And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every
sort
shalt thou bring into the ark
That is, of fowls, cattle, and creeping things, as after
explained; and two of each sort at least were to be brought, as
Jarchi observes, and not fewer; though of the clean sort there
were to be more, even seven, as after directed; and these were to
be brought, that they might preserve their species, as it
follows: to keep [them] alive with thee;
to be fed and nourished by him in the ark, while others perished
by the flood, that so they might propagate their own species, and
be continued, for which reason it is further ordered: they
shall be male and female;
not any two, but one male and one female, for the end before
mentioned.
Genesis 6:19
