The Meaning of Genesis 6:21 Explained

Genesis 6:21

KJV: And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.

YLT: 'And thou, take to thyself of all food that is eaten; and thou hast gathered unto thyself, and it hath been to thee and to them for food.'

Darby: And take thou of all food that is eaten, and gather it to thee, that it may be for food for thee and for them.

ASV: And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And take  thou unto thee of all food  that is eaten,  and thou shalt gather  [it] to thee; and it shall be for food  for thee, and for them. 

What does Genesis 6:21 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 6:21 mean?

And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten and you shall gather [it] to yourself and it shall be for you for them food
וְאַתָּ֣ה קַח־ לְךָ֗ מִכָּל־ מַֽאֲכָל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל וְאָסַפְתָּ֖ אֵלֶ֑יךָ וְהָיָ֥ה לְךָ֛ וְלָהֶ֖ם לְאָכְלָֽה

וְאַתָּ֣ה  And  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
קַח־  shall  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
לְךָ֗  for  yourself 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
מִכָּל־  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מַֽאֲכָל֙  food 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַאֲכָל  
Sense: food, fruit, meat.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל  is  eaten 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
וְאָסַפְתָּ֖  and  you  shall  gather  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
אֵלֶ֑יךָ  to  yourself 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
וְהָיָ֥ה  and  it  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְךָ֛  for  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
וְלָהֶ֖ם  for  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine plural
לְאָכְלָֽה  food 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אָכְלָה  
Sense: food.