Genesis 6:19

19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.

Genesis 6:19 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 6:19

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 In-Context

17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, in which is the spirit of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

18 But with thee I will establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou and thy sons and thy wife and thy sons’ wives with thee.

19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.

20 Of fowls after their kind and of beasts after their kind, of every animal of the earth after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.

21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee and for them.