How many animals went on Noah's ark?
BREAKDOWN
The biblical account of Noah's Ark, found in the Book of Genesis, details specific instructions from God regarding the number of animals to be brought aboard. Initially, in Genesis 6:19-20, God commanded Noah to bring "two of every sort, of every thing of all flesh, you shall bring them into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, and of the livestock after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come to you to keep them alive." This implies one male and one female of each 'kind' of animal. However, this instruction is refined and further clarified in Genesis 7:2-3, where a crucial distinction is made: "You shall take with you seven pairs of every clean animal, the male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean, two, the male and his female; and of the birds of the sky also, seven pairs, male and female, to keep seed alive on the surface of all the earth." Therefore, the number of animals was not a simple two of everything. For "clean animals" and birds, Noah was instructed to take seven pairs, meaning fourteen individuals of each clean kind. For "unclean animals," it was indeed one pair, or two individuals of each unclean kind. The specific reason for the increased number of clean animals is generally understood to be twofold: first, for sacrificial purposes after the Flood (Genesis 8:20), and second, to provide a sustainable food source for humanity and the surviving animals, as clean animals were permissible for consumption (Genesis 9:3). The exact total number of animals is not calculable, as the Bible speaks of 'kinds' (mîn), which is a broader category than modern biological species, encompassing potentially many individual species within each kind. Regardless, the ark housed an immense and diverse population, representing all necessary life forms to repopulate the post-diluvian earth.
KEY TERMS
Noah's Ark
The large vessel built by Noah under God's command to preserve life during the global Flood.
clean animals
Animals designated as ritually pure, permissible for sacrifice and consumption, of which seven pairs were taken onto the Ark.
unclean animals
Animals designated as ritually impure, not permissible for sacrifice or consumption, of which one pair was taken onto the Ark.
seven pairs
The specific number of individuals (14) of each clean animal and bird kind taken onto Noah's Ark.
kind
A biological category (Hebrew: mîn) referring to groups of animals that reproduce 'after their kind,' broader than modern biological species.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Genesis 6:19
Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.
Genesis 6:20
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 shall come to you to keep them alive.
Genesis 7:2
You shall take with you seven pairs of every clean animal, the male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean, two, the male and his female;
Genesis 7:3
and of the birds of the sky also, seven pairs, male and female, to keep seed alive on the surface of all the earth.
Genesis 8:20
Noah built an altar to Yahweh, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Genesis 9:3
Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As I gave you the green herb, I have given you everything.
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE ANALYSIS
טָהוֹר
clean
Definitionritually pure, clean, unblemished
טָמֵא
unclean
Definitionritually impure, defiled, taboo
זוּג
pair
Definitionpair, couple
מִין
kind
Definitionkind, species, sort
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The narrative of Noah's Ark and the global flood is set against the backdrop of the ancient Near East, a region rich with flood myths, the most prominent being the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Atrahasis Epic from Mesopotamia. These extra-biblical accounts describe a great flood sent by the gods to destroy humanity, with one favored individual being warned and building a vessel to save life. While sharing common motifs, the biblical account in Genesis stands distinct in its monotheistic perspective, moral etiology for the flood (human wickedness), and the covenantal relationship established between God and Noah afterward. The concept of 'clean' and 'unclean' animals, though fully codified in the later Mosaic Law, reflects an ancient understanding of ritual purity and suitability for sacrifice or consumption, which would have been culturally significant in early Israelite and surrounding societies. The construction of a massive ark (over 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high by modern estimates of a cubit) represents an immense undertaking for any ancient civilization, highlighting divine instruction and provision.
THEOLOGICAL INSIGHT
The Noahic Flood narrative and the specific instructions for animal preservation underscore several profound theological themes. Primarily, it demonstrates God's sovereignty over creation and His justice in judging human wickedness while simultaneously exhibiting His mercy through the preservation of a righteous remnant and the entire animal kingdom. The distinction between "clean animals" and "unclean animals" at such an early stage in biblical history, prior to the Mosaic Law, highlights an intrinsic divine order and a foreshadowing of cultic purity requirements. This distinction enabled both the post-Flood sacrificial worship (Genesis 8:20) and the establishment of dietary guidelines, pointing towards a holistic understanding of God's design for humanity's relationship with creation. The act of bringing animals "two of every sort" and "seven pairs" of others signifies the divine intention for life to continue and thrive, emphasizing God's covenantal faithfulness to sustain His creation despite human failure, and His initiative in establishing a new beginning.
COMMENTARY SYNTHESIS
Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) (Jewish)
Rashi notes that the instruction to take seven pairs of clean animals was for the purpose of offering sacrifices after the Flood, as Noah would immediately build an altar and offer burnt offerings from these very animals (Genesis 8:20). He also explains that the clean animals were distinguished by signs, even before the giving of the Torah.
Matthew Henry (Christian)
Henry emphasizes God's meticulous care and wisdom in commanding Noah to preserve life. He notes that the specific numbers (seven pairs for clean animals, one pair for unclean) show God's provident care not only for propagation but also for future worship and sustenance, indicating that God always provides for what He commands.
Augustine of Hippo (Christian)
In 'The City of God,' Augustine interprets Noah's Ark as a symbolic prefiguration of the Church. The various animals represent the diverse peoples and dispositions gathered into the Church, saved through Christ from the 'flood' of sin and judgment. The distinction between clean and unclean animals could further symbolize the mixed multitude within the visible Church.
Pseudo-Barnabas (Epistle of Barnabas) (Early Church Father)
Early Christian writings often saw allegorical meanings in the Ark narrative. The Epistle of Barnabas, an early church father work, alludes to the Flood as a cleansing, and the animals can be seen as representing the diversity of creation that God saves, pointing to the inclusive nature of salvation in Christ.