According to Genesis, what did Noah send out after the dove returned?

The story behind the answer

According to Genesis, Noah sent the dove out again after it returned to the Ark.

Genesis 8 describes Noah first sending a raven and later sending a dove to test whether the floodwaters had receded. The dove initially finds no resting place and returns, so Noah waits seven days before sending it out again.

On the second outing, the dove returns with a freshly plucked olive leaf. Noah then waits another seven days and sends the dove out a third time; it does not return. The sequence gives the narrative a gradual sign that dry land is reappearing.

The olive leaf has become a widespread symbol of peace, but Genesis presents it first as evidence about the condition of the land. The passage does not say that the dove was sent only once.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

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