freshly plucked olive leaf

The Hebrew that is translated as “freshly plucked olive leaf” in English is translated in Kwere as “an unripe olive leaf.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

dove, pigeon

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “dove” or “pigeon” in English is translated in Pijin with the onomatopoeia kurrukurru. (Source: Bob Carter)

complete verse (Genesis 8:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 8:11:

  • Kankanaey: “When it-was-getting-night, it returned bringing a leaf of an olive tree that it had-just-broken-off. And that’s how- Noe -knew that the water had already gone-down on the earth.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “When the dove came back in the evening there was a freshly cut olive leaf in its beak. Then Noah realized that the water on the earth had become less.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The dove returned when-it-was now twilight/dusk with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. So Noe knew that the water already subsided.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “This time the dove returned to him in the evening and, surprisingly, in its beak there was a leaf from an olive tree that the dove had just plucked. Then Noah knew that the water had truly receded from the surface of the ground.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 8:11

And the dove came back to him in the evening: came back means returned to Noah and the boat from where it had left. It is not stated when the dove was released, whether in the morning or afternoon. Evening most probably refers to the late afternoon, when birds return to their nests for the night. To him is as in Gen 8.9.

And lo translates the Hebrew connective plus an interjection, which in prose usage calls attention to something of particular significance. See also 1.31, where it is rendered “behold.”

In her mouth: mouth here refers to the dove’s beak.

A freshly plucked olive leaf: freshly plucked translates a Hebrew term that is also used in Ezek 17.9 of “fresh-sprouting leaves.” The emphasis is on the fresh, green state of the olive leaf in contrast to a dried or dead condition. Some interpreters point out that an olive leaf would not be found at high elevations. Consequently a fresh olive leaf would have to be brought from lower altitudes and would mean that the water had subsided even in the valleys. However, it is unlikely that the narrator is calling attention to the olive leaf in contrast to some other family of tree leaves.

For an illustration and description of the olive tree, see Fauna and Flora of the Bible, pages 156-158|fig:ffb_OliveTree.htm. In areas where the olive tree is unknown, translators may speak of “a tree called olive,” in which “olive” is expressed through a loan word. If this solution is unsatisfactory, it may be possible to substitute a local tree, or to say simply “a fresh green leaf.”

So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth: so introduces a consequence. Knew in this context means Noah “had learned, found out, realized.” Subsided translates the same word used in 8.8 and has the same sense as in 8.1. See there for comments. For from the earth see comments on verse 7.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .