Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Genesis 8:13 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 13. 13And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
On the first day of Noah's six hundred and first year, the floodwaters have dried from the earth. Noah removes the ark covering and sees the surface of the ground drying, but he still does not leave.
Read It With
- Genesis 8:13–22
Read verses 13–17 together. Verse 13 reports what Noah can see; verse 14 gives a later date when the earth is fully dry; and verses 15–17 supply God's command and purpose for leaving.
Why This Verse Appears Here
The verse opens a fresh dated stage after the bird tests and lets Noah see dry surface before the narrative declares the earth fully ready.
Read Genesis 8:13–14 together
Why these verses belong together: Two dated drying reports distinguish visible ground surface from the fully dry earth needed for release.
Verse 13. 13 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.
Verse 14. 14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.
Follow the Context
- Noah removes the ark covering and sees a drying surface, but the narrative waits until a later date when the earth is fully dry (8:13–14).
- God commands Noah, his family, and every creature to leave so animal life may swarm, be fruitful, and multiply on the earth (8:15–17).
- Noah, his family, and the categorized creature community leave the ark in obedience (8:18–19).
- Noah builds an altar and offers from the extra clean animals and birds preserved for this purpose (8:20).
- The LORD receives the soothing aroma and commits not to repeat the ground-cursing, all-life destruction, grounding restraint in mercy despite humanity's enduring evil inclination (8:21).
- The unit closes by promising that planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will continue throughout earth's days (8:22).
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“six hundredth and first year”
In plain language: The year of Noah's life after his six hundredth year.
The notice continues the flood calendar begun in Genesis 7:11.
Why it matters: It orders the narrative without supplying an absolute modern date.
How certain? strong“removed the covering”
In plain language: Noah takes away the ark's covering or roof covering.
The action gives him direct sight of outside conditions.
Why it matters: Observation is not yet evacuation.
How certain? probable“face of the ground was dry”
In plain language: The visible soil surface had dried.
The first dry-ground report precedes the earth's full drying in verse 14.
Why it matters: The two stages should not be collapsed.
How certain? strongWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
The dry surface does not mean every part of the earth is already ready for reoccupation.
Removing the covering does not authorize Noah to leave without God's command.
The date does not identify an absolute modern calendar year for the flood.
What Remains True
Visible evidence matters, but readiness and authorization can require more than the first encouraging observation.
How It Can Shape Life
- When a damaged environment begins to look normal, verify its full condition before returning vulnerable people or animals.
Teach It Back
Explain Genesis 8:13's contribution to Genesis 8:13–22. Include why the nearby verses are required, what the verse clearly says, and one conclusion it does not justify.
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Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Genesis 8:13–22 — Noah Leaves the Ark, Worships, and Receives God's PromiseSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Displayed wording, verse order, dry-ground sequence, exit, offering, promise, and seasonal pairs.
Exact location: Genesis 8:13–22 in the pinned standardized 1769 KJV corpus
Open source ↗hebrew text morphology and lemma data
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible — Genesis
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project
Open Scriptures, Version 2.2 released 2021; repository inspected 2026
Supports: Drying terms, bring-out syntax, swarming and fruitfulness, offering, soothing aroma, inclination, youth, and ceasing.
Exact location: Genesis 8:13–22 forms, lemmas, syntax, and verse structure in Gen.xml
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Genesis with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, Digital edition accessed 2026
Supports: Ground and earth distinction, exit command syntax, soothing-aroma anthropomorphism, concessive ki, heart inclination, youth, and earth-duration wording.
Exact location: Genesis 8:13–22 translator notes
Open NET Genesis 8 ↗