Genesis 7:7 kjv

And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.

Genesis 7:7 nkjv

So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood.

Genesis 7:7 niv

And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood.

Genesis 7:7 esv

And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood.

Genesis 7:7 nlt

He went on board the boat to escape the flood ? he and his wife and his sons and their wives.

Genesis 7 verses

Genesis 7 7 Meaning

Genesis 7:7 records the climactic act of Noah, his immediate family, and their wives entering the ark, signifying their definitive separation from the world about to be judged. This pivotal moment embodies Noah's faithful obedience to God's commands (Gen 7:1) and God's sovereign provision of a singular refuge from the imminent global flood. Their entry into the ark is an act of trust, stepping into God's prepared salvation amidst a corrupt and condemned world.

Genesis 7 7 Context

Genesis 7:7 is set within the larger narrative of the Great Flood, a global cataclysm God ordained due to humanity's profound wickedness and violence (Gen 6:5-7, 11-13). Following God's detailed instructions for building the ark (Gen 6:14-21) and Noah's meticulous obedience in doing "all that God commanded him" (Gen 6:22), God issues the final command for Noah and his household to "go into the ark" because the flood would begin in seven days (Gen 7:1-4). Verse 7 describes the completion of this final instruction. It immediately precedes the account of the waters breaking forth upon the earth (Gen 7:11-12) and God sealing the ark (Gen 7:16). Historically and culturally, this biblical flood account stands apart from ancient Near Eastern flood myths (like the Epic of Gilgamesh or Atrahasis) by emphasizing a sovereign, moral God who executes righteous judgment based on humanity's sin, not capriciousness, and preserves a righteous remnant based on His grace and their faithful obedience.

Genesis 7 7 Word analysis

• וַיָּבֹא (vayyavo'): "and he came/entered." This is a Hebrew waw consecutive with the imperfect verb, signifying a sequential and immediate action. It highlights Noah's prompt and unhesitating obedience immediately after God's command in Genesis 7:1. There was no delay or questioning, simply direct fulfillment of divine instruction.

• נֹחַ (Noach): "Noah." Meaning "rest" or "comfort." Noah is the central human figure, chosen by God due to his righteousness (Gen 6:9). He embodies faith, perseverance, and obedience, acting as God's instrument for preserving humanity and the animal kingdom, thus pivotal in the continuation of creation.

• וּבָנָיו (u-vanav): "and his sons." Refers to Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Gen 6:10). Their inclusion highlights the preservation of the direct lineage of humanity and signifies the future of the human race being carried through this faithful family unit.

• וְאִשְׁתּוֹ (v-ishto): "and his wife." Though unnamed in scripture, her presence is essential for the collective deliverance of the family and for the repopulation of the earth after the flood. Her inclusion underscores the emphasis on the family unit as God's preserved entity.

• וּנְשֵׁי בָנָיו (u-neshei vanav): "and his sons' wives." The enumeration completes the unit of eight people (as noted in 1 Pet 3:20) who entered the ark. This specific mention highlights the comprehensive nature of the salvation, ensuring the diversity and continuity of the post-flood human family.

• אִתּוֹ (itto): "with him." This emphasizes Noah as the patriarch, the one with whom God established the covenant, and around whom the saved remnant gathers. It highlights his leadership role in this unprecedented act of faith and survival.

• אֶל הַתֵּבָה (el hattevah): "into the ark." Tevah (תֵּבָה) specifically refers to this vessel of salvation, also used for Moses' basket (Exod 2:3). It is not just a large boat, but a divinely commissioned and constructed refuge. This emphasizes God's unique provision for rescue, symbolizing a separation from judgment and entry into divine protection.

• מִפְּנֵי מֵי הַמַּבּוּל (mi-pnei mei hammabbul): "because of the waters of the flood." Mabbul (מַבּוּל) is the specific Hebrew term for the great deluge of Genesis, distinguishing it from general floods. "Because of" indicates the causal urgency; the floodwaters were the existential threat driving them into the ark, demonstrating the immediate and devastating consequence of the widespread wickedness detailed in Gen 6:5-7.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "So Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives": This precise and exhaustive listing of the eight family members underscores the exclusivity and completeness of God's saving grace upon Noah's immediate household. It is the entirety of humanity preserved through the global judgment, signaling God's precise and selective preservation of a remnant.
  • "entered the ark": This phrase marks the definitive act of faith and obedience, a profound separation from the doomed world. It is the crucial step of transition from preparation to safety, signifying a turning point from active building to passive trust in God's completed provision. This act serves as a stark visual for obedience as the path to salvation from coming wrath.
  • "because of the waters of the flood": This clause provides the clear motivation and necessity for entering the ark. It foregrounds the immediate, terrifying reality of the impending global judgment, highlighting that their entry was not arbitrary but an urgent response to a devastating, divinely appointed catastrophe resulting from human sin. It stresses the severity of the coming judgment and the ark's unique purpose as a means of rescue.

Genesis 7 7 Bonus section

• The number "eight" for the people saved (Noah and seven others) is biblically significant, often symbolizing new beginnings, resurrection, or regeneration (e.g., circumcision on the eighth day, Christ rising on the eighth day if counting Resurrection Sunday as the start of a new week after the seventh-day Sabbath). This aligns with the post-flood world being a "new beginning" for humanity.
• This verse and the broader flood narrative present a clear theological distinction from prevalent ancient Near Eastern myths, where deities are often portrayed as capricious or fearful of the chaos unleashed by their actions. In Genesis, the Creator God acts with complete sovereignty, deliberate purpose, and unwavering righteousness, controlling every aspect of the flood, including the exact timing and the preservation of Noah's family.
• The emphasis on "every moving thing that lives" in subsequent verses (Gen 7:8) further accentuates God's comprehensive preservation of life through the ark, reinforcing that His purpose extended beyond just humanity to all living creatures He chose to save.

Genesis 7 7 Commentary

Genesis 7:7, though brief, encapsulates a moment of profound theological significance. It describes Noah and his family’s ultimate act of faith and obedience by stepping into the ark, thus placing themselves entirely under God's protective sovereignty. This immediate response, precisely mirroring God's command, highlights the critical biblical theme of faith demonstrated through action (Heb 11:7). The ark, serving as the sole refuge from God’s righteous judgment upon a wicked world, powerfully prefigures Christ as the exclusive means of salvation from spiritual judgment. This separation into the ark signified their exodus from the old, condemned world and their entrance into a new existence.

For practical usage, this verse can serve as a potent reminder of the importance of prompt and complete obedience to God's directives, especially when His warnings of judgment or calls to salvation are imminent. Just as Noah entered the physical ark for physical preservation, so too must individuals enter into God's spiritual provision (Jesus Christ) for spiritual salvation from eternal judgment.