Then God sent again His order to Noah, saying, "Be quiet and wait until the waters are assuaged."

2Then the waters parted asunder and returned every water to its own place, where it was at first; the fountains ceased to pour forth over the earth; the depths that are on the face of the earth, ceased to rise; and the windows of heaven were closed.

3For floods of rain fell from heaven at the beginning of the Flood 40 days and 40 nights.

4Yet on the first day of the 11th month the tops of high mountains were seen;

5and Noah waited yet until forty days had elapsed, and then opened the window he had made on the western side of the ark,

6and let go a raven, to see if the waters were assuaged from the face of the earth or not.

7Then the raven went forth, yet returned no more to Noah; for the harmless dove is the sign of the mystery of the Christian Church.

8Yet Noah waited yet a little while after the waters were assuaged, and then sent out a dove, to see if the water had retired or not.

9Yet when the dove went out, she found not a place whereon to rest her foot, and no abode; and she returned to Noah.

10Then Noah waited seven days more, and sent out the dove to see if the water had retired or not.

11And the dove came back to Noah, about eventide; and in her beak was an olive-leaf.

12The meaning of the dove is that she is taken as a figure of the old and of the new covenants.

13The first time when she went out, and found nowhere to rest her feet, that is, a place of rest is a figure of the stiff-necked Jews, in whom no grace remained, nor any mercy whatever.

14Wherefore Christ, the meek one, who is figured in the dove, did not find among them rest for the sole of His feet.

15Yet the second time when the dove found a place of rest is a figure of the nations that have received the glad tidings of the holy Gospel, and among whom Christ has found a restingplace.