Devine Scripture

Genesis 8:3

What does Genesis 8:3 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 8:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 8:3 means

This verse describes the continuous and gradual process of the floodwaters withdrawing from the earth. The phrase "returned from off the earth continually" highlights the slow, persistent nature of the drying process, requiring patience from Noah and those in the ark. The specific timeframe of "a hundred and fifty days" marks the period during which the waters did not just stop rising, but actually began to decrease significantly. This reiterates the vastness of the flood and the methodical way God brought about its end.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

and the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters decreased.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

and the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters decreased.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And the waters went slowly back from the earth, and at the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters were lower.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And turn back do the waters from off the earth, going on and returning; and the waters are lacking at the end of a hundred and fifty days.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And the waters returned from off the earth going and coming: and they began to be abated after a hundred and fifty days.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the waters retired from the earth, continually retiring; and in the course of a hundred and fifty days the waters abated.

Context

Building on the previous verses that described God's stopping the rain and the fountains of the deep, this verse outlines the immediate consequence: the commencement of the waters' steady retreat. It provides the initial duration of this receding phase, giving the first chronological marker of the flood's decline after the ark had been afloat. This sets up the reader for the subsequent details of the ark's grounding and the further decrease of the waters.

v.2the fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;

v.3This passage

v.4And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Genesis 7:24

    And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days.

  • Genesis 7:11

    In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

Related questions readers ask

Keep reading

Want to dig deeper? Explore Genesis 8

Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Genesis 8.

Keep exploring

Follow this verse across Scripture

Topics, devotionals, original-language word studies, and figures connected to Genesis 8:3.

Browse every hub

BibleTopicsBible answersDevotionalsFamous passagesWord studiesPeoplePlacesVerses for…Reading plansCommentary