Genesis 7:13-23

13 That same day Noah, with his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Noah's wife, and his sons' three wives, went into the ark.

14 They and every kind of animal—every kind of livestock, every kind that crawls on the ground, every kind of bird—

15 they came to Noah and entered the ark, two of every creature that breathes.

16 Male and female of every creature went in, just as God had commanded him. Then the LORD closed the door behind them.

17 The flood remained on the earth for forty days. The waters rose, lifted the ark, and it rode high above the earth.

18 The waters rose and spread out over the earth. The ark floated on the surface of the waters.

19 The waters rose even higher over the earth; they covered all of the highest mountains under the sky.

20 The waters rose twenty-three feet high, covering the mountains.

21 Every creature took its last breath: the things crawling on the ground, birds, livestock, wild animals, everything swarming on the ground, and every human being.

22 Everything on dry land with life's breath in its nostrils died.

23 God wiped away every living thing that was on the fertile land—from human beings to livestock to crawling things to birds in the sky. They were wiped off the earth. Only Noah and those with him in the ark were left.

Genesis 7:13-23 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. LXX; MT every bird, every winged thing
• [b]. Heb lacks the door.