God’s Word Translation
Genesis 7:2
2Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal (a male and a female of each) and one pair of every kind of unclean animal (a male and a female).
Genesis 7:2 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate,
- New King James Version (NKJV)You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female;
Context of Genesis 7:2
1The Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ship with your whole family because I have seen that you alone are righteous among the people of today. Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal (a male and a female of each) and one pair of every kind of unclean animal (a male and a female). 3Also, take seven pairs of every kind of bird (a male and a female of each) to preserve animal life all over the earth after the flood. 4In seven days I will send rain to the earth for 40 days and 40 nights. I will wipe off the face of the earth every living creature that I have made.”
Read all of Genesis 7Genesis 7:2 word by word
מִכֹּ֣ל׀ הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה תִּֽקַּח־לְךָ֛ שִׁבְעָ֥ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֡ה אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹ֣א טְהֹרָ֥ה הִ֛וא שְׁנַ֖יִם אִ֥ישׁ וְאִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Of every cleanטָהוֹרţâhôr ţâhôr · pureH2889
- beastבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- thou shalt takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- to thee by sevensשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- the maleאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- and his femaleאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- not cleanהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
- by twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
Cross-references for Genesis 7:2
- Genesis 7:8Clean and unclean animals, birds, and creatures that crawl on the ground
- Genesis 6:19Bring two of every living creature into the ship in order to keep them alive with you. They must be male and female.
- Genesis 8:20Noah built an altar to the Lord. On it he made a burnt offering of each type of clean animal and clean bird.
- Leviticus 11:1The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron,
- Deuteronomy 14:1You are the children of the Lord your God. So when someone dies, don’t ⌞mourn⌟ by cutting yourselves or shaving bald spots on your head.
- Acts 10:11He saw the sky open and something like a large linen sheet being lowered by its four corners to the ground.
- Leviticus 10:10Teach them the difference between what is holy and what is unholy, what is clean and what is unclean.
- Ezekiel 44:23They must teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is unholy. They must show the people how to tell the difference between what is clean and what is unclean.
Commentaries on Genesis 7:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Of 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.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-9Verses 1-9 - The Ark Was Entered 2. טהור ṭâhôr “clean, fit for food or sacrifice.” 4. יקוּם yeqûm “standing thing; what grows up, whether animal or plant.” Compare קמה qāmâh “stalk, or standing corn.” Genesis 7:1-4 Here is found the command to enter the ark. The general direction in the preceding chapter was given many years ago, before the ark was commenced. Now, when it is completed, a more specific command is issued. “For thee have I seen…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2every kind of clean animal: There were animals meant to repopulate the earth. There were also these ceremonially clean animals for food and for Noah's sacrifice after the flood (8:20–21). This passage does not use the specific terms found in the rules about ceremonially clean and unclean animals given to Israel at Mount Sinai (see Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14:3–12). But the basic idea is the same. It could be that God explained it directly to Noah.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-32-3. Of every clean beast ... fowls--Pairs of every species of animals, except the tenants of the deep, were to be taken for the preservation of their respective kinds. This was the general rule of admission, only with regard to those animals which are styled "clean," three pairs were to be taken, whether of beasts or birds; and the reason was that their rapid multiplication was a matter of the highest importance, when the earth should be renovated, for…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 7:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 7
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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