Berean Standard Bible
Genesis 8:20
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.
Genesis 8:20 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Context of Genesis 8:20
18So Noah came out, along with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. 19Every living creature, every creeping thing, and every bird—everything that moves upon the earth—came out of the ark, kind by kind. Then 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. 21When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done. 22As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.”
Read all of Genesis 8Genesis 8:20 word by word
וַיִּ֥בֶן נֹ֛חַ מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽיהוָ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֞ח מִכֹּ֣ל׀ הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה וּמִכֹּל֙ הָע֣וֹף הַטָּהֹ֔ר וַיַּ֥עַל עֹלֹ֖ת בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃Read the interlinear
- Then Noahנֹחַnôach · NoahH5146
- builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- an altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- to the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- And takingלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- from every kindכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- of cleanטָהוֹרţâhôr ţâhôr · pureH2889
- animalבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- birdעוֹף‛ôph · birdH5775
- he offeredעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
- burnt offeringsעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
Cross-references for Genesis 8:20
- Genesis 4:4while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
- Genesis 12:7Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
- Genesis 13:4to the site where he had built the altar. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
- Genesis 22:9When 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.
- Genesis 26:25So Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD, and he pitched his tent there. His servants also dug a well there.
- Genesis 33:20There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
- Genesis 35:1Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”
- Exodus 20:24You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you.
- Exodus 24:4And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Early the next morning he got up and built an altar at the base of the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
- 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.
- Hebrews 13:10We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
- 1 Peter 2:5you 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.
- Genesis 7:2You 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;
- Leviticus 11:1The LORD spoke again to Moses and Aaron, telling them,
- Leviticus 1:1Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying,
Commentaries on Genesis 8:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Noah 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 - XXVII. The Ark Was Evacuated 19. משׁפחה mı̂shpāchah “kind, clan, family.” שׁפחה shı̂pchâh “maid-servant; related: spread.” 20. מזבח mı̂zbēach “altar; related: slay animals, sacrifice.” 21. עלה 'olâh “whole burnt-offering.” That which goes up. “Step; related: go up.” Genesis 8:15-19 The command to leave the ark is given and obeyed. As Noah did not enter, so neither does he leave the ark, without divine direction. “The fowl, the cattle…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-22Verses 20-22 Noah was now gone out into a desolate world, where, one might have thought, his first care would have been to build a house for himself, but he begins with an alter for God. He begins well, that begins with God. Though Noah's stock of cattle was small, and that saved at great care and pains, yet he did not grudge to serve God out of it. Serving God with our little is the way to make it more; we must never think that is wasted with which God…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20This first mention of an altar in the Bible shows how thankful Noah was for surviving the judgment. offered burnt offerings: The same wording is used for the whole burnt offering in Leviticus (Leviticus 1:3–9), but it can refer to any offering that is burned. Noah gave this offering to thank and worship God, who saved him and his family from the great flood.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Noah builded an altar--literally, "a high place"--probably a mound of earth, on which a sacrifice was offered. 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.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 8:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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