Genesis 7:16

16 And those that entered, entered male and female of each flesh, as God commanded to him. And the Lord closed him from withoutforth. (And they that entered, entered male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded to him. And the Lord enclosed him from outside.)

Genesis 7:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 7:16

And they that went in, went in male and female of all
flesh
These pairs were not two males or two females, but one male and one female; so they were coupled for the propagation of their species, which was the end of their entering into the ark, and being preserved: as God had commanded him:
Noah, who took care, as they entered, that there were so many of a sort as was enjoined, and these were male and female: and the Lord shut him in;
or shut the door after him ^F12, he being the last that entered; and which he could not so well shut himself, at least so close, as was done by the Lord, or by the angels; and this was done to keep out the waters, and all within in safety; and to shut out others, and preserve Noah from the rage of wicked men, as well as the violence of the waters: some ^F13 have thought that not so much the door of the ark is meant, as the way to it, the pensile bridge which was necessary for the creatures to enter the ark; which being carried away by the force of the waters near the ark, that not being joined to it, precluded all access of the scoffers, whose scoffs were soon turned to lamentation and howling.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 (wdeb) "post ipsum", Vatablus, Tigurine version, Cocceius, Schmidt. "Pone eum", Piscator.
F13 Scheuchzer. Physica Sacra, vol. 1. p. 45.

Genesis 7:16 In-Context

14 They entered, and each beast by his kind, and all work beasts in their kind, and each beast which is moved on [the] earth in his kind, and each volatile by his kind; all birds and all volatiles, (They entered, and each beast after its kind, and all the work beasts after their kind, and each beast which creepeth on the earth after its kind, and each bird after its kind, yea, all the kinds of birds,)

15 entered to Noe into the ship, by twain and by twain of each flesh in which the spirit of life was. (entered into the ship with Noah, two by two of all flesh in which was the spirit of life.)

16 And those that entered, entered male and female of each flesh, as God commanded to him. And the Lord closed him from withoutforth. (And they that entered, entered male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded to him. And the Lord enclosed him from outside.)

17 And the great flood was made (for) forty days and forty nights on [the] earth, and the waters were multiplied, and raised (up) the ship on high from the earth.

18 The waters flowed greatly, and filled all things in the face of the earth (And the waters greatly flowed, and filled up all the things that were on the face of the earth). Forsooth the ship was borne on the waters.