Genesis 7:23 kjv
And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
Genesis 7:23 nkjv
So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive.
Genesis 7:23 niv
Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.
Genesis 7:23 esv
He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark.
Genesis 7:23 nlt
God wiped out every living thing on the earth ? people, livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and the birds of the sky. All were destroyed. The only people who survived were Noah and those with him in the boat.
Genesis 7 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 6:7 | And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created... from the face of the earth... | God's decision for judgment stated earlier. |
| Gen 6:13 | And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence... | Divine pronouncement of universal destruction. |
| Gen 7:4 | For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. | Fulfillment of previous decree for destruction. |
| Gen 7:21 | And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: | Corroborates the comprehensiveness of death. |
| Gen 8:21 | And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake... | God's promise not to destroy all living creatures again. |
| Isa 1:9 | Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. | Illustrates the principle of salvation through a remnant. |
| Ezek 14:13 | Son of man, when the land sinneth against me... then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: | Divine judgment impacting both man and beast due to sin. |
| Zech 14:14 | And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem... the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together... | Implies a coming judgment affecting nations universally. |
| Mal 4:1 | For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up... | Prophetic future judgment consuming the wicked entirely. |
| Matt 24:37 | But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. | Jesus refers to Noah's day as a type of the End Times judgment. |
| Matt 24:38 | For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, | Highlights unpreparedness for sudden judgment. |
| Luke 17:26 | And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. | Repetition by Luke emphasizing the parallel. |
| Heb 11:7 | By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. | Noah's faith and the ark as a means of salvation. |
| 1 Pet 3:20 | ...when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. | Emphasizes God's patience and the few who were saved. |
| 1 Pet 3:21 | The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: | Typological connection between the ark's salvation through water and Christian baptism. |
| 2 Pet 2:5 | And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; | Confirms the world's ungodliness and Noah's salvation. |
| 2 Pet 3:5 | For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: | Affirms God's past judgment through water. |
| 2 Pet 3:6 | Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: | Explicit statement of the old world's perishing by water. |
| 2 Pet 3:7 | But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. | Links the flood judgment to future fiery judgment. |
| Rom 1:18 | For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men... | God's active wrath against sin, as demonstrated by the flood. |
| Jude 1:7 | Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. | Examples of historical judgment, showing God's vengeance. |
| Rev 21:1 | And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. | The ultimate judgment and recreation, mirroring the old passing away. |
Genesis 7 verses
Genesis 7 23 Meaning
Gen 7:23 describes the total and universal destruction of all terrestrial life outside of the ark, emphasizing God's righteous judgment against the pervasive sin of humanity. It starkly highlights that only Noah and those with him in the ark were preserved through God's specific grace and provision. The verse underscores the complete obliteration of life from the face of the earth, reaffirming the comprehensive nature of the divine judgment and the singular means of salvation provided.
Genesis 7 23 Context
Genesis chapter 7 vividly describes the commencement and progression of the great flood, marking a decisive turning point in humanity's early history. Following God's detailed instructions to Noah in Chapter 6, Noah and his family, along with representatives of all terrestrial animals, entered the ark. This verse, Gen 7:23, captures the culmination of the destructive phase, immediately after the floodwaters had completely covered the earth. It is set within the broader narrative of escalating human wickedness (Gen 6:5-7) leading to divine judgment, contrasted with God's grace shown to Noah, "a righteous man, perfect in his generations" (Gen 6:9). Historically and culturally, the flood narrative addresses universal questions of human sin, divine justice, and survival, challenging ancient Near Eastern polytheistic flood myths by portraying one sovereign, morally perfect God who judges wickedness with purpose, while also providing a path of salvation for the righteous. It establishes the global nature of this cataclysm as distinct from local deluges found in other narratives.
Genesis 7 23 Word analysis
- And every living substance: (Hebrew: יְקוּם, yequm). This term signifies all existing, animate things, life itself, emphasizing comprehensiveness. It denotes the entire animate population of the ground, underscoring the universal scope of the judgment beyond just humans.
- was destroyed: (Hebrew: וַיִּמַח, vayimach, from the root מָחָה, machah). This verb means "to wipe out," "blot out," "obliterate," "erase." It's a very strong term signifying complete removal. Its use implies an act of active erasure, as if God was cleaning the slate of the earth from all that displeased Him due to widespread sin. This same root is used elsewhere for blotting out names (Ex 32:32) or even tears (Isa 25:8), conveying utter obliteration.
- which was upon the face of the ground: (Hebrew: עַל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה, 'al-p'ney ha'adamah). This phrase unequivocally states the geographical extent of the destruction. It signifies the entire visible surface of the earth, reinforcing the global nature of the flood, not a localized event.
- both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven: This enumeration provides specific categories, mirroring Gen 6:7, detailing the types of life subject to the judgment. It includes the entire terrestrial food chain, showing that the judgment was all-encompassing across biological kingdoms. This emphasizes God's sovereign authority over all creation and highlights the devastating impact of sin not only on humanity but also on the natural world associated with them.
- and they were destroyed from the earth: (Hebrew: וַיִּמָּחוּ מִן־הָאָרֶץ, vayimmaḥu min-ha'aretz). This repetition of "destroyed" (using the same root machah in a plural passive form) further emphasizes the finality and totality of the destruction. It signifies a complete removal from the earth, reinforcing that nothing survived on the dry land.
- and Noah only remained alive: (Hebrew: וַיִּשָּׁאֶר אַךְ־נֹחַ, vayisha'er akh-Noach). The word "only" (אַךְ, akh) is a crucial exclusive particle. It sets Noah apart as the single exception, chosen by divine grace. This highlights his unique status and role as the preserved righteous seed, the remnant through whom humanity would be repopulated. It points to God's sovereign choice and specific salvation.
- and they that were with him in the ark: (Hebrew: וַאֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ בַּתֵּבָה, va'asher itto bat'evah). This clause further specifies the exact condition for survival: being inside the ark. The ark, as a divinely appointed vessel, represents God's sole means of preservation. It underscores the concept that salvation is found exclusively within the means God provides. This phrase serves as a divine boundary for who survives the cataclysm.
Genesis 7 23 Bonus section
- The narrative here implicitly argues against polytheistic ancient Near Eastern flood myths, where gods act impulsively or for petty reasons. The Genesis account portrays a morally driven God executing justice due to severe human corruption, not a fit of temper.
- The flood marks a definitive discontinuity in earth's history, a "reset" point, demonstrating God's ultimate authority over His creation and His willingness to intervene drastically when humanity rejects His standards.
- The salvation of Noah and his family, representing humanity and a portion of the animal kingdom, signifies God's intention to preserve creation despite human sin, leading to a new covenant (Gen 9) and a fresh start.
- This verse encapsulates the foundational theological concept of a remnant—a select few chosen and preserved by God's grace in the face of widespread destruction or apostasy, a theme recurring throughout the biblical narrative (e.g., in the prophets regarding Israel's exiles, or the believers in Christ).
Genesis 7 23 Commentary
Gen 7:23 serves as a grim but pivotal summary of the Noahic flood's destructive phase. It confirms the universal and comprehensive nature of God's judgment against the corruption of all flesh (Gen 6:11-12). The repetition and specific enumeration of affected life forms underline that this was not a partial or regional event, but a total cleansing of the earth from its living inhabitants. Amidst this catastrophic obliteration, the survival of "Noah only" and those with him in the ark stands as a powerful testament to God's precise mercy and sovereign provision for a remnant. It portrays God as both a righteous Judge who punishes sin decisively and a faithful Redeemer who preserves life according to His purpose. The ark's role as the exclusive vessel of salvation emphasizes that escape from divine wrath comes only through obedience to God's specific call and within His provided refuge. This event foreshadows future judgments and reinforces the eternal principle that life and salvation are found in humble obedience and faith in God's saving grace.