This chapter begins with an order to Noah to come with his family and all the creatures into the ark, that they might be safe from the flood, which would quickly be upon the earth, Gen. 7:1–4 and then gives an account of Noah’s obedience to the divine command in every particular, Gen.

And the Lord said unto Noah After Noah had built the ark, and got all things ready as were commanded him; and when it was but seven days ere the flood would begin: Come thou and all thy house into the ark; that is, he and his wife, his three sons and their wives; for thee have I seen righteous…

Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, &c.] From hence it appears, that the distinction of clean and unclean beasts, at least for sacrifice, if not for food, was known before the flood, and so before the law of Moses; though some think this is said by anticipation, and as providing…

Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and his female That is, of such as were clean; seven couple of these were to be brought into the ark, for the like use as of the clean beasts, and those under the law; and so at this time, and here meant were turtledoves, and young pigeons that were for…

For yet seven days Or one week more, after the above orders were given, which, the Jews say, were for the mourning at Methuselah’s death; others, that they were an additional space to the one hundred and twenty given to the old world for repentance; in which time some might truly repent, finding…

And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him, &c.] He prepared for his entrance into the ark, and all the creatures with him; got everything ready for them, the rooms for their habitation, and food for their sustenance.

And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth When it began, for he was in his six hundred and first year when it ended, his eldest son was now an hundred years old, since when Noah was five hundred years old he begat children, .

And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark Within the space of the seven days, between the command of God to go into it, and the coming of the flood; or rather on the seventh day, on which it began to rain; when he saw it was coming on, see (Gen.

Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean Seven couple of the one, and a couple of the other: and of fowls, clean and unclean, also a like number: and of everything that creepeth upon the earth; and upon that only, not in the water, for these had no need of the ark, they could live in the…

There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark Of themselves, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra, being impressed with an instinct from God so to do; or by the ministry of angels, as observed (See Gill on Gen.

And it came to pass after seven days Were ended, or on the seventh day, after God had given the orders to Noah, to prepare for his going into the ark, with his family, and all the creatures: that the waters of the flood were upon the earth: that is, they began to be upon the earth; for it continued…

In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life Not complete, but current, for otherwise Noah would have lived after the flood three hundred and fifty one years, whereas he lived but three hundred and fifty; in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month: as the Jews had two ways of beginning their…

And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights, &c.] So long it was falling upon it, after the windows of heaven were opened. Aben Ezra would have it, that all things were in such confusion, during the flood, that there was no difference between day and night, since, it is said, “day…

In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah That is, on the seventeenth day of the second month; (See Gill on Gen.

They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind They, Noah and his family, went into the ark; as did all sorts of beasts and cattle, reckoned one hundred and thirty sorts, by some one hundred and fifty, including serpents: and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the…

And they went in unto Noah into the ark Noah went in first, and the creatures of themselves came to him, or were conducted by the ministry of angels; and they were delivered into his hands, and he placed them in the ark as was most convenient for them: it is very likely he went in and out as…

And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh These pairs were not two males or two females, but one male and one female; so they were coupled for the propagation of their species, which was the end of their entering into the ark, and being preserved: as God had commanded him: Noah,…

And the flood was forty days upon the earth This is said with respect to what follows, and the meaning is, that when and after the flood had been upon the earth so long, then the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth; after this they were so many and so strong…

And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth Still they became greater and more powerful, as to bear up the ark, so to cast down houses, trees by the continual rains that fell, though perhaps they were not so violent as before, and by the constant eruptions of water out of…

And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth Yet more and more, so that the people without the ark were obliged to remove, not only from the lower to the higher rooms in their houses, and to the tops of them, but to the highest trees; and when these were bore down, to the highest hills and…

Fifteen cubits upwards did the waters prevail Either to such an height above the earth, upwards from that, or from the high hills; for though the words do not necessarily imply that, yet it may be allowed, since there was water enough to cover the highest of them; and fifteen cubits of water were…

And all flesh died that moved upon the earth That had animal life in them, of which motion was a sign: both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth on the earth; excepting those that were in the ark.

All in whose nostrils was the breath of life Whether of fowls, beast, cattle, or creeping things: of all that was in the dry land, died; by which description fishes were excepted, since they breathe not, having no lungs, and are not on the dry land, where they cannot live, but in the waters.

And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground Not everything, particularly trees; for after the flood was abated there was an olive tree, a leaf of which was brought to Noah by the dove, but all animals, both men and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of…

And the waters prevailed upon the earth one hundred and fifty days. ] Which is to be reckoned not from the end of the forty days’ rain, but from the beginning of the flood; for from the seventeenth day of the second month, when the fountains of the deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven…