We all know the story of Noah and the flood and how he gathered the animals two by two and brought them into the Ark–a male and female of each kind so after the flood the world could be replenished.   That’s what we’ve always heard.  Now let’s see what the scriptures actually say. 

    The complete story is found in Genesis Chapter 7.  God’s instruction regarding the animals is in verses 2-3, and it reads:  “Take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and two of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth.”   

    This  quotation is taken from the New International Version and contains the translator’s note that the word ”seven” could actually mean “seven pairs.”  More contemporary translations such as the New Living Translation, the New Revised Standard, God’s Word, and others actually say seven pairs of every kind of clean animal.

    Whether we take it as seven or seven pair, we know this:  it definitely does not say Noah is to take a single pair of all the animals as we’ve always heard.  Rather it’s a single pair of only the unclean animals and seven (or seven pair) of all the animals that are clean.

    The Word says that Noah did as God commanded, so we know that he actually ended up with seven (or seven pair) of all the clean animals and birds and one pair of every unclean animal in the Ark.  Ever wonder how Noah would have had the time to collect such a humongous number of animals?  Take a closer look at the scriptures once again, this time at verses 7, 8, 9.

    Noah and his family entered the Ark first and then the animals came to him and entered the Ark.  In other words, Noah didn’t have to gather the animals–God took care of the whole thing!