Genesis 6:20
Genesis 6:20 in Multiple Translations
Two of every kind of bird and animal and crawling creature will come to you to be kept alive.
Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.
Of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.
Two of every sort of bird and cattle and of every sort of living thing which goes on the earth will you take with you to keep them from destruction.
The same applies to every kind of bird, livestock, and the creatures that run along the ground—a pair of every kind will come to you so they can be kept alive.
Of the foules, after their kinde, and of the cattell after their kind, of euery creeping thing of the earth after his kinde, two of euery sort shall come vnto thee, that thou mayest keepe them aliue.
Of the fowl after its kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every [sort] they come in unto thee, to keep alive.
Of the birds after their kind, of the livestock after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort will come to you, to keep them alive.
Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping animal of the earth after its kind, two of every sort shall come to thee, to keep them alive.
Of fowls according to their kind, and of beasts in their kind, and of every thing that creepeth on the earth according to its kind; two of every sort shall go in with thee, that they may live.
Two of every kind of creature will come to youin order that by your putting them in the boat you will keep them alive. They will include two of each kind of bird and each kind of animal and each kind of creature that scurries across the ground.
And you have to do the same thing for all those different sorts of birds. Get one male and one female of all of those birds. And you have to do the same thing for all those animals that crawl around on the ground. You have to get one male and one female of all those animals too. I will get 2 of every sort of animal to come to you, so you can keep them alive.
Berean Amplified Bible — Genesis 6:20
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Genesis 6:20 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
מֵ/הָ/ע֣וֹף
לְ/מִינֵ֗/הוּ
וּ/מִן
הַ/בְּהֵמָה֙
לְ/מִינָ֔/הּ
מִ/כֹּ֛ל
רֶ֥מֶשׂ
הָֽ/אֲדָמָ֖ה
לְ/מִינֵ֑/הוּ
שְׁנַ֧יִם
מִ/כֹּ֛ל
יָבֹ֥אוּ
אֵלֶ֖י/ךָ
לְ/הַֽחֲיֽוֹת
מֵ/הָ/ע֣וֹף
ʻôwph
H5775
bird
Prep | Art | N-ms
לְ/מִינֵ֗/הוּ
mîyn
H4327
kind
Prep | N-ms | Suff
וּ/מִן
min
H4480
from
Conj | Prep
הַ/בְּהֵמָה֙
bᵉhêmâh
H929
animal
Art | N-fs
לְ/מִינָ֔/הּ
mîyn
H4327
kind
Prep | N-ms | Suff
מִ/כֹּ֛ל
kôl
H3605
all
Prep | N-ms
רֶ֥מֶשׂ
remes
H7431
creeping
N-ms
הָֽ/אֲדָמָ֖ה
ʼădâmâh
H127
land
Art | N-fs
לְ/מִינֵ֑/הוּ
mîyn
H4327
kind
Prep | N-ms | Suff
שְׁנַ֧יִם
shᵉnayim
H8147
two
Adj
מִ/כֹּ֛ל
kôl
H3605
all
Prep | N-ms
יָבֹ֥אוּ
bôwʼ
H935
Lebo
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
אֵלֶ֖י/ךָ
ʼêl
H413
to(wards)
Prep | Suff
לְ/הַֽחֲיֽוֹת
châyâh
H2421
to live
Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Genesis 6:20
מֵ/הָ/ע֣וֹף
ʻôwph
H5775
"bird"
Prep | Art | N-ms
In the Bible, this word simply means a bird, like the ones that fly in the sky. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Psalms, often symbolizing freedom.
Definition: 1) flying creatures, fowl, insects, birds 1a) fowl, birds 1b) winged insects Aramaic equivalent: oph (עוֹף "bird" H5776)
Usage: Occurs in 70 OT verses. KJV: bird, that flieth, flying, fowl. See also: Genesis 1:20; 1 Samuel 17:46; Psalms 50:11.
לְ/מִינֵ֗/הוּ
mîyn
H4327
"kind"
Prep | N-ms | Suff
The Hebrew word min means kind or species, often referring to animals. It is used to describe different types of creatures in the Bible. Min is sometimes translated as kind in the KJV.
Definition: kind, sometimes a species (usually of animals)
Usage: Occurs in 18 OT verses. KJV: kind. Compare H4480 (מִן). See also: Genesis 1:11; Leviticus 11:16; Ezekiel 47:10.
וּ/מִן
min
H4480
"from"
Conj | Prep
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Definition: prep 1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than 1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of 1b) out of 1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling) 1b2) (of material from which something is made) 1b3) (of source or origin) 1c) out of, some of, from (partitively) 1d) from, since, after (of time) 1e) than, more than (in comparison) 1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or 1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons) 1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive) conj 2) that Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)
Usage: Occurs in 1094 OT verses. KJV: above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with. See also: Genesis 2:6; Exodus 16:32; Leviticus 14:26.
הַ/בְּהֵמָה֙
bᵉhêmâh
H929
"animal"
Art | N-fs
This word refers to animals, especially large quadruped mammals. It's used in the Bible to describe livestock, wild beasts, and other creatures. It appears in stories of creation, farming, and wildlife.
Definition: 1) beast, cattle, animal 1a) beasts (coll of all animals) 1b) cattle, livestock (of domestic animals) 1c) wild beasts
Usage: Occurs in 172 OT verses. KJV: beast, cattle. See also: Genesis 1:24; Deuteronomy 28:11; Psalms 8:8.
לְ/מִינָ֔/הּ
mîyn
H4327
"kind"
Prep | N-ms | Suff
The Hebrew word min means kind or species, often referring to animals. It is used to describe different types of creatures in the Bible. Min is sometimes translated as kind in the KJV.
Definition: kind, sometimes a species (usually of animals)
Usage: Occurs in 18 OT verses. KJV: kind. Compare H4480 (מִן). See also: Genesis 1:11; Leviticus 11:16; Ezekiel 47:10.
מִ/כֹּ֛ל
kôl
H3605
"all"
Prep | N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
רֶ֥מֶשׂ
remes
H7431
"creeping"
N-ms
This Hebrew word refers to small moving animals like reptiles. It appears in the Bible to describe creatures that creep or crawl on the ground. In the book of Genesis, God creates these animals to inhabit the earth.
Definition: 1) creeping things, moving things, creeping organism 1a) creeping things 1b) gliding things (of sea animals) 1c) moving things (of all animals)
Usage: Occurs in 17 OT verses. KJV: that creepeth, creeping (moving) thing. See also: Genesis 1:24; Genesis 8:19; Psalms 104:25.
הָֽ/אֲדָמָ֖ה
ʼădâmâh
H127
"land"
Art | N-fs
This Hebrew word refers to the earth or soil, often describing the ground as a source of sustenance. It is used to describe the physical earth, a plot of land, or even a whole country. The KJV translates it as 'country', 'earth', or 'land'.
Definition: : soil 1) ground, land 1a) ground (as general, tilled, yielding sustenance) 1b) piece of ground, a specific plot of land 1c) earth substance (for building or constructing) 1d) ground as earth's visible surface 1e) land, territory, country 1f) whole inhabited earth 1g) city in Naphtali
Usage: Occurs in 211 OT verses. KJV: country, earth, ground, husband(-man) (-ry), land. See also: Genesis 1:25; 1 Kings 8:40; Psalms 49:12.
לְ/מִינֵ֑/הוּ
mîyn
H4327
"kind"
Prep | N-ms | Suff
The Hebrew word min means kind or species, often referring to animals. It is used to describe different types of creatures in the Bible. Min is sometimes translated as kind in the KJV.
Definition: kind, sometimes a species (usually of animals)
Usage: Occurs in 18 OT verses. KJV: kind. Compare H4480 (מִן). See also: Genesis 1:11; Leviticus 11:16; Ezekiel 47:10.
שְׁנַ֧יִם
shᵉnayim
H8147
"two"
Adj
The Hebrew word for the number two appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing pairs and dualities. It can also mean double or twice. In the Bible, it is often used to describe things that come in twos, like two witnesses or two tablets.
Definition: 1) two 1a) two (the cardinal number) 1a1) two, both, double, twice 1b) second (the ordinal number) 1c) in combination with other numbers 1d) both (a dual number)
Usage: Occurs in 646 OT verses. KJV: both, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two. See also: Genesis 1:16; Exodus 30:4; Numbers 13:23.
מִ/כֹּ֛ל
kôl
H3605
"all"
Prep | N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
יָבֹ֥אוּ
bôwʼ
H935
"Lebo"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Definition: A shortened name of Lebo Hamath complined withcha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574) This name means to go in, enter
Usage: Occurs in 2307 OT verses. KJV: abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. See also: Genesis 2:19; Genesis 32:7; Exodus 1:19.
אֵלֶ֖י/ךָ
ʼêl
H413
"to(wards)"
Prep | Suff
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Definition: 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Usage: Occurs in 4205 OT verses. KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in). See also: Genesis 1:9; Genesis 21:14; Genesis 31:13.
לְ/הַֽחֲיֽוֹת
châyâh
H2421
"to live"
Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a
To live or have life is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to revive or be quickened. It is used in the Bible to describe God's power to sustain life and restore people to health, as seen in the stories of the prophets and Jesus' miracles.
Definition: 1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to live 1a1a) to have life 1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive 1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon 1a1d) to live (prosperously) 1a2) to revive, be quickened 1a2a) from sickness 1a2b) from discouragement 1a2c) from faintness 1a2d) from death 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to preserve alive, let live 1b2) to give life 1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh 1b3a) to restore to life 1b3b) to cause to grow 1b3c) to restore 1b3d) to revive 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to preserve alive, let live 1c2) to quicken, revive 1c2a) to restore (to health) 1c2b) to revive 1c2c) to restore to life
Usage: Occurs in 239 OT verses. KJV: keep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole. See also: Genesis 5:3; 2 Samuel 16:16; Psalms 22:27.
Study Notes — Genesis 6:20
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Genesis 6:20 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Genesis 6:20
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 6:20
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 6:20
- Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 6:20
- Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 6:20
- Cambridge Bible on Genesis 6:20
- Sermons on Genesis 6:20
Context — Preparing the Ark
18But I will establish My covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.
19And you are to bring two of every living creature into the ark—male and female—to keep them alive with you.
20Two of every kind of bird and animal and crawling creature will come to you to be kept alive.
21You are also to take for yourself every kind of food that is eaten and gather it as food for yourselves and for the animals.” 22So Noah did everything precisely as God had commanded him.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acts 10:11–12 | He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air. |
| 2 | Genesis 2:19 | And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and He brought them to the man to see what he would name each one. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. |
| 3 | Genesis 7:8–16 | The clean and unclean animals, the birds, and everything that crawls along the ground came to Noah to enter the ark, two by two, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. And after seven days the floodwaters came upon the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month, all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And the rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights. On that very day Noah entered the ark, along with his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and his wife, and the three wives of his sons— they and every kind of wild animal, livestock, crawling creature, bird, and winged creature. They came to Noah to enter the ark, two by two of every creature with the breath of life. And they entered, the male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in. |
| 4 | Genesis 1:20–24 | And God said, “Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed according to their kinds, and every bird of flight after its kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, land crawlers, and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. |
| 5 | John 5:40 | yet you refuse to come to Me to have life. |
| 6 | Genesis 1:28 | God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.” |
Genesis 6:20 Summary
This verse tells us that God brought two of every kind of bird, animal, and crawling creature to Noah to be kept alive on the ark. This shows us that God cares about all of His creation, not just people. Just like God provided food for the animals in the ark, as seen in Genesis 6:21, He provides for us today. We can trust that God will take care of us, just like He took care of Noah and the animals on the ark, as promised in Matthew 6:26.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the animals know to come to Noah?
According to Genesis 6:20, God brought the animals to Noah, and it is likely that He guided them to the ark through instinct or other means, as seen in Genesis 1:30 where God gives every animal its food.
What kinds of creatures came to the ark?
The verse mentions birds, animals, and crawling creatures, which likely includes a wide variety of species, as God instructed Noah to bring two of every kind of living creature into the ark in Genesis 6:19.
Why did God want to save these creatures?
God's desire to save the creatures was part of His covenant with Noah, as stated in Genesis 6:18, and it shows His care and concern for all of creation, as seen in Psalm 104:24-25 where God's wisdom and care for all creatures is praised.
How did Noah know which creatures to save?
The Bible doesn't explicitly state how Noah knew which creatures to save, but it is likely that God guided him, as seen in Genesis 6:22 where Noah does everything precisely as God had commanded him, and in Genesis 7:2-3 where God gives Noah further instructions on which animals to bring onto the ark.
Reflection Questions
- What does this verse reveal about God's character and His relationship with creation?
- How does this verse relate to God's promise to never again destroy the earth with a flood, as seen in Genesis 9:11?
- What can we learn from Noah's obedience to God's instructions in this verse, and how can we apply that to our own lives?
- How does this verse demonstrate God's sovereignty and power over all of creation?
- What does this verse teach us about the importance of caring for and stewarding God's creation?
Gill's Exposition on Genesis 6:20
Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind,.... What before is generally expressed by "every living thing", is here particularly
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 6:20
And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 6:20
After their kind, i.e. according to their several kinds. They shall come unto thee of their own accord, by my impulse, or by the conduct of angels, as .
Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 6:20
Genesis 6:20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every [sort] shall come unto thee, to keep [them] alive.Ver. 20. Two of every sort shall come unto thee.] "For they are all thy servants," saith David; they wait upon thy word. This Noah might make good use of; and did, no doubt. See how sequacious these poor creatures are to God their centurion. If he bid them come, they come; if go, they go. And shall not I obey God, and follow his call, be there never so many lions in my way?
Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 6:20
(19-22) of every living thing of all flesh, two . . . —The vast size of the ark and the wide terms used of the animals to be collected into it, make it evident that Noah was to save not merely his domestic cattle, but many wild species of beasts, birds, and creeping things. But the terms are conditioned by the usual rules for the interpretation of the language of Holy Scripture, and by the internal necessities of the event itself. Thus the animals in the ark could not have been more in number than four men and four women could attend to Next, the terms exclude the carnivora (see also Note on Genesis 9:5). Not only was there no supply of animals taken on board to feed them, but half-tamed as they would have been by a year’s sojourn in the ark, they would have remained in Noah’s neighbourhood, and very soon have destroyed all the cattle which had been saved, especially as far and wide no other living creatures would have existed for their food. But if miracles are to be invoked to obviate these and similar difficulties. not only would it have been easier to save Noah and the denizens of the ark by one display of supernatural power, but the ark was the means provided by God for this purpose; and if He wrought thus far by human instrumentality, in accordance with the usual law of the Divine working on earth, to help out the human means employed by repeated acts of omnipotence would have been to proclaim it as insufficient. It does not follow from this that no special providence watched over and guided the ark; such providence is often exercised now, but it works through and in accordance with the ordinary laws by which God governs the world.
Cambridge Bible on Genesis 6:20
20. Of the fowl, &c.] The order in which the animals are here mentioned is deserving of notice; first the fowls, then the cattle, and finally the creeping things. What is the reason of this order? Probably the order of the account of the Creation in chap. 1 is followed, where the creation of the fowls is recorded in Genesis 1:20-22, and of the cattle and creeping things in Genesis 1:24. The same order is maintained in Genesis 1:26. kind] The same word as in Genesis 1:12 (P). cattle] as in Genesis 1:24, denoting domestic animals generally. The only group of animals mentioned in Genesis 1:21; Genesis 1:24, which is here omitted, is “the beast of the earth,” i.e. “the wild beast.” Is this intentional? The LXX adds, after “every creeping thing,” καὶἀπὸπάντωντῶνθηρίων = “and of every wild beast.” creeping thing] See note on Genesis 1:24. The exact phrase “everything that creepeth upon the ground after its kind” is reproduced from Genesis 1:25.
Sermons on Genesis 6:20
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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The Heavenly Vision by Stephen Kaung | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a heavenly vision in the spiritual realm. He explains that without a vision, people become directionless and lack pu |
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Fire 21 Conference by Brian Guerin | Brian Guerin shares a prophetic message at the Fire 21 Conference, emphasizing the need to break barriers that hinder the flow of the Holy Spirit, likening them to a beaver dam tha |
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(Spirit-Filled Life) Part 2: The Way to Know God by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of taking God's word seriously and not just treating it as a mere book. He encourages Christians to rejoice in the Lord always |
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12 - the Process of Learning and Teaching by Ben Torrey | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the flaws in the current education system and proposes a better approach based on biblical models. The current system idolizes good grades and |
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(Living as Jesus Lived) 7. Living by the Power of God by Zac Poonen | Zac Poonen emphasizes the necessity of living by the power of God rather than relying on human soul-power, which can lead to deception and superficiality in Christian life and mini |
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Genesis #02 Ch. 1:2 Creation or Re-Creation by Chuck Missler | In this sermon, Chuck Mitzvah discusses Genesis chapter 1, verses 2 and 3. He mentions that in the previous study, they covered various topics including biblical background and Ein |
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(Genesis) Genesis 1:20-23 by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the creation story as described in the Bible. He emphasizes that when God created the world, it was good. He mentions that God created variou |