The Meaning of Genesis 7:21 Explained

Genesis 7:21

KJV: 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:

YLT: and expire doth all flesh that is moving on the earth, among fowl, and among cattle, and among beasts, and among all the teeming things which are teeming on the earth, and all mankind;

Darby: And all flesh that moved on the earth expired, fowl as well as cattle, and beasts, and all crawling things which crawl on the earth, and all mankind:

ASV: And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both birds, and cattle, and beasts, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Genesis 7:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 7:1-24 - The Great Flood
What anguish! They climbed the highest story of their towers, then to the hills, but the greedy waters followed them, till the last crag was covered, and all living things in the first homes of human life had perished. Equally sudden and unexpected shall be the days of the Son of Man. See Luke 17:26; 2 Peter 3:7. But what drowns other men only lifts the child of God nearer his home. The waters bear up the ark. When the loftiest refuges of lies and pride are submerged, and the whole landscape is covered with a monotonous waste of trouble, God says to the soul, "Come into the ark." It is as though He is inside and wants us to enter into close fellowship with Himself. See Psalms 27:5. When God shuts the door behind us, no power can force, no skeleton key can unlock, and no wedge can pry the door. For the extent of the Deluge it is appropriate to consider Luke 2:1-3. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 7

1  Noah, his family and the living creatures enter the ark
6  The flood begins
17  The increase of the flood for forty days
21  All flesh is destroyed by it
24  Its duration of 150 days

What do the individual words in Genesis 7:21 mean?

And died all flesh that moved on the earth birds and livestock and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps the earth and every man
וַיִּגְוַ֞ע כָּל־ בָּשָׂ֣ר ׀ הָרֹמֵ֣שׂ עַל־ הָאָ֗רֶץ בָּע֤וֹף וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבַ֣חַיָּ֔ה וּבְכָל־ הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ הָאָ֑רֶץ וְכֹ֖ל הָאָדָֽם

וַיִּגְוַ֞ע  And  died 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּוַע  
Sense: to expire, die, perish, give up the ghost, yield up the ghost, be dead, be ready to die.
בָּשָׂ֣ר ׀  flesh 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּשָׂר  
Sense: flesh.
הָרֹמֵ֣שׂ  that  moved 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָמַשׂ  
Sense: to creep, move lightly, move about, walk on all fours.
הָאָ֗רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
בָּע֤וֹף  birds 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹוף  
Sense: flying creatures, fowl, insects, birds.
וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙  and  livestock 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
וּבַ֣חַיָּ֔ה  and  beasts 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
וּבְכָל־  and  every 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ  creeping  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁרֶץ  
Sense: teeming or swarming things, creepers, swarmers.
הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ  that  creeps 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁרַץ  
Sense: (Qal) to teem, swarm, multiply.
הָאָ֑רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְכֹ֖ל  and  every 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָאָדָֽם  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.