Bible/Genesis/7

Genesis 7:2

7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
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. by sevens: Heb. seven seven

KJV

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You shall take seven pairs of every clean animal with you, the male and his female. Of the animals that are not clean, take two, the male and his female.

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.

Of every clean beast you shall take to you by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.

7:3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. by sevens: Heb. seven seven

What does Genesis 7:2 mean?

Genesis 7:2 is a verse in the book of Genesis, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include טָהוֹר (ṭâhôwr), בְּהֵמָה (bᵉhêmâh), לָקַח (lâqach). It connects to 8 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

Full chapter interlinear →
Of
every
cleanטָהוֹרṭâhôwr/taw-hore'/H2889pure (in a physical, chemical, ceremonial or moral sense)
beastבְּהֵמָהbᵉhêmâh/be-hay-maw'/H929properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)
thou
shalt
takeלָקַחlâqach/law-kakh'/H3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)
to
thee
by
sevens,שֶׁבַעshebaʻ/sheh'-bah/H7651seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number
the
maleאִישׁʼîysh/eesh/H376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
and
his
female:אִשָּׁהʼishshâh/ish-shaw'/H802a woman
and
of
beastsבְּהֵמָהbᵉhêmâh/be-hay-maw'/H929properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)
that
are
not
cleanטָהוֹרṭâhôwr/taw-hore'/H2889pure (in a physical, chemical, ceremonial or moral sense)
by
two,שְׁנַיִםshᵉnayim/shen-ah'-yim/H8147two; also (as ordinal) twofold
the
maleאִישׁʼîysh/eesh/H376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
and
his
female.אִשָּׁהʼishshâh/ish-shaw'/H802a woman
by
sevens:
Heb.
seven
seven

Commentary on Genesis 7:2

HENRY_FULL · Genesis 7:2
> In this chapter we have the performance of what was foretold in the foregoing chapter, both concerning the destruction of the old world and the salvation of Noah; for we may be sure that no word of God shall fall to the ground. There we left Noah busy about his ark, and full of care to get it finished in time, while the rest of his neighbours were laughing at him for his pains. Now here we see what was the end thereof, the end of his care and of their carelessness. And this famous period of the old world gives us some idea of the state of things when the world that now is shall be destroyed by fire, as that was by water. See 2 Pet. iii. 6, 7 . We have, in this chapter, I. God's gracious call to Noah to come into the ark ( ver. 1 ), and to bring the creatures that were to be preserved alive along with him ( ver. 2, 3 ), in consideration of the deluge at hand, ver. 4 . II. Noah's obedience to this heavenly vision, ver. 5 . When he was six hundred years old, he came with his family into the ark ( ver. 6, 7 ), and brought the creatures along with him ( ver. 8, 9 ), an account of which is repeated ( ver. 13-16 ), to which is added God's tender care to shut him in. III. The coming of the threatened deluge ( ver. 10 ); the causes of it ( ver. 11, 12 ): the prevalency of it, ver. 17-20 . IV. The dreadful desolations that were made by it in the death of every living creature upon earth, except those that were in the ark, ver. 21-23 . V. The continuance of it in full sea, before it began to ebb, one hundred and fifty days, ver. 24 . Noah Invited into the Ark. ( b. c. 2349.)

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 6:19

And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.

Genesis 7:8

Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,

Genesis 8:20

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.

Leviticus 10:10

And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

Leviticus 11:1

And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,

Deuteronomy 14:1

Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.

Ezekiel 44:23

And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.

Acts 10:11

And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

Topics

Animals

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Genesis 7:2.

Genesis 2:23

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Woman: Heb. Isha Man: Heb. Ish

Genesis 3:6

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. pleasant: Heb. a desire

Genesis 4:19

And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

Genesis 8:20

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.

Genesis 11:29

And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

Genesis 11:31

And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

Genesis 12:15

The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

Genesis 12:19

Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.

Frequently asked questions

What does Genesis 7:2 say?

Genesis 7:2 (King James Version) reads: "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. by sevens: Heb. seven seven"

Is Genesis 7:2 in the Old or New Testament?

Genesis 7:2 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Genesis.

Who wrote the book of Genesis?

The book of Genesis is traditionally attributed to Moses.

Reflect

As you read Genesis 7:2, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

Plan a sermon or study on Genesis 7:2
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