John Gill Commentary Genesis 8:3

"and the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters decreased." — Genesis 8:3 (ASV)

And the waters returned from off the earth continually ,
&c.] Or "going and returning" ^F19 ; they went off from the earth, and returned to their proper places appointed for them; some were dried up by the wind, and exhaled by the sun into the air: and others returned to their channels and cavities in the earth, or soaked into it:

and after the end of the hundred and fifty days, the waters were
abated ;
or began to abate, as Jarchi and the Vulgate Latin version; which days are to be reckoned from the beginning of the flood, including the forty days' rain; though Jarchi reckons them from the time of the ceasing of it; so that there were from the beginning of the flood one hundred and ninety days; six months, and ten days of the year of the flood now past; and in this he is followed by Dr. Lightfoot ^F20 : but the former reckoning seems best, and agrees better with what follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F19: (bwvw Kwlh) , "eundo et redeundo", Pagninus, Montanus.
• F20: Works, vol. 1. p. 6.