Many can remember the Sunday School story in Church about Noah’s Ark, complete with pictures of a male and female of each kind of animal going into the big boat. That would be the version I remember.
Some have said the Bible contradicts itself because one scripture in Genesis says two of every animal are to be brought aboard. In a different scripture God commands seven pairs of each animal to be brought into the Ark. Was it just two of every kind of animal, or was it seven pairs? How many animals went into Noah’s Ark?
Two Of Every Kind Of Animal
(Genesis 6:19-20) You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of ever kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.
If we had this verse only in Genesis to go by, it would appear two animals would be correct. However, just a few verses later in Genesis we get a more detailed description of God’s instructions to Noah.
Seven Pairs Of Every Kind Of Clean Animal
(Genesis 7:2-3) Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth.
So why does Noah receive more detailed instructions on how many animals are to be brought aboard the Ark?
Our (3rd) Scripture Gives Us The Answer
(Genesis 8:20) Then Noah built an alter to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.
In our first verse, God is giving Noah general instructions to bring a male and female of each kind into the ark so the animals would be able to reproduce after the flood. Verse (2) gives the more specific instructions for Noah concerning the extra animals that would be needed for the animal sacrifices in the (3rd) verse.
There is no contradiction, only extra animals for Noah’s sacrifices to God.
