Tree of Life Version
Genesis 8:20
20Then Noah built an altar to Adonai and he took of every clean domestic animal and of every clean flying creature and 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, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives. 19Every animal—every crawling creature, every flying creature, everything that crawls upon the land—came out from the ark in their families. Then Noah built an altar to Adonai and he took of every clean domestic animal and of every clean flying creature and he offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21When Adonai smelled the soothing aroma, Adonai said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, even though the inclination of the heart of humankind is evil from youth. Nor will I ever again smite all living creatures, as I have done. 22While all the days of the land remain, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will not 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Noahנֹחַnôach · NoahH5146
- buildedבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- an altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- of every cleanטָהוֹרţâhôr ţâhôr · pureH2889
- beastבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- fowlעוֹף‛ôph · birdH5775
- and offeredעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
- burnt offeringsעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
Cross-references for Genesis 8:20
- Genesis 4:4while Abel—he also brought of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. Now Adonai looked favorably upon Abel and his offering,
- Genesis 12:7Then Adonai appeared to Abram, and said, “I will give this land to your seed.” So there he built an altar to Adonai, who had appeared to him.
- Genesis 13:4to the place of the altar that he had made there at first, and there Abram called on the Name of Adonai.
- Genesis 22:9Then they came to the place about which God had told him, and Abraham built the altar there, laid out the wood, bound up Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
- Genesis 26:25So he built an altar there and called on the Name of Adonai. He pitched his tent there and Isaac’s servants hollowed out a well there.
- Genesis 33:20There he set up an altar, and he called it, El is Israel’s God.
- Genesis 35:1Then God said to Jacob, “Get up! Go up to Beth-El and stay there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”
- Exodus 20:24You are to make an altar of earth for Me, and there you will sacrifice your burnt offerings, your fellowship offerings—your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you.
- Exodus 24:4So Moses wrote down all the words of Adonai, then rose up early in the morning, and built an altar below the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Romans 12:1I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy, acceptable to God—which is your spiritual service.
- Hebrews 13:10We have an altar from which those serving in the tabernacle have no right to eat.
- 1 Peter 2:5you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house—a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Messiah Yeshua.
- Genesis 7:2Of every clean animal you shall take with you seven of each kind, male and female; and of the animals which themselves are not clean two, male and female;
- Leviticus 11:1Adonai spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them,
- Leviticus 1:1Now Adonai called to Moses and spoke to him out of 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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