Genesis 7:1-6

1 Next God said to Noah, "Now board the ship, you and all your family - out of everyone in this generation, you're the righteous one.
2 "Take on board with you seven pairs of every clean animal, a male and a female; one pair of every unclean animal, a male and a female;
3 and seven pairs of every kind of bird, a male and a female, to insure their survival on Earth.
4 In just seven days I will dump rain on Earth for forty days and forty nights. I'll make a clean sweep of everything that I've made."
5 Noah did everything God commanded him.
6 Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters covered the Earth.

Genesis 7:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 7

This chapter begins with an order to Noah to come with his family and all the creatures into the ark, that they might be safe from the flood, which would quickly be upon the earth, Ge 7:1-4 and then gives an account of Noah's obedience to the divine command in every particular, Ge 7:5-9 and of the time of the beginning of the flood, and its prevalence, Ge 7:10-12 then follows a repetition of Noah, his family, and the creatures entering into the ark, Ge 7:13-16 and next a relation is given of the increase of the waters, and of the height they arrived unto, Ge 7:17-20 and of the consequences of the flood, the death and destruction of every living creature, except those in the ark, fowl, cattle, beast, creeping things, and men, Ge 7:21-23 and the chapter is closed with an account how long the waters continued before they began to ebb, even one hundred and fifty days, Ge 7:24.

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.