Gen 8:21 | TNotes | STEP | 8:21 pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice (literally smelled the sweet aroma ): The narrator uses anthropomorphic language (i.e., he describes God’s activity in human terms) to show God’s acceptance of Noah’s offering (see also Exod 29:18 ; Lev 1:9 ; Num 15:3 ). The common ancient Near Eastern notion that the gods ate the sacrifices offered to them is notably absent. • to himself (literally in his heart ): The phrase echoes “broke his heart” (6:6 ), just as think or imagine echoes “everything they thought or imagined” (6:5 ). God’s commitment to a new order replaced his grief over the old. • I will never again curse ... destroy: The old curse was not lifted (5:29 ), but God promised not to add to it, thus establishing new limits for life in a disordered world (cp. Isa 54:9 ). The flood was to stop violence, not to reform the human heart (Gen 6:5 ). Humankind’s bent toward evil would be contained to some degree through accountability to a new law (9:5-6 ).

a8:21►

bExod 29:18►

cLev 1:9►

dNum 15:3►

e6:6►

f6:5►

g5:29►

hIsa 54:9►

iGen 6:5►

j9:5-6►

‏ Genesis 8:21

8:21 ^a pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice (literally smelled the sweet aroma): The narrator uses anthropomorphic language (i.e., he describes God’s activity in human terms) to show God’s acceptance of Noah’s offering (see also Exod 29:18 ^b; Lev 1:9 ^c; Num 15:3 ^d). The common ancient Near Eastern notion that the gods ate the sacrifices offered to them is notably absent.

• to himself (literally in his heart): The phrase echoes “broke his heart” (6:6 ^e), just as think or imagine echoes “everything they thought or imagined” (6:5 ^f). God’s commitment to a new order replaced his grief over the old.

• I will never again curse ... destroy: The old curse was not lifted (5:29 ^g), but God promised not to add to it, thus establishing new limits for life in a disordered world (cp. Isa 54:9 ^h). The flood was to stop violence, not to reform the human heart (Gen 6:5 ⁱ). Humankind’s bent toward evil would be contained to some degree through accountability to a new law (9:5-6 ^j).