Genesis 6:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe the kindness of God in what is about to be presented. He who declared that punishment would come upon cattle, creeping creatures, birds, and beasts alongside humanity, showed mercy for the righteous by instructing that pairs of these animals be brought into the ark, ensuring that they would serve as the foundation for future generations of creatures. (Gen. 6:19-20) Consider, dear friends, the bewilderment that must have filled the heart of the righteous man, knowing that the stewardship of all these beings was entrusted to him. It was not sufficient for him to attend to his wife and his sons with their spouses; rather, he bore the additional responsibility of caring for numerous animals. However, take a moment to reflect, and you will witness the goodness of God, as He eases the burden placed upon the righteous man.

Regarding the minor inquiries that are often raised about the smallest creatures—whether they be mice, lizards, locusts, beetles, flies, or even fleas—and whether they might have existed in the ark in greater quantities than specified by God's command, it is essential for those obsessing over such matters to consider this: the phrase concerning the creeping things of the earth (Gen. 6:20) implies that it was unnecessary to include in the ark animals that could thrive in water like fish, as well as those that could float on its surface, such as various birds. Furthermore, when it states, Let them be male and female (Gen. 6:19), it clearly indicates the intent to ensure the continuation of their kind. This accounts for the absence of smaller creatures that could reproduce without the need for mating or through other means. Should they have been present, as is customary in human dwellings, their numbers would not require precise specification.

On that day, elephants came forth from the east, monkeys and peacocks arrived from the south, various creatures approached from the west, and others emerged from the north. The lions descended from their oaks, predators emerged from their dens, while deer and onagers came forth from their wilderness, and the animals of the mountains gathered together. The people of Noah’s time assembled around this extraordinary event, not out of repentance but to marvel at the sight of lions boarding the ark, with oxen following them fearlessly, seeking safety alongside them, as wolves mingled with sheep, hawks with sparrows, and eagles with doves, all entering together.

Among all flesh, there exist two representatives of each species. Naturalists have determined that the total types of creatures that would fit into Noah's ark amounts to roughly 300 or slightly more. Of these, only a handful surpass the size of a horse, and even fewer are of comparable stature. When God proclaims that the animals will enter the ark, it is unnecessary to concern ourselves with how they were gathered from various parts of the earth. Could this not have occurred through some hidden influence of nature and divine foresight, similar to the way certain animals undertake long migrations each year?

Humanity must be safeguarded from the total devastation of the voiceless, designated to scatter their kind following the deluge, similar to how seeds are stored in barns during winter to be sown in spring. The ark was to contain ‘cattle,’ referring to domesticated four-legged creatures, ‘creeping things,’ which means reptiles, ‘beasts,’ denoting wild terrestrial animals found in woods and fields, as well as ‘birds’ (Gen. 6:20)—essentially, all ‘flesh,’ signifying every type of creature whose kind could be replenished after the flood solely from those preserved in the ark. Creatures that could survive submerged as seeds and then reemerge through the sun’s warmth, aside from fish, were clearly not meant to be included in the ark.