Does Genesis 8:13 and Genesis 8:14 Contradict?

Does Genesis 8:13 and Genesis 8:14 Contradict?

In Genesis 8:13, we read that the flood of Noah had receded, causing the Earth to become dry. In Genesis 8:14, it states once again that the Earth had become dry one month later.

"13Now it came about in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the water was dried up from the earth. Then Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was dried up. 14In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry" (Genesis 8:13-14 NASB1995).

To answer this supposed contradiction, looking at the original Hebrew is beneficial. In verse 13, the Hebrew word "חָֽרְב֥וּ " is used while verse 14 uses "יָבְשָׁ֖ה". These words seem to have different connotations. The word used in verse 13 may be seen as if to say, the water had dispersed or was no longer visible as it dried into the ground. The word used in verse 14 seems to mean that the ground was no longer soaking, akin to a marsh or muddy surface. As Dr. Gill explains, "the earth dried; so that it was fit to walk upon, and was become commodious both for man and beast: a different word from that in the preceding verse is here used for "dry", this being a different kind, or, however, a greater degree of dryness than the other" (Gill). 

As another scholar writes, "יָבְשָׁה The three Hebrew verbs employed to depict the gradual cessation of the floods express a regular gradation; קָלַל (ver. 11), to be lightened, signifying their abatement or diminution ... חָרַב (ver. 13), to be dried up, indicating the disappearance of the water ... יָבֵשׁ (ver. 14), to be dry, denoting the desiccation of the ground" (Jones).

"The word rendered “dried” at the end of this verse [i.e., verse 14] is different from that translated “dried up” and “dry” in Genesis 8:13, and marks a further stage in the process. It should be translated, was thoroughly dry" (Ellicott).

Works Cited:

Image by NASA

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

The Pulpit Commentary, Volume 6. United States, Delmarva Publications, Inc., 2015.

Wolever, Terry. John Gill's Exposition of the Old and New Testaments: Some Background on the First Three Editions. United States, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2018.