In Genesis, Noah’s dove brought back an olive leaf as evidence that the Flood waters were receding.
Genesis 8:11 says the dove returned to Noah in the evening with a freshly plucked olive leaf. This showed that the waters had fallen enough for vegetation to be accessible. Noah sent the dove again after an earlier flight had ended with the bird returning because it could find no resting place.
The olive leaf became a lasting symbol of peace, hope, and renewal. In later art and popular culture, a dove carrying an olive branch often represents reconciliation, although the Genesis wording specifically describes an olive leaf. The passage’s sequence matters: the bird’s return with vegetation was an encouraging sign, but Noah did not immediately leave the Ark. He waited for further instructions and for the ground to dry.
The story is sometimes shortened into the phrase “the dove and the olive branch.” That familiar image combines details from Genesis with later symbolic traditions. The biblical account itself names the dove, the olive leaf, and the continuing process by which the waters receded.