And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that Noah and his family entered the ark because of the waters of the flood. This emphasizes that their action wasn't arbitrary; it was a direct, fearful response to the imminent divine judgment that was visibly beginning to manifest, showing faith in the unseen danger even as the world remained oblivious.
And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Lord has just commanded Noah to enter the ark with his family and the animals, and immediately after, the text describes their obedience. This act of entering the ark is presented as a direct response to the impending floodwaters, highlighting their faith and urgency as the very day the rain began to fall.
Noah didn't just believe God; he acted on that belief. What does it look like to obey when the stakes are this high?
God's command to Noah wasn't a suggestion; it was an urgent call to action. Noah and his family didn't hesitate or wait for the floodwaters to start rising. The text says they went into the ark. This wasn't a passive waiting game; it was a decisive step of faith.
It wasn't just Noah; his whole family went with him. What does this unity in faith teach us about God's plan?
The verse specifically lists not only Noah but also 'his sons and his wife and his sons' wives.' This emphasis on the entire family entering together is significant.
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Understand the original words
tebah · Hebrew Noun
An ark (tebah) is a vessel or chest, notably used for Noah and the infant Moses. It signifies a place of divine protection and safety amidst a surrounding judgment or threat.
Noah's act of entering the ark wasn't a fearful reaction to the rising waters, but a deliberate step of faith taken a full week *before* the rain began, demonstrating his trust in God's word even when outward signs were minimal.
c. 1000 years before the Flood
Noah Instructed to Build Ark
God commands Noah to build an ark and reveals the coming flood, giving him 120 years to complete the task and warn humanity.
c. 100 years before the Flood
Noah Completes Ark Construction
Noah finishes building the massive ark according to God's specifications, a testament to his obedience and faith over a century.
Second month, seventeenth day of Noah's 600th year— this verse
Floodwaters Begin to Rise
The catastrophic flood begins as the 'fountains of the great deep' burst forth and the 'windows of heaven' open, unleashing torrential rain.
Seventh day after the command to enter
Noah and Family Enter the Ark
Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives enter the ark, just before the torrential rains commence.
Forty days and forty nights
Continuous Heavy Rains
Torrential rain falls relentlessly for forty days and forty nights, causing the waters to rise and cover the entire earth.
150 days
Waters Prevail Over Earth
The floodwaters continue to rise and cover all the high hills under heaven, prevailing for 150 days.
This passage directly references Noah and the eight souls saved in the ark, drawing a parallel between their salvation by water and the salvation offered through baptism.
Luke 17:27Jesus uses the days of Noah as a comparison for His own return, highlighting that life continued as normal, oblivious to the impending judgment, just as it was before the Flood.
Hebrews 11:7This verse explicitly states Noah's actions were motivated by faith, building the ark out of obedience and a conviction about the truth of God's warning regarding the waters of the flood.
Genesis 6:18This verse outlines God's covenantal promise to Noah, establishing the ark not just as a means of escape but as a vessel for the continuation of His redemptive plan for humanity and creation.
gillGenesis 7:7: "And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood."
And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark,.... Within the space of the seven days, between the command of God to go into it, and the coming of the flood; or rather on the seventh day, on which it began to rain; when he saw it was coming on, see Genesis 7:11 . because of the waters of the flood; for fear of the…
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 highlights that Noah and his family entered the ark because of the waters of the flood. This emphasizes that their action wasn't arbitrary; it was a direct, fearful response to the imminent divine judgment that was visibly beginning to manifest, showing faith in the unseen danger even as the world remained oblivious.
The Lord has just commanded Noah to enter the ark with his family and the animals, and immediately after, the text describes their obedience. This act of entering the ark is presented as a direct response to the impending floodwaters, highlighting their faith and urgency as the very day the rain began to fall.
The Lord has just commanded Noah to enter the ark with his family and the animals, and immediately after, the text describes their obedience. This act of entering the ark is presented as a direct response to the impending floodwaters, highlighting their faith and urgency as the very day the rain began to fall.
"And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood." — The verse highlights that Noah and his family entered the ark because of the waters of the flood. This emphasizes that their action wasn't arbitrary; it was a direct, fearful response to the immine…
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Last reviewed October 2026