Genesis 6:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Contemplate the goodness of God in what is to follow. As He declared impending judgment, stating that livestock, creeping creatures, birds, and beasts would face destruction alongside humanity, He, for the benefit of the righteous, ordered that a pair from each species be taken into the ark, ensuring these pairs would be the progenitors for future generations of animals. (Gen. 6:19-20). Reflect on this, dear friends, and consider how burdened the righteous individual must have felt with the weight of responsibility for all these creatures. It was not sufficient for him to care for just his wife and his sons with their wives; he also bore the duty of providing for numerous animals. Yet, pause for a moment and witness the goodness of God in how He alleviates the responsibilities placed upon the righteous one.

Concerning the trivial inquiries often posed about the smallest creatures—ranging from mice and lizards to locusts, beetles, flies, and even fleas, particularly whether they were present in the ark in greater quantities than those specified by God's command—those fixated on such matters should be reminded that the term used for the creeping things of the earth (Gen. 6:20) implies that it was unnecessary to include animals that could survive in water once immersed, such as fish, as well as those that could float on the water’s surface, like many birds. Additionally, when it states, "Let them be male and female" (Gen. 6:19), this clearly indicates the intent to ensure the continuation of the species.

On that day, elephants arrived from the east, while monkeys and peacocks came from the south. Other creatures approached from the west, and additional animals emerged from the north. The lions abandoned their oak groves, and the predators ventured out from their dens. The deer and the wild donkeys left their arid habitats, and the mountain creatures descended from their high grounds. Noah's peers gathered to witness this extraordinary event, not in a spirit of repentance, but to marvel as lions boarded the ark before their eyes. They watched with amazement as fearless oxen followed them inside, alongside wolves and sheep, hawks and sparrows, eagles and doves entering in unison.