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Genesis 7:2

EOB (Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible):

Bring seven pairs of every clean animal, a male with its mate, and one pair of every unclean animal, a male and its mate.

EOB Footnote:

The MT specifies “seven seven” (literally “seven seven”), meaning seven pairs, for both the clean animals and the birds, while the LXX reads simply “seven” for each category. The MT also explicitly states the birds are “of the heavens,” which the LXX omits. Additionally, the MT includes “male and his female” for the clean animals, a phrase absent from the LXX at this point in the verse.

Other Translations:

KJV (King James Version):

Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.

WEB (World English Bible):

“You shall take seven pairs of every clean animal with you, the male and his female; of the animals that are not clean, take two, the male and his female.”

Benton LXX (Vaticanus):

Of every clean animal take in to thee sevens, male and female, and of the unclean animals pairs male and female.

Douai-Rheims (Vulgate):

Of all clean beasts take seven and seven, the male and the female. But of the beasts that are unclean two and two, the male and the female.

Apostoliki Diakonia (LXX):

Take with you seven pairs of all the clean animals, male and female, and one pair of the unclean animals, male and female.

YLT (Young Literal Translation )(MT):

“Of every clean beast take to yourself seven pairs, a male and its female; and of the beasts that are not clean, two, a male and its female.”

BBE (Bible in Basic English):

You are to take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, male and female, and one pair of all the animals that are unclean, male and female.

EOB COMMENTARY:

EOB Commentary:

Commentary on Genesis 7:2

The Divine Distinction Between Clean and Unclean

This verse presents a striking detail in the flood narrative: God commands Noah to take seven pairs of clean animals but only one pair of unclean animals into the ark. This distinction, appearing long before the Mosaic Law, reveals that the categories of clean and unclean have their origin not in later legislation but in primordial divine wisdom.

Patristic Interpretation: Saint John Chrysostom observes that the greater number of clean animals was preserved for sacrifice, anticipating Noah’s offering upon leaving the ark. The sevenfold number points to completeness and sanctification, while the clean animals represent those things set apart for sacred use. Saint Ephrem the Syrian similarly notes that God’s providence ensured sufficient animals for both the continuation of species and for worship.

Typological Significance: The Fathers consistently read the ark as a type of the Church, and within this framework, the distinction between clean and unclean animals takes on ecclesiological meaning. The Church gathers all humanity, yet there remains a distinction between those prepared for sacred service and those still in need of purification. Saint Ambrose of Milan sees in the clean animals a figure of the faithful who offer themselves as living sacrifices, while the unclean represent those who enter the Church but have not yet been fully transformed.

Christological Dimension: The number seven, appearing here in connection with the clean animals, carries profound significance throughout Scripture, culminating in Christ who is the true Sabbath rest and the source of all holiness. He is the one who makes clean what was formerly unclean, as demonstrated in His healing of lepers and His declaration that all foods are clean. The abundance of clean animals preserved through the flood prefigures the abundance of grace that flows from Christ to sanctify all creation.

Liturgical Connections: The Orthodox Church’s blessing of animals and its careful attention to fasting disciplines echo this ancient distinction between clean and unclean. While the New Covenant has transformed our understanding—for nothing God has made is to be rejected when received with thanksgiving—the Church maintains a liturgical rhythm that honors the principle of setting apart certain things for sacred purposes.

Spiritual Application: For the Orthodox Christian, this verse invites reflection on our own preparation for entering the ark of salvation. Are we among those who offer ourselves wholly to God, multiplied in virtue like the seven pairs? The spiritual life calls us to move from the state of the unclean—preserved by mercy but minimal in number—to the abundance of the clean, sanctified and ready for divine service. Through repentance, fasting, and participation in the mysteries, we are transformed from unclean to clean, from merely surviving the flood of this world to thriving as offerings acceptable to God.

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