And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

GENESIS 7:23KJV
Know the Bible

Genesis 7:23 (KJV)

What does Genesis 7:23 mean?

Genesis 7:23 says that during the flood, every living thing on land—humans, animals, crawling creatures, and birds—was wiped out, except for Noah and those with him in the ark. The verse emphasizes that only Noah and his companions survived, while everything else on the ground perished.

This verse comes near the end of the flood story, describing the total destruction caused by the waters. The focus is on the completeness of the judgment, showing that survival was limited to those God had instructed Noah to bring into the ark. The verse highlights the seriousness of the event and sets up the new beginning for life on earth through Noah’s family and the animals with him.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 7:23

  • "Destroyed" (מָחָה, machah, H4229) is used twice in this verse and means to wipe out, blot out, or erase. The repetition underlines the totality of the destruction—nothing was left behind.
  • "Substance" (יְקוּם, yequm, H3351) refers to all living things that stand upright, meaning not just people but all creatures with life on the land. This word points to the broad scope of what was lost in the flood.
  • "Remained" (שָׁאַר, sha'ar, H7604) means to be left or to survive. The verse uses this word to stress that only Noah and those with him were left alive, highlighting the contrast between destruction and survival.

Why Genesis 7:23 matters

  • Genesis 7:23 clarifies that the flood was not a partial event but a total judgment on all land-dwelling life outside the ark, which is sometimes misunderstood.
  • The verse draws attention to Noah’s unique position as the only survivor with his group, underscoring the importance of obedience and God’s provision in the story.
  • This verse connects the flood narrative to the larger theme of new beginnings in Genesis, showing how the world would be repopulated through Noah after such a complete reset.

Where else these words appear

“substance” Hebrew H3351 · used in 3 verses

  • Genesis 7:4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
  • Deuteronomy 11:6 And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:

“things” Hebrew H7431 · used in 17 verses

  • Genesis 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
  • Genesis 7:14 They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort.
  • Psalms 104:25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

“only” Hebrew H389 · used in 22 verses

  • Genesis 9:4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
  • Exodus 12:16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.
  • Judges 7:19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

“ark” Hebrew H8392 · used in 25 verses

  • Genesis 6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
  • Genesis 7:13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;
  • Genesis 8:10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;