, | 13 And it happened in the six hundred and first year in the life of Noah, in the first month, on the first of the month, the water failed from the earth; and Noah uncovered the roof of the ark which he had made, and he saw that the water had failed from the face of the earth. 14 And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. 15 And the Lord God spoke to Noah, saying: |
| 16 ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς κιβωτοῦ, σὺ καὶ ἡ γυνή σου καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν σου μετὰ σου 17 καὶ πάντα τὰ θηρία, ὅσα ἐστὶν μετὰ σου, καὶ πᾶσα σὰρξ ἀπὸ πετεινῶν ἕως κτηνῶν, καὶ πᾶν ἑρπετὸν κινούμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐξάγαγε μετὰ σεαυτοῦ· καὶ αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. 18 καὶ ἐξῆλθεν Νῶε καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ, 19 καὶ πάντα τὰ θηρία καὶ πάντα τὰ κτήνη καὶ πᾶν πετεινὸν καὶ πᾶν ἑρπετὸν κινούμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κατὰ γένος αὐτῶν ἐξήλθοσαν ἐκ τῆς κιβωτοῦ. | 16 "Go out from the ark, you and your wife and your sons and the wives of your sons with you; 17 and all the wild animals, as many as are with you, and all flesh from birds to cattle, and every creeping thing moving upon the earth, lead out with yourself; and increase and multiply upon the earth." 18 And Noah went out, and his wife and his sons and the wives of his sons with him. 19 And all the wild animals and all the cattle and every bird and every creeping thing moving upon the earth according to their kind went out from the ark. |
| 20 καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν Νῶε θυσιαστήριον τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἔλαβεν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν καθαρῶν καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν πετεινῶν τῶν καθαρῶν καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν ὁλοκαρπώσεις ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον. 21 καὶ ὠσφράνθη κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας, καὶ εἶπεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς διανοηθείς, οὐ προσθήσω ἔτι τοῦ καταράσασθαι τὴν γῆν διὰ τὰ ἔργα τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅτι ἔγκειται ἡ διάνοια τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπιμελῶς ἐπὶ τὰ πονηρὰ ἐκ νεότητος· οὐ προσθήσω οὖν ἔτι πατάξαι πᾶσαν σάρκα ζῶσαν, καθὼς ἐποίησα. 22 πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς γῆς σπέρμα καὶ θερισμός, ψῦχος καὶ καῦμα, θέρος καὶ ἔαρ ἡμέραν καὶ νύκτα οὐ καταπαύσουσιν. | 20 And Noah built an altar[1] to God, and took from all the clean cattle and from all the clean birds and offered whole burnt offerings upon the altar. 21 And the Lord God smelled a scent of sweetness; and the Lord God said, having reflected: "I will not proceed to curse the earth anymore because of the works of men, because the intent of man is set carefully upon evil things from youth; I will not therefore proceed anymore to strike all living flesh as I have done. 22 All the days of the earth, seed and harvest, cold and heat, summer and spring, day and night shall not cease."[2] |
[1]The LXX uses θυσιαστήριον (thysiasterion). This is a specifically biblical Greek word. Secular Greek would use bomos for a pagan altar, but the LXX translators coined or reserved thysiasterion for the altar of the True God.
[2]The Greek lists the seasons as θέρος καὶ ἔαρ (summer and spring/autumn). This promise of regularity established the "Covenant of Nature," which was a foundational concept for later Hellenistic Jewish and Christian thought regarding divine providence.
"Spirit" (pneuma) (v. 1): The LXX uses pneuma, which can mean "wind" or "spirit." This creates a deliberate parallel to Genesis 1:2. Just as the pneuma of God moved over the waters at the first creation, it now moves over the floodwaters to bring about a "new" creation.
"Covered" (epekalyphthesan) (v. 2): While the Hebrew says the fountains were "closed," the Greek uses a word meaning "covered" or "veiled." This suggests the chaotic deep was not destroyed, but safely restrained beneath the surface once more.
"Dry Twig" (karphos) (v. 11): The LXX uses karphos (a small dry stalk or twig) for the olive leaf. This term is famously used later by Jesus in the New Testament regarding the "mote" (speck/splinter) in one's eye (Matthew 7:3).
"Whole-burnt offerings" (holokarpōseis) (v. 20): Literally "whole-fruit offerings." The LXX uses this specific term to emphasize that the entire sacrifice was consumed by fire for God, marking the formal re-establishment of the sacrificial system.
"Scent of Fragrance" (osmēn euōdias) (v. 21): This Greek phrase becomes the standard liturgical formula for acceptable sacrifices throughout the Pentateuch and is even applied to Christ’s sacrifice in Ephesians 5:2.
"Spring" (ear) (v. 22): Interestingly, where the Hebrew lists "winter and summer," the LXX lists θέρος καὶ ἔαρ (summer and spring). The inclusion of "spring" emphasizes the regenerative, flowering aspect of the newly restored earth.
"Considered Deeply" (dianoētheis / dianoia) (v. 21): The LXX uses the same root for God's "thinking" and man's "intent." It highlights the contrast: God's deliberate, merciful decision is a response to man's inherent, diligent inclination toward evil.
[2]The Greek lists the seasons as θέρος καὶ ἔαρ (summer and spring/autumn). This promise of regularity established the "Covenant of Nature," which was a foundational concept for later Hellenistic Jewish and Christian thought regarding divine providence.
"Spirit" (pneuma) (v. 1): The LXX uses pneuma, which can mean "wind" or "spirit." This creates a deliberate parallel to Genesis 1:2. Just as the pneuma of God moved over the waters at the first creation, it now moves over the floodwaters to bring about a "new" creation.
"Covered" (epekalyphthesan) (v. 2): While the Hebrew says the fountains were "closed," the Greek uses a word meaning "covered" or "veiled." This suggests the chaotic deep was not destroyed, but safely restrained beneath the surface once more.
"Dry Twig" (karphos) (v. 11): The LXX uses karphos (a small dry stalk or twig) for the olive leaf. This term is famously used later by Jesus in the New Testament regarding the "mote" (speck/splinter) in one's eye (Matthew 7:3).
"Whole-burnt offerings" (holokarpōseis) (v. 20): Literally "whole-fruit offerings." The LXX uses this specific term to emphasize that the entire sacrifice was consumed by fire for God, marking the formal re-establishment of the sacrificial system.
"Scent of Fragrance" (osmēn euōdias) (v. 21): This Greek phrase becomes the standard liturgical formula for acceptable sacrifices throughout the Pentateuch and is even applied to Christ’s sacrifice in Ephesians 5:2.
"Spring" (ear) (v. 22): Interestingly, where the Hebrew lists "winter and summer," the LXX lists θέρος καὶ ἔαρ (summer and spring). The inclusion of "spring" emphasizes the regenerative, flowering aspect of the newly restored earth.
"Considered Deeply" (dianoētheis / dianoia) (v. 21): The LXX uses the same root for God's "thinking" and man's "intent." It highlights the contrast: God's deliberate, merciful decision is a response to man's inherent, diligent inclination toward evil.