Génesis 8:20

20 Y edificó Noé un altar á Jehová y tomó de todo animal limpio y de toda ave limpia, y ofreció holocausto en el altar.

Génesis 8:20 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 8:20

And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord
Not an house for himself and his family, but an altar for God; his first and greatest concern being for the glory of God, and not for the temporal good of himself and his: this altar was erected, and devoted to the service of God; it was built according to his will, and by his direction: Noah's view was to renew the worship of God, preserve and propagate it by his example; and this was done by way of thanksgiving to God for his wonderful preservation of him, and was also propitiatory and typical of Christ: the Jewish writers F4 say, this was the altar on which Adam sacrificed, when expelled the garden of Eden, and on which Cain and Abel offered; and being demolished by the flood, was rebuilt by Noah, which is not at all probable; it is much more likely what Aben Ezra says, that it was built on one of the mountains of Ararat, and that as Noah took the first opportunity, so he built it in the first place he came to, or at least not far from the place where he came out of the ark:

and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered
burnt offerings on the altar;
the clean beasts were the bullock, the sheep, and goat, and the clean fowl, the turtle and young pigeon, one of each sort at least was taken. The Targum of Jonathan says, he offered four upon the altar: these were typical of Christ; the bullock or heifer might denote his strength, the sheep or lamb his patience and harmlessness, the turtle or dove his meekness; and being burnt offerings, may signify the painful and dolorous sufferings of Christ, when the wrath of God was poured on him like fire.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 Zohar in Gen. fol. 51. 3, 4. Targum Jon. in loc. Pirke Eliezer, c. 23.

Génesis 8:20 In-Context

18 Entonces salió Noé, y sus hijos, y su mujer, y las mujeres de sus hijos con él.
19 Todos los animales, y todo reptil y toda ave, todo lo que se mueve sobre la tierra según sus especies, salieron del arca.
20 Y edificó Noé un altar á Jehová y tomó de todo animal limpio y de toda ave limpia, y ofreció holocausto en el altar.
21 Y percibió Jehová olor de suavidad; y dijo Jehová en su corazón: No tornaré más á maldecir la tierra por causa del hombre; porque el intento del corazón del hombre es malo desde su juventud: ni volveré más á destruir todo viviente, como he hecho.
22 Todavía serán todos los tiempos de la tierra; la sementera y la siega, y el frío y calor, verano é invierno, y día y noche, no cesarán.
The Reina-Valera Antigua (1602) is in the public domain.