Genesis 7:23

23 And blotted out every offspring which was upon the face of the earth, both man and beast, and reptiles, and birds of the sky, and they were blotted out from the earth, and Noe was left alone, and those with him in the ark.

Genesis 7:23 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 7:23

And every living substance was destroyed which was upon
the face of the ground
Not everything, particularly trees; for after the flood was abated there was an olive tree, a leaf of which was brought to Noah by the dove, ( Genesis 8:11 ) but all animals,

both men and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the
heaven, and they were destroyed from the earth;
this is repeated, partly for explanation of the preceding clause, and partly for confirmation of this general destruction, which might seem almost incredible; there never was such a destruction of creatures before, or since, nor never will be till the general conflagration; and is a proof of the sovereignty of God, his almighty power, the purity and holiness of his nature, and the strictness and severity of his justice, and shows what a fearful thing it is to fail into his hands:

and Noah only remained [alive], and they that [were] with him in
the ark;
besides those, of the millions of mankind that were upon the earth, not one was left, the flood came and destroyed them all, ( Luke 17:27 ) the fable some Jewish writers relate of Og being found alive, and which they gather from ( Deuteronomy 3:11 ) by sitting upon a piece of wood of one of the ladders of the ark, to whom Noah reached out food every day, and so he remained alive ^F17, deserves no regard; though perhaps from hence arose the Grecian fable of the flood of Ogyges, which seems to be the same with this of Noah.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Pirke Eliezer, c. 23. fol. 23. 1, 2.

Genesis 7:23 In-Context

21 And there died all flesh that moved upon the earth, of flying creatures and cattle, and of wild beasts, and every reptile moving upon the earth, and every man.

22 And all things which have the breath of life, and whatever was on the dry land, died.

23 And blotted out every offspring which was upon the face of the earth, both man and beast, and reptiles, and birds of the sky, and they were blotted out from the earth, and Noe was left alone, and those with him in the ark.

24 And the water was raised over the earth an hundred and fifty days.