Genesis 7:16

16 The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in.

Genesis 7:16 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.
English Standard Version (ESV)
16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the LORD shut him in.
New Living Translation (NLT)
16 A male and female of each kind entered, just as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD closed the door behind them.
The Message Bible (MSG)
16 male and female of every creature came just as God had commanded Noah. Then God shut the door behind him.
American Standard Version (ASV)
16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded him: and Jehovah shut him in.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
16 A male and a female of every animal went in as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD closed the door behind them.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
16 Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered just as God had commanded him. Then the Lord shut him in.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
16 The animals going in were male and female of every living thing. Everything happened exactly as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in.

Genesis 7:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 7:16

And they that went in, went in male and female of all
flesh
These pairs were not two males or two females, but one male and one female; so they were coupled for the propagation of their species, which was the end of their entering into the ark, and being preserved: as God had commanded him:
Noah, who took care, as they entered, that there were so many of a sort as was enjoined, and these were male and female: and the Lord shut him in;
or shut the door after him F12, he being the last that entered; and which he could not so well shut himself, at least so close, as was done by the Lord, or by the angels; and this was done to keep out the waters, and all within in safety; and to shut out others, and preserve Noah from the rage of wicked men, as well as the violence of the waters: some F13 have thought that not so much the door of the ark is meant, as the way to it, the pensile bridge which was necessary for the creatures to enter the ark; which being carried away by the force of the waters near the ark, that not being joined to it, precluded all access of the scoffers, whose scoffs were soon turned to lamentation and howling.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 (wdeb) "post ipsum", Vatablus, Tigurine version, Cocceius, Schmidt. "Pone eum", Piscator.
F13 Scheuchzer. Physica Sacra, vol. 1. p. 45.

Genesis 7:16 In-Context

14 They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings.
15 Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark.
16 The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in.
17 For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth.
18 The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water.

Cross References 1

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