Genesis 8:10 (KJV)

What does Genesis 8:10 mean?

Genesis 8:10 describes Noah waiting before making another attempt to find out whether the floodwaters have gone down. He sends the dove out from the ark, the large vessel in which he and his family have been sheltered during the flood.

The narrator tells the story; Noah is not speaking in this sentence. After the dove’s earlier return in verse 9, the seven-day wait leaves time for conditions outside to change before Noah sends the bird out again.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 8:10

• “stayed” — חוּל (ḥul): Here the word carries the sense of waiting. The action points to a pause before Noah’s next move, rather than merely describing where he was.
• “again” — יָסַף (yasaf): This word can mean to add or do something further. With “sent forth,” it shows that Noah repeats an action he had already taken.

Why Genesis 8:10 matters

• Noah uses the dove to gain information about the land outside. In verse 9, the bird had found no place to rest; its next return brings back an olive leaf in verse 11.
• The repeated sending is part of a sequence, not the moment Noah leaves the ark. After another seven days, he sends the dove out once more, and it does not return to him (verse 12).