The Meaning of Genesis 8:9 Explained

Genesis 8:9

KJV: But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

YLT: and the dove hath not found rest for the sole of her foot, and she turneth back unto him, unto the ark, for waters are on the face of all the earth, and he putteth out his hand, and taketh her, and bringeth her in unto him, unto the ark.

Darby: But the dove found no resting-place for the sole of her foot, and returned to him into the ark; for the waters were on the whole earth; and he put forth his hand, and took her, and brought her to him into the ark.

ASV: but the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him to the ark; for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: and he put forth his hand, and took her, and brought her in unto him into the ark.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But the dove  found  no rest  for the sole  of her foot,  and she returned  unto him into the ark,  for the waters  [were] on the face  of the whole earth:  then he put forth  his hand,  and took her,  and pulled her in  unto him into the ark. 

What does Genesis 8:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 8:1-22 - Noah Leaves The Ark
Traditions of the Flood are found in every country, from the tablets of Babylon to the rude carvings of the Aztecs, proving man's common origin. "God remembered Noah." He could not forget, because He had entered into covenant with him and his. Though the floods have been abroad on your life for long years, God has not forgotten you. Sooner might a woman forget her babe! Noah's window only looked upward. It had no outlook on the waters, therefore he sent forth the birds. Dove and raven issued from the same window, so the child of God and the wayward, willful child may issue from the same family; but the former cannot find satisfaction with what satisfies the other, but wings its flight back to God. See Psalms 116:7. Through God's grace Noah stepped out into the new world-the world of resurrection. His first act was the burned-offering of consecration, which was followed immediately by promise. See Romans 12:1-2. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 8

1  God remembers Noah and calms the waters
4  The ark rests on Ararat
6  Noah sends forth a raven and then a dove
13  Noah, being commanded, goes forth from the ark
20  He builds an altar, and offers sacrifices,
21  which God accepts, and promises to curse the earth no more

What do the individual words in Genesis 8:9 mean?

but no found the dove resting place for the sole of her foot and she returned to him into the ark for the waters [were] on the face of whole the earth So he put out his hand and took her and drew her to himself the ark
וְלֹֽא־ מָצְאָה֩ הַיּוֹנָ֨ה מָנ֜וֹחַ לְכַף־ רַגְלָ֗הּ וַתָּ֤שָׁב אֵלָיו֙ אֶל־ הַתֵּבָ֔ה כִּי־ מַ֖יִם עַל־ פְּנֵ֣י כָל־ הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָדוֹ֙ וַיִּקָּחֶ֔הָ וַיָּבֵ֥א אֹתָ֛הּ אֵלָ֖יו הַתֵּבָֽה

וְלֹֽא־  but  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
מָצְאָה֩  found 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
הַיּוֹנָ֨ה  the  dove 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: יׄונָה  
Sense: dove, pigeon.
מָנ֜וֹחַ  resting  place 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָנׄוחַ  
Sense: resting place, state or condition of rest, place.
לְכַף־  for  the  sole 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: כַּף  
Sense: palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand.
רַגְלָ֗הּ  of  her  foot 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
וַתָּ֤שָׁב  and  she  returned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אֵלָיו֙  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַתֵּבָ֔ה  the  ark 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֵּבָה  
Sense: ark.
מַ֖יִם  the  waters  [were] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
פְּנֵ֣י  the  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
כָל־  of  whole 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָאָ֑רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח  So  he  put  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
יָדוֹ֙  his  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וַיִּקָּחֶ֔הָ  and  took  her 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
וַיָּבֵ֥א  and  drew 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֹתָ֛הּ  her 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person feminine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֵלָ֖יו  to  himself 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַתֵּבָֽה  the  ark 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֵּבָה  
Sense: ark.