Meaning, commentary and cross references
Genesis 8:22
“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
NIV · New International Version
“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”
WEB · World English Bible
While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”
What does Genesis 8:22 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Genesis 8:22
While the earth remaineth,.... Which as to its substance may remain for ever, Ecclesiastes 1:4 yet as to its form and quality will be changed; that and all in it will be burnt up; there will be an end of all things in it, for so the words are in the original, "as yet all the days of the earth", or "while all the days of the earth" are (i); which shows that there is a time fixed for its continuance, and that this time is but short, being measured by days: but however, as long as it does continue: seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease; as they had done, or seemed to do during the flood; for the year past there had been no seedtime…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible, on Genesis 8:20–22
(2.) That the course of nature should never be discontinued (Gen 8:22): "While the earth remaineth, and man upon it, there shall be summer and winter (not all winter as had been this last year), day and night," not all night, as probably it was while the rain was descending. Here, [1.] It is plainly intimated that this earth is not to remain always; it, and all the works in it, must shortly be burnt up; and we look for new heavens and a new earth, when all these things must be dissolved.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on Genesis 8:22
While the earth remaineth [285] By these words the world is again completely restored. For so great was the confusion and disorder which had overspread the earth, that there was a necessity for some renovation. On which account, Peter speaks of the old world as having perished in the deluge, (2 Peter 3:6.) Moreover, the deluge had been an interruption of the order of nature.
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Genesis 8:19–22 (WEB)
19Every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, whatever moves on the earth, after their families, went out of the ship. 20Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21The LORD smelled the pleasant aroma. The LORD said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake because the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. I will never again strike every living thing, as I have done. 22While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”
Cross references
- James 5:7
Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rain.
- Jeremiah 5:24
They don’t say in their heart, ‘Let’s now fear the LORD our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season, who preserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest.’
- Psalms 74:16–17
- Jeremiah 31:35
The LORD, who gives the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirs up the sea, so that its waves roar— the LORD of Armies is his name, says:
- Song of Solomon 2:11–12
For behold, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone.
- Jeremiah 33:20–26
“The LORD says: ‘If you can break my covenant of the day and my covenant of the night, so that there will not be day and night in their time,
- Exodus 34:21
“Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest: in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.
- Isaiah 54:8–9
In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.