Genesis 7:3

3 also of the birds of the sky, by sevens, male and female, to keep offspring alive on the face of all 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 the LORD said to Noah, "Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time.

2 "You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female;

3 also of the birds of the sky, by sevens, male and female, to keep offspring alive on the face of all the earth.

4 "For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every living thing that I have made."

5 Noah did according to all that the LORD had commanded him.

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "heavens"
• [b] Lit "seven seven"
• [c] Lit "seed"