Genesis 7: Noah's Ark, Animals, and the Flood

Genesis 7: Noah's Ark, Animals on the Ark, and the Flood

Noah's Ark and the Flood

The story of Noah's Ark is one of the most well-known narratives in the Bible. It is found in the book of Genesis and tells the tale of how God instructed Noah to build an ark and save two of each animal from the great flood that was about to destroy the world. The ark would act as a refuge for the animals and Noah and his family, while God cleansed the earth.

The Command to Noah

Noah received God's warning of the impending flood and was given specific directions for building the ark. The ark was to be big enough to hold one male and one female from every kind of animal and creature. This is why many illustrations depict the animals coming two by two. When it started raining, Noah brought his wife and his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives onto the ark. It rained for forty days and forty nights.

Animals on the Ark

Noah was instructed to take seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate. Additionally, he was to take seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female. The Hebrew phrase translated as "seven pairs" literally means "seven sevens," which leaves some question as to whether Noah took seven specimens of each "clean" species or seven pairs. However, he was told to take more clean animals than unclean on the ark. Only the unclean animals came in pairs.

The Flood

The flood began, and the fountains of the deep broke open, and the windows of heaven were opened. Rain poured for forty days and forty nights. The waters rose until every high hill on the earth was covered. Everything that lived on land perished in the raging floodwaters.

Forty Days and Forty Nights

The Flood lasted for one hundred and fifty days. It ended when the waters receded, and the Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.

God's Covenant with Noah

God saw how wicked the people had become and decided to destroy them, along with the animals, birds, and creeping things. However, Noah found favor with God, who promised to establish a covenant with him. God commanded Noah to build an ark of gopherwood, with room for his family and a variety of animals. God also instructed Noah to take two of every kind of animal and bird to keep them alive after the flood.

After the Flood

After the flood, God told Noah to come out of the ark with his family and the animals. Noah built an altar and offered burnt offerings to the Lord. God promised never again to curse the ground because of man or send a flood to destroy all living things. God blessed Noah and his family, telling them to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.