The Meaning of Genesis 8:20 Explained

Genesis 8:20

KJV: And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

YLT: And Noah buildeth an altar to Jehovah, and taketh of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and causeth burnt-offerings to ascend on the altar;

Darby: And Noah built an altar to Jehovah; and took of every clean animal, and of all clean fowl, and offered up burnt-offerings on the altar.

ASV: And Noah builded an altar unto Jehovah, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Noah  builded  an altar  unto the LORD;  and took  of every clean  beast,  and of every clean  fowl,  and offered  burnt offerings  on the altar. 

What does Genesis 8:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 8:1-22 - Noah Leaves The Ark
Traditions of the Flood are found in every country, from the tablets of Babylon to the rude carvings of the Aztecs, proving man's common origin. "God remembered Noah." He could not forget, because He had entered into covenant with him and his. Though the floods have been abroad on your life for long years, God has not forgotten you. Sooner might a woman forget her babe! Noah's window only looked upward. It had no outlook on the waters, therefore he sent forth the birds. Dove and raven issued from the same window, so the child of God and the wayward, willful child may issue from the same family; but the former cannot find satisfaction with what satisfies the other, but wings its flight back to God. See Psalms 116:7. Through God's grace Noah stepped out into the new world-the world of resurrection. His first act was the burned-offering of consecration, which was followed immediately by promise. See Romans 12:1-2. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 8

1  God remembers Noah and calms the waters
4  The ark rests on Ararat
6  Noah sends forth a raven and then a dove
13  Noah, being commanded, goes forth from the ark
20  He builds an altar, and offers sacrifices,
21  which God accepts, and promises to curse the earth no more

What do the individual words in Genesis 8:20 mean?

And built Noah an altar to Yahweh and he took of every animal clean and of every bird clean and he offered burnt offerings on the altar
וַיִּ֥בֶן נֹ֛חַ מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽיהוָ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֞ח מִכֹּ֣ל ׀ הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה וּמִכֹּל֙ הָע֣וֹף הַטָּהֹ֔ר וַיַּ֥עַל עֹלֹ֖ת בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ

וַיִּ֥בֶן  And  built 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
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.
מִזְבֵּ֖חַ  an  altar 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
לַֽיהוָ֑ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיִּקַּ֞ח  and  he  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
מִכֹּ֣ל ׀  of  every 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה  animal 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה  clean 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: טָהֹור  
Sense: pure, clean.
וּמִכֹּל֙  and  of  every 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָע֣וֹף  bird 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹוף  
Sense: flying creatures, fowl, insects, birds.
הַטָּהֹ֔ר  clean 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָהֹור  
Sense: pure, clean.
וַיַּ֥עַל  and  he  offered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עֹלֹ֖ת  burnt  offerings 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ  on  the  altar 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.