Genesis 8:20
in Genesis 8Then 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Noah builded an altar unto Jehovah, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar.
KJV
And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
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This verse in Genesis 8
Commentary
11 notes on this verseNoah builded an altar - As we have already seen that Adam, Cain, and Abel, offered sacrifices, there can be no doubt that they had altars on which they offered them; but this, builded by Noah, is certainly the first on record. It is worthy of remark that, as the old world began with sacrifice, so also did the new. Religion or the proper mode of worshipping the Divine Being, is the invention or institution of God himself; and sacrifice, in the act and design, is the essence of religion.
This site's exposition
Noah built an altar to the LORD
This is the first altar in Scripture. The first act of the new world is worship. Noah takes clean animals and clean birds and offers burnt offerings. The altar then marks the men who walk with God, Abram at Shechem in 12:7, Isaac at Beersheba in 26:25 and Jacob at Bethel in 35:7.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
[The clean and the unclean] 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.
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence · Written before 523.
proposed
Now although this meat is a burden unto the wise and prudent, yet was it given by promise unto Noah, and it was sent unto Elijah in a gift, and Abraham received God and His angels thereby, and Isaac was pleased to pour out blessings …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Noah built an altar to the Lord, and taking from all the clean animals and birds, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And Noah builded an altar - Hitherto he had done nothing without particular instructions and commands from God but altars and sacrifices being already of Divine institution, he did not stay for a particular command thus to express his thankfulness.
(3.) See here the antiquity of religion: the first thing we find done in the new world was an act of worship, Jer. vi. We are now to express our thankfulness, not by burnt-offerings, but by the sacrifices of praise and the sacrifices of righteousness, by pious devotions and a pious conversation.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And Noah builded an altar - Hitherto he had done nothing without particular instructions and commands from God but altars and sacrifices being already of Divine institution, he did not stay for a particular command thus to express his thankfulness.
And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
There is something exceedingly beautiful and interesting to know that the first care of this devout patriarch was to return thanks for the signal instance of mercy and goodness which he and his family had experienced. took of every clean beast . . . fowl--For so unparalleled a deliverance, a special acknowledgment was due.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
There is something exceedingly beautiful and interesting to know that the first care of this devout patriarch was to return thanks for the signal instance of mercy and goodness which he and his family had experienced. took of every clean beast . . . fowl--For so unparalleled a deliverance, a special acknowledgment was due.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּ֥בֶן | vaiyiven | and he built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| נֹ֛חַ | noach | Noah | H5146 → | 46 times |
| מִזְבֵּ֖חַ | mizbeach | an altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
| לַֽיהוָ֑ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיִּקַּ֞ח | vaiyikach | and he took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| מִכֹּ֣ל׀ | mikol | some of all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה | habehemah | the livestock | H929 → | 190 times |
| הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה | hatehorah | <the> clean | H2889 → | 94 times |
| וּמִכֹּל֙ | umikol | and some of every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָע֣וֹף | haof | <the> bird | H5775 → | 71 times |
| הַטָּהֹ֔ר | hatahor | <the> clean | H2889 → | 94 times |
| וַיַּ֥עַל | vaiyaal | and he offered up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| עֹלֹ֖ת | ʾolot | burnt offerings | H5930 → | 287 times |
| בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ | bamizbeach | on the altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
וַיִּ֥בֶןand he built
vaiyivenH1129 →376 times
נֹ֛חַNoah
noachH5146 →46 times
מִזְבֵּ֖חַan altar
mizbeachH4196 →401 times
לַֽיהוָ֑הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיִּקַּ֞חand he took
vaiyikachH3947 →966 times
מִכֹּ֣ל׀some of all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
הַבְּהֵמָ֣הthe livestock
habehemahH929 →190 times
הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה<the> clean
hatehorahH2889 →94 times
וּמִכֹּל֙and some of every
umikolH3605 →5413 times
הָע֣וֹף<the> bird
haofH5775 →71 times
הַטָּהֹ֔ר<the> clean
hatahorH2889 →94 times
וַיַּ֥עַלand he offered up
vaiyaalH5927 →890 times
עֹלֹ֖תburnt offerings
ʾolotH5930 →287 times
בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃on the altar
bamizbeachH4196 →401 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
Romans 12:1Therefore 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.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:5
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- Romans 6:13
Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of…
- 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 6:19
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so now…
- Ephesians 4:1
As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:
- 1 Peter 2:5
Through
1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
it leads to
- Exodus 19:5–6
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
- Deuteronomy 7:6
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of…
- Revelation 1:6
who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
- Exodus 19:5–6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
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About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, LETTERS 108; 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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence.