For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: How many of each clean animal did Noah take into the ark?
Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:
Two
“And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female.” (Genesis 6:19)
“Of clean animals and animals that are not clean and birds and everything that crawls on the ground, 9 they all went into the ark to Noah by twos, male and female, as God had commanded Noah.” (Genesis 7:8-9)
“they and every animal according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kind, and every crawling thing that crawls on the earth according to its kind, and every bird according to its kind, all sorts of birds. 15 So they went into the ark to Noah, by twos of all flesh in which there was the breath of life.” (Genesis 7:14-15)
Seven
“You shall take with you seven pairs of every clean animal, a male and his female; and two of the animals that are not clean, a male and his female;” (Genesis 7:2)
(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)
Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:
- When dealing with skeptics’ claim of Bible contradictions it seems one can never be reminded enough of what exactly is a contradiction. A contradiction occurs when two or more claims conflict with one another so that they cannot simultaneously be true in the same sense and at the same time. To put it another way, a Bible contradiction exists when there are claims within the Bible that are mutually exclusive in the same sense and at the same time.
- One should be skeptical of whether this is a Bible contradiction given the Skeptic Annotated Bible’s track record of inaccurately handling the Bible. See the many examples of their error which we have responded to in this post: Collection of Posts Responding to Bible Contradictions. Of course that does not take away the need to respond to this claim of a contradiction, which is what the remainder of this post will do. But this observation should caution us to slow down and look more closely at the passages cited by the Skeptic Annotated Bible to see if they interpreted the passages properly to support their conclusion that it is a Bible contradiction.
- The skeptic tries to pit Genesis 6:19, Genesis 7:8-9 and Genesis 7:14-15 as affirming the claim “Noah took two clean animals into the ark” against Genesis 7:2 as affirming “Noah took seven clean animals into the ark.”
- We have to ask if the passages support the claims the skeptics stated are extrapolated from the passages.
- Genesis 6:19, Genesis 7:8-9 and Genesis 7:14-15 does affirm the claim “Noah took two animals into the ark.” In those three passage the number two is mentioned. But to be precise is not talking about only clean animals since the three passages does not state “clean animals.” Rather using terms like “every” and “all” it affirms all animals are the objects the passages are talking about. Of course “clean” animals would be a subset of all animals.
- The skeptics are wrong about Genesis 7:2. Genesis 7:2 does not affirm the skeptics’ claim that the verse teaches “Noah took seven animals into the ark.” Genesis 7:2 does mention “seven” but it is “seven pairs” the verse states. That is, it is a total of fourteen of the clean animals.
- Not only did the skeptics misinterpreted the passage and didn’t interpret it with the best precision also logically speaking we still do not have a logical contradiction.
- For Genesis 7:2 to contradict Genesis 6:19, Genesis 7:8-9 and Genesis 7:14-15 which affirms the claim “Noah took two animals into the ark,” Genesis 7:2 would have to say either “Noah DID NOT take two clean animals into the ark” or “Noah took ONLY seven pairs (fourteen) clean animals into the ark.” But Genesis 7:2 does not say that.
- For the three passage of Genesis 6:19, Genesis 7:8-9 and Genesis 7:14-15 to contradict Genesis 7:2 which affirms the claim “Noah took seven pairs (fourteen) animals into the ark,” any of those three passages would have to say either “Noah DID NOT take seven pairs (fourteen) animals into the ark,” or ““Noah took ONLY two animals into the ark.” But Genesis 7:2 does not say that.
- The next question that arises would be why does Genesis 6:19, Genesis 7:8-9 and Genesis 7:14-15 talk about God wanting Noah to take two of every animals into the ark” while Genesis 7:2 talked about Noah taking seven clean animals into the ark? In the context the first three passages when God talks about a pair of every kind of animals seems to talk about these pair being a part of the ark for the purpose of these animals not being extinct when the flood wages. Yet the seven pairs of clean animals in Genesis 7:2 seems to be talking about an additional seven pairs of each clean animals to bring along for other purposes other than collect specimens for the survival of their kinds. The clue seems to come from the fact that they are “cleaned animals” why God wanted seven pairs of these set of animals to come along.
- Clean animals were offered as sacrifices to God after the storm and flood resided. Genesis 8:20 states “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took some of every kind of clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.” Obviously if animal sacrifices were done after the flood was over as a burnt offering to God then there must be more than one pair of animals needed for survival.
- Also while the passage doesn’t say it one can imagine some of those seven pairs of clean animals might have been food on the ark for Noah and his family. Remember “clean animals” does not refer to hygiene of the animals but whether or not they can be eaten by humans.
- Thus there is no contradiction here. Seems like the skeptics need to learn from our post How to Handle Bible Contradictions.
- Also to drive the point home that we don’t have a contradiction think of this analogy: A country want their leader and the spouse to be protected and survive visiting another country. Yet to protect this couple be it a King and Queen or the President or the first lady, there are people who might journey with them on the same plane such as body guard and chefs. Likewise some of the clean animals selected for the survival of its species after the flood is over can be seen distinct from those who are on the same ark but there for other purposes.
- We shouldn’t miss that worldviews are at play even with the skeptic’s objection to Christianity. The worldview of the author of the Skeptic Annotated Bible actually doesn’t even allow for such a thing as the law of non-contradiction to be meaningful and intelligible. In other words for him to try to disprove the Bible by pointing out that there’s a Bible contradiction doesn’t even make sense within his own worldview. Check out our post “Skeptic Annotated Bible Author’s Self-Defeating Worldview.”
[…] How many of each clean animal did Noah take into the ark? […]
Well researched. I don’t think the skeptic is logical in his approach.
This is clear: “Not only did the skeptics misinterpreted the passage and didn’t interpret it with the best precision also logically speaking we still do not have a logical contradiction.”
Blessings!
[…] Bible Contradiction? How many of each clean animal did Noah take into the ark? […]
This is one of the “contradictions” I hear a lot, thank you for addressing this brother!
I’ve heard this one too online
Thank you, Jim for detective work in clarifying this nonsense allegation. You are right, how would a family and the carnivores survive a float that long without eating meat or tempted to eat their cargo/fellow animals (even IF Noah’ family have the technology/method of preserving fruits, vegestables, and fish) if it was strict with 2 pairs of clean animals. GOD is Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent! He knows what they need, how they (all passengers) will survive every second, how they will be kept nourished (away from their beatial hunger). These are the things the skeptics will not think about. On a different note, such peace it is to have the preys and predators living in one boat. With GOD, nothing is impossible indeed.
Your comment and thoughts made me further marvel at God with Noah’s ark and what happen inside it and of co it se His wisdom and His providence. Nothing is impossible with God, that’s a good point lining up with the verses you shared and our discussion of God’s sovereign grace! If you can pray for our youth group’s attendance and God to teach our kids the truth of the Gospel for their salvation, going to teach that in an hour and 15 minutes…even if you see this afterwards pray God uses the seed planted in the kids hearts, yeah?
Praying, Jim for the kids to take the Gospel by heart as this subject is crucial in their part of life and how they will perceived the world around them.
Thanks for this thorough debunking of another one of Steve/Stephen Wells’ alleged contradictions. Once again he employs the either/or fallacy as you point out.
Seems like Steve commits a lot of fallacies doesn’t he? Besides his either/or fallacy he also gets basic facts wrong here like saying there’s seven clean animals when it’s seven PAIRs of clean animals🤷♂️🤦🏽. I’m about to start youth group in an hour can you pray for God to use the Spurgeon booklet on God’s immeasurable love to plant seeds of the Gospel to the hearts of our kids? Pray for attendance of the kids and them to finish their reading if you can! It’s a burden in my heart, hope it doesn’t overwhelm you too much asking you for your prayers!
Yup, I am praying for those intentions! Lord bless the study and the kids!
7 vs. 7 pairs. Atheist can’t read things right even if their life (and eternity) depends on it
Anyone that buys into what the Skeptic Annotated Bible says are misguided I mean look these atheists took a swing at these passages and missed. Its typical slanderous stuff. You even pointed out the skeptic can’t read when they said “seven” clean animals but the verse said “seven pairs!”
Your warning is an appropriate one
Great job!
Thanks! How’s the weather with the outdoors with you and Nathan?
Not bad! Went for another walk in the woods and put up some Christmas lights! How was youth study?
Well done exposing this non Bible contradiction.
Thanks! Enjoy writing this. How is your summer like weather going down in Australia?
Two days of a severe hot wave in Sydney 🥵 . Looking forward to winter although summer starts tomorrow. I have a long way to go .
Hope you are your family are doing well in this your Lord’s Day.
This man looks only for petty things. He doesn’t want truth.
He does look for petty things. He also can’t read right himself, such as saying there’s seven clean animals instead of seven pairs of clean animals. I went over this passage for home Bible study with my kids and even as K-3rd graders they can see the Bible says 7 pairs (14). That’s pretty bad reading comprehension of the skeptic isn’t it Bonnie? Have a blessed Sunday Maw Maw!
You also, Sweetie.
Thanks there’s a lot of so-called contradictions that skeptics claim about with Genesis that I have always wondered about how to answer so this satisfy what I am looking for.
Well, you did your homework
[…] 5.) Bible Contradiction? How many of each clean animal did Noah take into the ark? […]
Another contradiction debunked
That is no much a problem after you point out everything on here. Which lead to the bigger question of how the Scripture has so much harmony compared to other ancient documents with other document?
Never underestimate how low (IQ) skeptics will go
When an atheist point to this as a contradiction they are showing their true colors that they don’t have critical thinking skills but just grabbing whatever they can google and haven’t read the Bible for themselves.
[…] How many of each clean animal did Noah take into the ark? […]
Thank you sir for all your reseach in resolving this Bible Contradictions and others on your blog, I’m sure it takes hard work 💪🏻, great effort & determinination to have this resolved so that you could impart knowledge to readers like me on this subject .I am still learning all this is new with hermeneutics though I know encounter you say Amen to this ,FAITH works .Thank you once again Praying for more God’s blessings🙏
Thank you for breaking down the passages and addressing the claim of contradiction so clearly. It’s interesting to see how the different purposes behind taking pairs and seven pairs of clean animals into the ark make sense within the context. Your explanation sheds light on how worldviews can influence interpretations. Great analysis.
Priam thanks for reading this post!