Genesis 7:22

22 Of all that was on dry land, everything that had the breath of life in its nostrils 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 rose and covered the mountaintops to a depth of fifteen cubits.

21 And every living thing that moved upon the earth perished—birds, livestock, animals, every creature that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind.

22 Of all that was on dry land, everything that had the breath of life in its nostrils died.

23 And every living thing on the face of the earth was destroyed—man and livestock, crawling creatures and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth, and only Noah and those with him in the ark remained.

24 And the waters prevailed upon the earth for 150 days.