Genesis 6:19

19 Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the teivah, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.

Genesis 6:19 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 6:19

And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort
shalt thou bring into the ark
That is, of fowls, cattle, and creeping things, as after explained; and two of each sort at least were to be brought, as Jarchi observes, and not fewer; though of the clean sort there were to be more, even seven, as after directed; and these were to be brought, that they might preserve their species, as it follows: to keep [them] alive with thee;
to be fed and nourished by him in the ark, while others perished by the flood, that so they might propagate their own species, and be continued, for which reason it is further ordered: they shall be male and female;
not any two, but one male and one female, for the end before mentioned.

Genesis 6:19 In-Context

17 I, even, I do bring the flood of waters on this eretz, to destroy all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky. Everything that is in the eretz will die.

18 But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come into the teivah, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you.

19 Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the teivah, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.

20 Of the birds after their kind, of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come to you, to keep them alive.

21 Take with you of all food that is eaten, and gather it to you; and it will be for food for you, and for them.