The third episode (verses 13-19) also begins with a reference to time. In the six hundred and first year (as in 7.6, 11) refers to Noah’s age, and so Good News Translation has “When Noah was 601 years old….” In the first month, the first day of the month: see comments on 7.11.

The waters were dried from off the earth: dried translates a verb that means to dry up, but in the context and in relation to the verb used in verse 14, it is used as part of the drying process, and not as a state. So here the sense expressed is that the flood water has run off, disappeared, ended, or as Good News Translation says, “was gone.” The sense is that the land probably still remained wet but was drying out. One translation in an island language has “The earth was completely low-tide” (literally “… reefs all out of water”).

And Noah removed the covering of the ark: the word translated removed is used here in the sense of “undo, unfasten, take away”; however, it is not normally used for opening a door or window. The word translated covering has not been used before in connection with the boat and its construction. It may apply to part of the roof no longer needed. In any event removing it permitted Noah to look out, possibly in all directions. In translation covering may be referred to as “roof,” or “upper part.” Bible en français courant says “Noah opened the roof,” and New English Bible has “Noah removed the hatch.” At least one recent translation has “removed part of the roof.”

Looked is the same verb used for “to see.” The sense here is to direct the eyes for a particular purpose, to observe or carefully examine with the eyes. The object of Noah’s attention is the land, to know whether it appeared wet or dry. A number of translations say “looked around,” to convey the idea of a full and careful inspection. And behold: see “and lo” in verse 11.

Face of the ground: see comments on 2.6. Dry is the same word used earlier in the verse. If this word is taken in the sense of the drying process, Good News Translation “was getting dry” is suitable for English. New Jerusalem Bible has “was drying.” It is also possible that the narrator intends this to describe the completion of the drying, in which case “was dry” is satisfactory. Translators may follow either model.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .