Noah's Ark question.?

The answer is found in the Documentary Hypothesis.

You can Google it for more details. But basically, it says that there were four authors and an editor of the Torah. Their individual writings were put together by a fifth editor/author. The five are named JEPDR.

FYI, the Noah's Ark story is just one of many stories in the Torah with inconsistent details. Another big one is the creation story. Did God create the plants before Adam (Genesis 1) or Adam before the plants (Genesis 2)?!? Also, in Genesis 1, God is called "God." In Genesis 2, He is called "the Lord God."

ADDED: The idea of animals being clean or unclean wasn't invented yet at the time of Noah. Kosher laws were written by Levite priests thousands of years later, around the time of Moses. Noah wouldn't have known what a clean or an unclean animal was.

Note that it is 1/12th of the size, and they still did not float it on a canal. Find me a maritime engineer that can design a wooden boat the size of the ark that will not break up or leak like a sieve on a calm ocean swell and I will take the story slightly more seriously. Also I must have missed the bit about Noah making 6ft high panes of glass. The windows on the ark are described as a single window one cubit square. To provide adequate ventilation over the three decks Noah would have to design a system to move air though the window at about 200 mph. Finally, where did you get 40 days? That is how long it rained. Go back a re-read the passage. The animals were on the ark for one year.

The real explanation is that two different versions of the story were slapped together when the Bible was redacted. One version was written by the Priestly author, the one that said the priestly tradition started with Aaron. In that tradition, there was no need to bring animals for sacrifice because the tradition of priestly sacrifice did not yet exist. That's the version that says one pair of each animal.

There are numerous other internal contradictions in the story which a careful reading will reveal. All can be explained by understanding that it's two versions of the legend merged into one.

The story of Noah's Ark is actually a Jewish-appropriated Babylonian myth. The original story, called the Epic of Gilgamesh, is strikingly similar to the Noah's Ark story. 7:2 may have been tacked on in order to make the story more "Jewish" by early Hebrew scribes.

It never hurts to know the origins of Bible stories. :)

Refuse was stored on the lowest of the Ark's three decks, humans and clean beasts on the second, and the unclean animals and birds on the top. A differing opinion placed the refuse in the utmost storey, from where it was shovelled into the sea through a trapdoor. Precious stones, bright as midday, provided light, and God ensured that food was kept fresh. The giant Og, king of Bashan, was among those saved, but owing to his size had to remain outside, Noah passing him food through a hole cut into the wall of the Ark. I dont think the numbers mean actual numbers, but represent the type of animal, clean or unclean.

I thinking maybe 7 males and 7 females of every clean animals. That way there will be enough for sacrifices and for food.

Two males and 2 females of unclean since we don't need as many unclean animals.

The bigger question is this. Do you have any idea how big the ark would have to have been to hold two of every animal plus food for all of them for 40 days. Lets face it an aircraft carrier would not be big enough. The ark is a story used for teaching purposes. If the earth was covered with water why do we have salt-water oceans and fresh water lakes. Don't you think it would all have been mixed together. There would be some residue of salt water in the great lakes, for example, if it was all mixed together in a great flood.

Of the wild animals two were needed...for breeding in the wild.

Of the domestic [ tamed ] animals, three pairs were requiored for breeding and one extra for sacrifice to God.

To us, a sacrificed animal is lost for good, but to God, He can replace it if necessary...

Basically, it is US giving thanks by being able to give God something valuable...

We always give our MOST loved one the MOST valuable gift...

So God actually gave to US the means to give to HIM.

He gave us seven, and we give him one.

This is how I understand it:

At least 1 male and 1 female of every living creature (insects, reptiles, etc)

But of animals (mammals) take 7 males and 7 females unless the animal is unclean (not kosher) - pigs, camels etc.

Not that it ever happened though.

The 7 pairs of clean animals were for blood sacrifce for sin, and human consumption after the global Flood.