The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 4

7:2. Of all clean beasts take seven and seven, the male and the female.

Of all clean... The distintion of clean and unclean beasts appears to have been made before the law of Moses, which was not promulgated till the year of the world 2514.

7:3. But of the beasts that are unclean two and two, the male and the female. Of the fowls also of the air seven and seven, the male and the female: that seed may be saved upon the face of the whole earth.

7:4. For yet a while, and after seven days, I will rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights: and I will destroy every substance that I have made, from the face of the earth.

7:5. And Noe did all things which the Lord had commanded him.

7:6. And he was six hundred years old, when the waters of the flood overflowed the earth.

7:7. And Noe went in and his sons, his wife and the wives of his sons with him into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.

7:8. And of beasts clean and unclean, and of fowls, and of every thing that moveth upon the earth,

7:9. Two and two went in to Noe into the ark, male and female, as the Lord had commanded Noe.

7:10. And after the seven days were pa.s.sed, the waters of the flood overflowed the earth.

7:11. In the six hundredth year of the life of Noe, in the second month, in the seventeenth day of the month, all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the floodgates of heaven were opened:

7:12. And the rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

7:13. In the selfsame day Noe, and Sem, and Cham, and j.a.pheth, his sons: his wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, went into the ark.

7:14. They and every beast according to its kind, and all the cattle in their kind, and every thing that moveth upon the earth, according to its kind, and every fowl according to its kind, all birds, and all that fly,

7:15. Went in to Noe into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein was the breath of life.

7:16. And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as G.o.d had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in on the outside.

7:17. And the flood was forty days upon the earth: and the waters increased, and lifted up the ark on high from the earth.

7:18. For they overflowed exceedingly: and filled all on the face of the earth: and the ark was carried upon the waters.

7:19. And the waters prevailed beyond measure upon the earth: and all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered.

7:20. The water was fifteen cubits higher than the mountains which it covered.

7:21. And all flesh was destroyed that moved upon the earth, both of fowl and of cattle, and of beasts, and of all creeping things that creep upon the earth: and all men.

7:22. And all things wherein there is the breath of life on the earth, died.

7:23. And he destroyed all the substance that was upon the earth, from man even to beast, and the creeping things and fowls of the air: and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noe only remained, and they that were with him in the ark.

7:24. And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days.

Genesis Chapter 8

The deluge ceaseth. Noe goeth out of the ark, and offereth a sacrifice.

G.o.d's covenant to him.

8:1. And G.o.d remembered Noe, and all the living creatures, and all the cattle which were with him in the ark, and brought a wind upon the earth, and the waters were abated:

8:2. The fountains also of the deep, and the floodgates of heaven, were shut up, and the rain from heaven was restrained.

8:3. And the waters returned from off the earth going and coming: and they began to be abated after a hundred and fifty days.

8:4. And the ark rested in the seventh month, the seven and twentieth day of the month, upon the mountains of Armenia.

8:5. And the waters were going and decreasing until the tenth month: for in the tenth month, the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains appeared.

8:6. And after that forty days were pa.s.sed, Noe opening the window of the ark, which he had made, sent forth a raven:

8:7. Which went forth and did not return, till the waters were dried up upon the earth.

Did not return... The raven did not return into the ark; but (as it may be gathered from the Hebrew) went to and fro; sometimes going to the mountains, where it found carca.s.ses to feed on: and other times returning, to rest upon the top of the ark.

8:8. He sent forth also a dove after him, to see if the waters had now ceased upon the face of the earth.

8:9. But she not finding where her foot might rest, returned to him into the ark: for the waters were upon the whole earth: and he put forth his hand, and caught her, and brought her into the ark.

8:10. And having waited yet seven other days, he again sent forth the dove out of the ark.

8:11. And she came to him in the evening carrying a bough of an olive tree, with green leaves, in her mouth. Noe therefore understood that the waters were ceased upon the earth.

8:12. And he stayed yet other seven days: and he sent forth the dove, which returned not any more unto him.

8:13. Therefore in the six hundredth and first year, the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were lessened upon the earth, and Noe opening the covering of the ark, looked, and saw that the face of the earth was dried.

8:14. In the second month, the seven and twentieth day of the month, the earth was dried.

8:15. And G.o.d spoke to Noe, saying:

8:16. Go out of the ark, thou and thy wife, thy sons and the wives of thy sons with thee.

8:17. All living things that are with thee of all flesh, as well in fowls as in beasts, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, bring out with thee, and go ye upon the earth: increase and multiply upon it.

8:18. So Noe went out, he and his sons: his wife, and the wives of his sons with him.

8:19. And all living things, and cattle, and creeping things that creep upon the earth, according to their kinds went out of the ark.

8:20. And Noe built an altar unto the Lord: and taking of all cattle and fowls that were clean, offered holocausts upon the altar.

Holocausts,... or whole burnt offerings. In which the whole victim was consumed by fire upon G.o.d's altar, and no part was reserved for the use of priest or people.

8:21. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour, and said: I will no more curse the earth for the sake of man: for the imagination and thought of man's heart are p.r.o.ne to evil from his youth: therefore I will no more destroy every living soul as I have done.