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Genesis 8:18

EOB (Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible):

Noah and his sons, along with their wives, came out.

EOB Footnote:

The MT includes “his wife” (ishto) explicitly after “Noah,” whereas the LXX manuscripts vary in word order but preserve the same meaning. The MT reads “and his sons’ wives with them” at the end, while the LXX has “the wives of his sons” without the prepositional phrase “with them” (itam), though this does not materially affect the meaning.

Other Translations:

KJV (King James Version):

“And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him:”

WEB (World English Bible):

“Noah went out, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives with him.”

Benton LXX (Vaticanus):

Sure, here is the verse from the Brenton translation of the Septuagint: “And Noah went forth, and his wife, and his sons, and his sons’ wives with him.”

Douai-Rheims (Vulgate):

“And thou and thy sons, and thy wife, and the wives of thy sons with thee, shall go into the ark.”

Apostoliki Diakonia (LXX):

So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him.

YLT (Young Literal Translation )(MT):

And your sons, and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you—

BBE (Bible in Basic English):

And Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives.

EOB COMMENTARY:

EOB Commentary:

Commentary on Genesis 8:18

The Departure from the Ark as New Creation

This verse marks the moment of emergence from the ark, presenting Noah and his family stepping forth onto a renewed earth. The Eastern Fathers consistently understood this passage as a type of resurrection and new beginning, carrying profound christological and baptismal significance.

Typological Significance for Christ and the Church

Saint John Chrysostom observes that just as Noah emerged from the ark to inherit a cleansed world, so Christ emerged from the tomb to inaugurate the new creation. The order of departure—Noah first, then his wife, then his sons and their wives—reflects the restoration of proper order after the chaos of sin. The family emerges as a reconstituted humanity, a new Adam with his household, prefiguring Christ as the New Adam who leads redeemed humanity out of the waters of death into resurrected life.

Saint Ephrem the Syrian notes that the ark resting and opening corresponds to the sealed tomb being opened. Noah’s emergence on dry ground after the flood waters receded typifies Christ’s victory over the waters of death and His emergence from Hades, bringing with Him the souls of the righteous.

Baptismal Theology

The Orthodox baptismal liturgy draws deeply from this imagery. The catechumen, like Noah, enters the waters of judgment and emerges into new life. The prayer of blessing over baptismal waters explicitly invokes the flood narrative, asking God who saved Noah through water to save the one being baptized. The emergence from the baptismal font mirrors Noah’s emergence from the ark—both represent passage through death into a transformed existence.

Liturgical Connections

This passage is read during the Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday, where the Church explicitly connects the flood narrative to Christ’s descent into Hades and glorious Resurrection. The eight souls saved through water (referenced in 1 Peter 3:20) correspond to the eighth day—the day of Resurrection and the eschatological day beyond the seven days of creation.

Spiritual Application

For Orthodox spirituality, this verse speaks to the ascetical life. The faithful who enter the ark of the Church, enduring the flood of temptations and the death of the old self through repentance, will emerge transformed. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem teaches that we must remain in the ark of salvation until God Himself opens the door, just as Noah waited for divine command before departing. This patience and obedience characterize the Orthodox understanding of theosis—we cooperate with grace but ultimately depend on God’s initiative for our deliverance and transformation.

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