Genesis 7:3

3 as well as from the birds of heaven {seven pairs}, male and female, {to keep their kind alive} on the face of the earth.

Genesis 7:3 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 7:3

Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and his
female
That is, of such as were clean; seven couple of these were to be brought into the ark, for the like use as of the clean beasts, and those under the law; and so at this time, and here meant were turtledoves, and young pigeons that were for sacrifice; and the rest were for food: and the design of bringing both into the ark was, to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth;
that the species of creatures might be continued, both of beasts and birds, clean and unclean.

Genesis 7:3 In-Context

1 Then Yahweh said to Noah, "Go--you and all your household--into the ark, for I have seen you [are] righteous before me in this generation.

2 From all the clean animals you must take for yourself {seven pairs}, a male and its mate. And from the animals that [are] not clean [you must take] two, a male and its mate,

3 as well as from the birds of heaven {seven pairs}, male and female, {to keep their kind alive} on the face of the earth.

4 For {within seven days} I will send rain upon the earth [for] forty days and forty nights. And I will blot out all the living creatures that I have made from upon the face of the ground."

5 And Noah did according to all that Yahweh commanded him.

Footnotes

• [a] Or "the sky"
• [b] Literally "seven, seven"
• [c] Literally "to keep seed alive"