Genesis 7:21-23
And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse lists various creatures that perished, but the inclusion of "all mankind" after the specific categories of animals highlights that humanity's sin was the unique reason for this global judgment, even as all life was swept away. It's a stark reminder that while sin affects creation, it is humanity's rebellion that ultimately draws God's severe, but just, response.
The waters have risen and completely submerged the earth, covering even the highest mountains. This catastrophic flood, a result of both torrential rain and the breaking open of underground springs, has brought about a total destruction of all life on land. The ark, carrying Noah and his family, is the only vessel of life remaining amidst this devastation.
Why did every living thing on earth perish in the flood, not just humanity?
Genesis 7:21 paints a stark picture of total devastation. It doesn't just mention humanity; it lists 'all flesh that moved on the earth—the birds, the livestock, the wild animals, all the creatures that swarm across the ground, and all of humanity.' This comprehensive destruction underscores the depth of God's judgment against sin.
A World Drenched in Sin
Commentators highlight that the sin of humanity had corrupted the entire created order. Because humans were the stewards of creation and had abused their role, the judgment extended to the creatures with them (Benson, Wesley). This wasn't a capricious act, but a just consequence. God, as the sovereign Lord of all life, had the right to unmake what He made (Benson, Wesley).
Restoring Balance
Furthermore, the destruction served a practical purpose for the future. With humanity reduced to a remnant in the ark, a proportional reduction in animal life was necessary. Otherwise, the unchecked proliferation of animals could have overwhelmed Noah and his family, preventing them from repopulating the earth (Gill, Benson, JFB, Wesley). God's judgment, while severe, was also an act of wise governance, ensuring the survival and flourishing of His chosen line.
Who has the ultimate authority over life and death, especially when judgment falls?
The sheer totality of the destruction in Genesis 7:21 forces us to confront the absolute sovereignty of God over all life. The text declares, 'all flesh died.' This wasn't a random event or a loss of control; it was a deliberate act by the Creator.
The Maker's Prerogative
Commentators like Benson and Wesley emphasize that God, as the sole fountain and author of life, has the inherent right to take it away. 'He that made them as he pleased, might unmake them when he pleased, and who shall say unto God, What dost thou?' This statement is a powerful reminder that no life exists apart from God's will and authority.
Understand the original words
basar · Hebrew Noun
General term used to describe all living creatures, emphasizing their fragility, mortality, and dependence on God as Creator. In a theological sense, it often highlights the common nature shared by humans and animals under the judgment or providence of God.
neshamah · Hebrew Noun
The vital force or spirit given by God that animates living beings, distinguishing the living from the dead. It is the manifestation of God’s life-giving power in His creatures.
machah · Hebrew Verb
A term used to describe divine judgment where God removes or erases existence, often signifying the complete reversal of creation or the undoing of life due to sin. It carries the weight of total elimination from the face of the earth.
adam · Hebrew Noun
This verse captures the devastating totality of God's judgment through the flood, emphasizing that all living creatures on dry land perished. It highlights God's sovereign power over life and His justice against sin, while also underscoring the wisdom in proportionally reducing animal life as humanity was reduced to a single family.
c. 3000 BC - c. 2300 BC
Early Human Civilization
Humanity had spread and developed various cultures and societies, with increasing signs of widespread wickedness and violence that grieved God.
c. 2300 BC
God's Warning to Noah
God observes the pervasive sinfulness of humanity and decides to send a great flood to cleanse the earth, revealing His judgment and initiating a plan of salvation through Noah.
c. 2300 BC
Construction of the Ark
Noah, a righteous man, is instructed by God to build a large ark to preserve himself, his family, and pairs of all living creatures from the coming flood.
c. 2300 BC— this verse
The Flood Begins
In the 600th year of Noah's life, the fountains of the deep burst forth and the windows of heaven opened, initiating the 40 days and 40 nights of continuous rain.
Jesus directly compares the days of Noah, where 'all flesh' perished, to the coming judgment, highlighting that people were living ordinary lives until the destruction came suddenly.
2 Peter 2:5Peter refers to the flood narrative as an example of God's judgment, calling the world 'a preacher of righteousness' that condemned the ungodly through Noah's salvation.
Revelation 6:8This passage describes a quarter of the earth's population dying by various means, including pestilence and wild beasts, echoing the widespread destruction seen in the Genesis flood.
Genesis 19:25This verse immediately follows the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, stating that God 'overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and whatever grew on the ground,' demonstrating a pattern of total judgment on sinful areas.
gillGenesis 7:21: "And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:"
And all flesh died that moved upon the earth,.... That had animal life in them, of which motion was a sign: both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth on the earth; excepting those that were in the ark. This general destruction of the creatures, as it was for the sins of men, wh…
calvinGenesis 7:1-24: "And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation."
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
In anno sexcentesimo annorum vitae Noah, in mense secundo, in septimadecima die mensis, die ipsa, rupti sunt omnes fontes voraginis magnaaa…
The verse lists various creatures that perished, but the inclusion of "all mankind" after the specific categories of animals highlights that humanity's sin was the unique reason for this global judgment, even as all life was swept away. It's a stark reminder that while sin affects creation, it is humanity's rebellion that ultimately draws God's severe, but just, response.
The waters have risen and completely submerged the earth, covering even the highest mountains. This catastrophic flood, a result of both torrential rain and the breaking open of underground springs, has brought about a total destruction of all life on land. The ark, carrying Noah and his family, is the only vessel of life remaining amidst this devastation.
The waters have risen and completely submerged the earth, covering even the highest mountains. This catastrophic flood, a result of both torrential rain and the breaking open of underground springs, has brought about a total destruction of all life on land. The ark, carrying Noah and his family, is the only vessel of life remaining amidst this devastation.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Genesis 7:21-23 is available in the Sola app.
Judgment as an Expression of Holiness
This comprehensive death also magnifies God's holiness and hatred for sin. As Benson and Wesley point out, even the animals, who hadn't directly sinned in the human sense, were destroyed. This served as a powerful visible demonstration of how deeply sin had permeated creation and how utterly God opposed it. The judgment wasn't just on sinners, but a visible manifestation of His justice against sin itself, affecting all that was connected to humanity's rebellion.
The Hebrew word for 'man' or 'mankind,' derived from the word for ground (adamah), emphasizing humanity's origin from the earth and their unique status as image-bearers of God who are subject to judgment.
c. 2300 BC
Global Devastation
The floodwaters covered the entire earth, destroying all living beings on dry land—birds, livestock, wild animals, swarming creatures, and all humankind—except for those inside the ark.
c. 2300 BC
Waters Recede
After 150 days, the waters began to recede, and the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat, marking the end of the destructive phase of the flood.
"And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. He blotted out every living th…" — The verse lists various creatures that perished, but the inclusion of "all mankind" after the specific categories of animals highlights that humanity's sin was the unique reason for this global judgm…
