The Meaning of Genesis 7:9 Explained

Genesis 7:9

KJV: There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.

YLT: two by two they have come in unto Noah, unto the ark, a male and a female, as God hath commanded Noah.

Darby: there came two and two unto Noah into the ark, male and female, as God had commanded Noah.

ASV: there went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, male and female, as God commanded Noah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

There went in  two  and two  unto Noah  into the ark,  the male  and the female,  as  God  had commanded  Noah. 

What does Genesis 7:9 Mean?

Study Notes

two of every sort
Cf. Genesis 7:2 . In addition to two animals, etc., commanded ( Genesis 6:19 ) to be preserved for future increase ("they shall be male and female"), the further command was given more than 100 years later to take of clean beasts, i.e. beasts acceptable for sacrifice, seven each. Exodus gives ten such beasts, or but seventy in all. Modern ships carry hundreds of live beasts, with their food, besides scores of human beings.

Context Summary

Genesis 7:1-24 - The Great Flood
What anguish! They climbed the highest story of their towers, then to the hills, but the greedy waters followed them, till the last crag was covered, and all living things in the first homes of human life had perished. Equally sudden and unexpected shall be the days of the Son of Man. See Luke 17:26; 2 Peter 3:7. But what drowns other men only lifts the child of God nearer his home. The waters bear up the ark. When the loftiest refuges of lies and pride are submerged, and the whole landscape is covered with a monotonous waste of trouble, God says to the soul, "Come into the ark." It is as though He is inside and wants us to enter into close fellowship with Himself. See Psalms 27:5. When God shuts the door behind us, no power can force, no skeleton key can unlock, and no wedge can pry the door. For the extent of the Deluge it is appropriate to consider Luke 2:1-3. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 7

1  Noah, his family and the living creatures enter the ark
6  The flood begins
17  The increase of the flood for forty days
21  All flesh is destroyed by it
24  Its duration of 150 days

What do the individual words in Genesis 7:9 mean?

two [by] two they went to Noah into the ark male and female as had commanded God - Noah
שְׁנַ֨יִם שְׁנַ֜יִם בָּ֧אוּ אֶל־ נֹ֛חַ אֶל־ הַתֵּבָ֖ה זָכָ֣ר וּנְקֵבָ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־ נֹֽחַ

שְׁנַ֨יִם  two 
Parse: Number, md
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
שְׁנַ֜יִם  [by]  two 
Parse: Number, md
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
בָּ֧אוּ  they  went 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
נֹ֛חַ  Noah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נׄחַ  
Sense: son of Lamech, father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth; builder of the ark which saved his family from the destruction of the world which God sent on the world by the flood; became the new seminal head of the human race because his family were the only survivors of the flood.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַתֵּבָ֖ה  the  ark 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֵּבָה  
Sense: ark.
זָכָ֣ר  male 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָכָר  
Sense: male (of humans and animals) adj.
וּנְקֵבָ֑ה  and  female 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נְקֵבָה  
Sense: female.
צִוָּ֥ה  had  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
נֹֽחַ  Noah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נׄחַ  
Sense: son of Lamech, father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth; builder of the ark which saved his family from the destruction of the world which God sent on the world by the flood; became the new seminal head of the human race because his family were the only survivors of the flood.