Genesis 7:2
in Genesis 7You are to take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate; a pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate;
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee seven and seven, the male and his female; and of the beasts that are not clean two, the male and his female:
KJV
Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
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This verse in Genesis 7
Commentary
12 notes on this verseNow let us consider by what means Noah commanded the clean animals to enter the ark, seven and seven, male and female (Gen. VII, 2): but of the unclean animals, two and two, so that the seed may be nourished in all the earth. And as I think, he asserts that the clean week begins; because the world and the sacred seventh number are clean. For it is not mixed with any other, nor is it generated from another.
This site's exposition
Go into the ark, you and all your family
on Genesis 7:1-3
The LORD tells Noah to enter the ark. Clean and unclean animals are named here for the first time, long before Leviticus 11 sets the division down in law. The seven pairs of clean animals are what Noah will have to spare at the altar of Genesis 8:20.
This site's exposition
seven pairs of every kind
The Hebrew says seven seven, and readers divide over whether it means seven pairs or seven animals of each clean kind. The Berean reads seven pairs. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown counted seven, three pairs and a seventh kept for sacrifice.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Let us recognize that the ark prefigured the church. Let us be the clean beasts in it. Yet let us not refuse to allow the unclean ones to be carried in it with us until the end of the deluge. They were together in the ark, but they were not equally pleasing to the Lord as a savor of sacrifice, for after the deluge, Noah offered sacrifice to God of the clean, not of the unclean. But the ark was not on that account abandoned before the time by any of the clean because of the unclean.
By this prefiguration it is prophesied that in the church there will be the impure by reason of tolerance, not because of corruption of doctrine or dissolution of discipline. Furthermore, the unclean animals did not break their way into the ark through any part of the structure, but because the ark was an integral whole, they entered by the one and only entrance that the architect had made.
A commentator
Philo of Alexandria-20–50
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON GENESIS, II · Written before 50.
proposed
(12) Why does he order seven of each of the clean animals, male and female, to be taken into the ark, but of the unclean animals only two, male and female, in order to preserve seed upon all the earth? (#Ge 7:2). By divine ordinance …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Of all clean animals, take seven and seven, male and female; but of animals that are not clean, two and two, male and female; of the birds of the heaven also, seven and seven, male and female, so that seed might be saved upon the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens,....
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Thanks be to God, there are not herds of lions as there are of oxen, nor flocks of tigers as there are of sheep. (2.) Because the clean were for sacrifice to God; and therefore, in honour to him, more of them were preserved, three couple for breed, and the odd seventh for sacrifice, ch. viii.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Of every clean beast - So we find the distinction between clean and unclean animals existed long before the Mosaic law. This distinction seems to have been originally designed to mark those animals which were proper for sacrifice and food, from those that were not. See Leviticus 11.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But what was the use of the seventh? It was manifestly reserved for sacrifice; and so that both during Noah's residence in the ark, and after his return to dry land, provision was made for celebrating the rites of worship according to the religion of fallen man.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
But what was the use of the seventh? It was manifestly reserved for sacrifice; and so that both during Noah's residence in the ark, and after his return to dry land, provision was made for celebrating the rites of worship according to the religion of fallen man.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
G-d informed Noah that with the attribute of mercy [as indicated by the use of the Tetragrammaton, “the Eternal,”] He will save him and his family and that He will give life to their seed for all generations.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִכֹּ֣ל׀ | mikol | of all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה | habehemah | the livestock | H929 → | 190 times |
| הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה | hatehorah | <the> clean | H2889 → | 94 times |
| תִּֽקַּח־ | tikach- | you will take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| לְךָ֛ | lekha | for <the> yourself | ||
| שִׁבְעָ֥ה | shivah | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| שִׁבְעָ֖ה | shivah | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | a male | H376 → | 1663 times |
| וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ | veishto | and female its | H802 → | 781 times |
| וּמִן־ | umin- | and of | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַבְּהֵמָ֡ה | habehemah | the animal[s] | H929 → | 190 times |
| אֲ֠שֶׁר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| טְהֹרָ֥ה | tehorah | [is] clean | H2889 → | 94 times |
| הִ֛וא | hi' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| שְׁנַ֖יִם | shenayim | two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| אִ֥ישׁ | ʾish | a male | H376 → | 1663 times |
| וְאִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃ | veishto | and female its | H802 → | 781 times |
מִכֹּ֣ל׀of all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
הַבְּהֵמָ֣הthe livestock
habehemahH929 →190 times
הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה<the> clean
hatehorahH2889 →94 times
תִּֽקַּח־you will take
tikach-H3947 →966 times
לְךָ֛for <the> yourself
lekha
שִׁבְעָ֥הseven
shivahH7651 →394 times
שִׁבְעָ֖הseven
shivahH7651 →394 times
אִ֣ישׁa male
ʾishH376 →1663 times
וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹand female its
veishtoH802 →781 times
וּמִן־and of
umin-H4480 →1188 times
הַבְּהֵמָ֡הthe animal[s]
habehemahH929 →190 times
אֲ֠שֶׁרwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
טְהֹרָ֥ה[is] clean
tehorahH2889 →94 times
הִ֛ואit
hi'H1931 →1879 times
שְׁנַ֖יִםtwo
shenayimH8147 →768 times
אִ֥ישׁa male
ʾishH376 →1663 times
וְאִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃and female its
veishtoH802 →781 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Leviticus 10:10You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean,
it leads to
- Ezekiel 22:26
Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they fail to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. They…
- 1 Peter 1:14–16
As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.
- Leviticus 11:47
You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between animals that may be eaten and those that may not.’”
- Titus 1:15
To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Indeed, both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
- Ezekiel 44:23
They are to teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to discern between the clean and the unclean.
- Ezekiel 22:26
Through
Genesis 8:20Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. And taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:15–16
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
- Romans 12:1
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
- Genesis 22:9
When they arrived at the place God had designated, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, atop the wood.
- Hebrews 13:15–16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
About Genesis
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On Noah and the Ark, 12.39; Augustine of Hippo, LETTERS 108; Augustine of Hippo, FAITH AND WORKS 27.49; Bede, Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Philo of Alexandria, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON GENESIS, II.