Genesis 7:2 says that God told Noah to take clean animals into the Ark "seven by seven." Does this mean Noah took fourteen of each clean animal into the boat?
In Genesis 7, God instructed Noah to take onboard the ark certain animals in order to save them from the Flood. Concerning clean animals, He said:
Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee seven and seven, the male and his female; and of the beasts that are not clean two, the male and his female (7:2).
Through the years, serious Bible students have wondered: How many clean animals did Noah take into the ark"seven, or fourteen? Generally, there are two opposing views on the precise number of each kind of animal involved. One view is expressed by the following statement from John T. Willis:
It is impossible to determine certainly whether the Hebrew phrase, shibb"ah shibbah means "by sevens" (KJV), that is, seven animals of all clean species, or "seven and seven" (ASV) or seven pairs (RSV, NEB), that is fourteen animals of all clean species.... There can be no certainty on this point (1979, p. 171).
However, others have been more decisive on the matter, suggesting real purpose and reason to the interpretation that there were only seven of every clean kind on the ark. Animal sacrifice to God was practiced during the Patriarchal Age, and it is apparent that the faithful could distinguish between the clean and unclean. Thus, it is suggested that when Noah left the ark and offered a sacrifice to God "of every clean animal" (Genesis 8:20), three pairs were left for domestication by man so that he would have food and clothing. The pattern, as Matthew Henry noted, then follows that of the working week and Sabbath day, in that "God gives us six for one in earthly things, as in the days of the week," while the seventh is for devotion to God (n.d., p. 61).
On the actual exegesis of the passage, H.C. Leupold, in his Exposition of Genesis, argued:
The Hebrew expression "take seven seven" means "seven each" [here he refers to Koenig"s syntax and Gesenius" Grammatik"BT/TM]. Hebrew parallels support this explanation. In any case, it would be a most clumsy method of trying to say "fourteen" (1990, 1:290).
While it is difficult to speak dogmatically on this issue, it is clear that the opinion of many conservative scholars weighs heavily in favor of the interpretation that there were seven clean, and two unclean, of every animal kind on Noah"s ark.
REFERENCES
Henry, Matthew (no date), Genesis to Deuteronomy (MacLean, VA: MacDonald).
Leupold, H.C. (1990 reprint), Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker), reprint of 1942 Wartsburg Press edition.
Willis, John T. (1979), "Genesis," The Living Word Commentary (Austin, TX: Sweet).
What is really surprising if you don't know the answer is: Where did Noah get the meat to feed the lions, tigers, etc., on the ark?
What is even more surprising is how did he get millions of animals on to his boat?, how did he got them there from far-flung places like the Western Hemisphere and Australia? and how they got back there when the boat came to rest on dry ground in the Middle East?
What is even more surprising is how did he get millions of animals on to his boat?, how did he got them there from far-flung places like the Western Hemisphere and Australia? and how they got back there when the boat came to rest on dry ground in the Middle East?
Cool ain't it. How bout parting the red sea or any of the other things He has done. Just goes to show the power He has!!!!!
how did he get millions of animals on to his boat?
Where do you get millions? MOST of the known animals today live in the water. No where near that number of animals were needed. There was plenty of room for food and so forth as well. More than likely, God provided young and smaller animals to come to Adam for placement on the Ark and many likely went into a hibernation like state. God KNEW exactly what was needed, gave detailed instructions on how to build it and provided for every need.
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There was plenty of room for food and so forth as well. More than likely, God provided young and smaller animals to come to Adam for placement on the Ark
LOL Dave . .Now I know that you know better than that. I mostly agree with ya tho.
__________________ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
There were no meat-eating animals on the ark because every person and animal who lived before the Flood was a vegetarian!
"Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-- everything that has the breath of life in it-- I give every green plant for food." And it was so." (Genesis 1:29-30)
[After the Flood] "Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything."" (Genesis 9:1-3)
After the Second Coming, when Jesus will reign on earth for 1000 years, animals will once again be vegetarian and there will be no more predators or poisonous creatures:
"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest." (Isaiah 11:6-8)
__________________ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
There was plenty of room for food and so forth as well. More than likely, God provided young and smaller animals to come to Adam for placement on the Ark
LOL Dave . .Now I know that you know better than that. I mostly agree with ya tho.
I stand corrected! LOL! Obviously I meant Noah. It's kinda like the old trick question, "How many of each kind did MOSES take on the Ark with him?" Caught a lot of friends with that one!
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How many clean animals on the Ark?????
