Genesis 6:19

19 And of every living thing, from all flesh, you must bring two from every [kind] into the ark to keep [them] alive with you; 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 I, behold, I [am] about to bring the flood waters over the earth to destroy all flesh in which [is] the breath of life from under the heaven; everything that [is] on the earth shall perish.

18 And I will establish my covenant with you, and you must go into the ark--you, and your sons, and your wife, and the wives of your sons with you.

19 And of every living thing, from all flesh, you must bring two from every [kind] into the ark to keep [them] alive with you; they shall be male and female.

20 From the birds according to their kind, and from the animals according to their kind, from every creeping thing [on] the ground according to its kind--two from every kind shall come to you to keep [them] alive.

21 And [as for] you, take for yourself from every kind of food that is eaten. And you must gather [it] to yourself. And it shall be for you and for them for food."