In Genesis, what was Noah’s first action after the Ark came to rest?

In Genesis, Noah’s first recorded action after the Ark came to rest was opening the Ark’s window.

Genesis 8:4 says the Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Later, Genesis 8:6 says Noah opened the window he had made in the Ark after forty days. He then sent out a raven, followed by repeated releases of a dove to test whether the waters had receded.

The sequence matters because the Ark’s resting and Noah’s testing of the landscape are separate moments in the chronology. Noah does not immediately leave the vessel when it comes to rest. He waits, sends out birds, and follows further instructions before exiting.

This detail can be confused with the dove, because the birds are more memorable in popular retellings. The first action in the text after the Ark’s resting is opening the window; the raven is sent afterward. The altar belongs to the next stage, after Noah and the others finally leave the Ark.