Could There Have Been 14 Of Every Clean Animal On The Ark

Was Noah commanded to bring 7 of each clean animal or 14 of them? (artwork is a concept design from the Ark See)

Welcome to my new blog series: Unanswered Questions. I am planning to address diverse issues in Scripture that I still have questions about, and I'm looking for insights others may take on the topic. If you take any of these types of questions, feel free to leave a comment explaining it, and peradventure I'll do an article on it at some point.

Equally an apologist and theologian, I similar to have answers to any question well-nigh the Bible that someone may bring upwards. But sometimes I merely have to say that I'm not really sure what the correct reply is. Perhaps the text is ambiguous, perhaps it doesn't actually accost the question, possibly my failure to know the answer is due to my own ignorance, or perhaps it is something else. Please note: I have studied these problems to some degree, merely for i reason or another, I have not reached a firm conclusion on these questions (but I would like to). Then delight be certain to read the entire post before leaving a comment.

Question #1: How many of each kind of make clean animal did Noah take on the Ark?

When people recollect about the number of animals Noah brought on the Ark, they typically call up that he brought 2 of each kind. After all, God told Noah that "ii of every kind" of land animal would come to him (Genesis vi:xx, NET). That settles it, right? Wrong.

In Genesis 7:2–three, the Bible provides some more information near certain kinds of animals. "You shall have with yous vii each of every clean animal, a male person and his female…also seven each of birds of the air, male and female person….(NKJV)" So Noah had to bring seven of every kind of clean animal and seven of every kind of bird. That was easy, right? No, it isn't that easy, at least not for the clean animals. We know he brought 2 of every kind of unclean animate being.

Earlier explaining the dilemma here, allow me rapidly add that this isn't a contradiction at all. In God's original command, He did not say that only two of each kind would come to Noah. It is perfectly advisable for God to clarify the original statement by giving Noah some actress information, then there's no trouble on this point.

The real difficulty is figuring out whether Noah was supposed to bring vii or fourteen of each kind of clean animal on the Ark. The Hebrew words translated as "seven each" in the NKJV literally country "seven 7." Does this mean seven pairs, 7 of each, or even seven times seven? Very few hold the third position then I volition focus on the other ii options.

I favor the thought that Noah brought fourteen of each kind of clean animal on the Ark. The Hebrew text literally states that he would bring "vii 7" and that it would exist a male and his female. If there were just 7 of each kind of clean beast, and so each male would not have a mate.

Several translations reflect this position. For instance, the ESV states, "Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male person and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, and seven pairs of the birds…" (Genesis vii:2–3, ESV). The NRSV does the same. Also, the Hebrew text doesn't use a similar formula for the unclean animals mentioned in poesy two. That is, it doesn't say that Noah should bring "two two" (a male and his female)—it just has "2."

On the other manus, the idea that Noah brought 7 of each kind of clean animal is reflected in the majority of English translations. I think the strongest argument for this position is that Noah offered sacrifices "of every make clean animal and of every clean bird" to God after the Alluvion (Genesis 8:twenty, NKJV). So if he brought seven aboard, then he could take sacrificed i of each kind, leaving six (three pairs) of each clean animal and bird.

So which ane is it? Did Noah bring seven or fourteen of each kind of clean animate being and bird of the air? I'm actually non sure, because the text seems a flake cryptic here, and a good argument can exist made for each position. But like I mentioned earlier, I favor the idea that he brought fourteen of each. This seems to be the point in the immediate context ("the male and his mate").

Commentators are somewhat evenly divided on this one, and I'chiliad definitely open to correction here and any other insights my readers may have. Ultimately, this isn't really a large deal. There would accept been enough of room on the Ark for either number, and I'm sure the original Hebrew audition would know exactly what was meant. As someone who likes to know the answer, it's just 1 of those things that I wish I knew for sure. And then I welcome your insights on this. What say you?