Genesis 7:23

23 Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, cattle, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the eretz. Only Noach was left, and those who were with him in the teivah.

Genesis 7:23 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 7:23

And every living substance was destroyed which was upon
the face of the ground
Not everything, particularly trees; for after the flood was abated there was an olive tree, a leaf of which was brought to Noah by the dove, ( Genesis 8:11 ) but all animals,

both men and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the
heaven, and they were destroyed from the earth;
this is repeated, partly for explanation of the preceding clause, and partly for confirmation of this general destruction, which might seem almost incredible; there never was such a destruction of creatures before, or since, nor never will be till the general conflagration; and is a proof of the sovereignty of God, his almighty power, the purity and holiness of his nature, and the strictness and severity of his justice, and shows what a fearful thing it is to fail into his hands:

and Noah only remained [alive], and they that [were] with him in
the ark;
besides those, of the millions of mankind that were upon the earth, not one was left, the flood came and destroyed them all, ( Luke 17:27 ) the fable some Jewish writers relate of Og being found alive, and which they gather from ( Deuteronomy 3:11 ) by sitting upon a piece of wood of one of the ladders of the ark, to whom Noah reached out food every day, and so he remained alive F17, deserves no regard; though perhaps from hence arose the Grecian fable of the flood of Ogyges, which seems to be the same with this of Noah.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 Pirke Eliezer, c. 23. fol. 23. 1, 2.

Genesis 7:23 In-Context

21 All flesh died that moved on the eretz, including birds, cattle, animals, every creeping thing that creeps on the eretz, and every man.
22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, of all that was on the dry land, died.
23 Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, cattle, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the eretz. Only Noach was left, and those who were with him in the teivah.
24 The waters prevailed on the eretz one hundred fifty days.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.