Genesis 7:22

22 Everything in whose nostrils [was] {the breath of life}, among all that [was] on dry land, died.

Genesis 7:22 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 7:22

All in whose nostrils [was] the breath of life
Whether of fowls, beast, cattle, or creeping things:

of all that was in the dry land, died;
by which description fishes were excepted, since they breathe not, having no lungs, and are not on the dry land, where they cannot live, but in the waters. Some pretend it to be the opinion of some Jewish writers, that the fishes did die, the waters being made hot, and scalded them; but this fable I have not met with.

Genesis 7:22 In-Context

20 {The waters swelled fifteen cubits above the mountains, covering them}.

21 And every living thing that moved on the earth perished--the birds, and the domesticated animals, and the wild animals, and everything that swarmed on the earth, and all humankind.

22 Everything in whose nostrils [was] {the breath of life}, among all that [was] on dry land, died.

23 And he blotted out every living thing upon the surface of the ground, from humankind, to animals, to creeping things, and to the birds of heaven; they were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah and those who [were] with him in the ark remained.

24 And the waters prevailed over the earth one hundred and fifty days.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "a breath of spirit of life"