Noah waited seven days before sending out the dove after opening the Ark’s window.
Genesis 8:10 says Noah waited another seven days and then sent the dove out. The bird returned because the waters still covered the earth. After waiting another seven days, Noah sent it out again, and it returned with a freshly plucked olive leaf. A further release produced no return.
The seven-day interval is distinct from the earlier release of the raven and from the forty days of rain. The sequence is a small but carefully timed part of the Flood narrative: opening the window, releasing birds, waiting, and interpreting whether the land had become habitable.