The Meaning of Genesis 6:20 Explained

Genesis 6:20

KJV: Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.

YLT: Of the fowl after its kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort they come in unto thee, to keep alive.

Darby: Of fowl after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of each shall go in to thee, to keep them alive.

ASV: Of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Of fowls  after their kind,  and of cattle  after their kind,  of every creeping thing  of the earth  after his kind,  two  of every [sort] shall come  unto thee, to keep [them] alive. 

What does Genesis 6:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 6:9-22 - Noah Builds The Ark
Human sin had reached an awful climax. Sooner or later its results must have swept the human race from the earth, as smallpox will slay every native on some infected island. God only hastened by the Flood the inevitable result of wrong-doing. Amid the universal corruption and violence, one man stood out as precious in the sight of God. His name meant Rest; he was righteous toward man and "blameless" toward God; he walked in fellowship with God; His ear was quick to detect, and His hand deft to fulfill the divine will. "By faith Noah"¦." See Hebrews 11:7. Such is the character to which God reveals His secrets and with which He enters into covenant. If we live thus we shall cross the flood of death into the resurrection life, 2 Peter 2:5. Not only shall we be saved, but we shall save others. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 6

1  The wickedness of the world, which provoked God's wrath
8  Noah finds grace
9  His family line
14  The order, form, dimensions, and building of the ark

What do the individual words in Genesis 6:20 mean?

Of the birds after their kind and of animals after their kind of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind two of every [kind] will come to you to be kept alive
מֵהָע֣וֹף לְמִינֵ֗הוּ וּמִן־ הַבְּהֵמָה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ מִכֹּ֛ל רֶ֥מֶשׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה לְמִינֵ֑הוּ שְׁנַ֧יִם מִכֹּ֛ל יָבֹ֥אוּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ לְהַֽחֲיֽוֹת

מֵהָע֣וֹף  Of  the  birds 
Parse: Preposition-m, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹוף  
Sense: flying creatures, fowl, insects, birds.
לְמִינֵ֗הוּ  after  their  kind 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִין  
Sense: kind, sometimes a species (usually of animals).
הַבְּהֵמָה֙  of  animals 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
לְמִינָ֔הּ  after  their  kind 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: מִין  
Sense: kind, sometimes a species (usually of animals).
מִכֹּ֛ל  of  every 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
רֶ֥מֶשׂ  creeping  thing 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֶמֶשׂ  
Sense: creeping things, moving things, creeping organism.
הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
לְמִינֵ֑הוּ  after  its  kind 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִין  
Sense: kind, sometimes a species (usually of animals).
שְׁנַ֧יִם  two 
Parse: Number, md
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
מִכֹּ֛ל  of  every  [kind] 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
יָבֹ֥אוּ  will  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֵלֶ֖יךָ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לְהַֽחֲיֽוֹת  to  be  kept  alive 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.