New American Standard Bible 1995

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Genesis

7

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13

On the very same day Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark,

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
On the very same bone, substance, self Noun H6106 בְּעֶ֨צֶם be·'e·tzem
Analysis:
Read more about: On
day day Noun H3117 הַיֹּ֤ום hai·yo·vm
Noah "rest," patriarch who survived the flood Noun H5146 נֹ֔חַ no·ach,
Analysis:
Read more about: Noah
and Shem "name," oldest son of Noah Noun H8035 וְשֵׁם־ ve·shem-
Analysis:
Read more about: Shem
and Ham a son of Noah, also his desc., also a name for Egyptians Noun H2526 וְחָ֥ם ve·cham
Analysis:
Read more about: Ham
and Japheth, a son of Noah Noun H3315 וָיֶ֖פֶת va·ye·fet
Analysis:
Read more about: Japheth
the sons son Noun H1121 בְּנֵי־ be·nei-
of Noah, "rest," patriarch who survived the flood Noun H5146 נֹ֑חַ no·ach;
Analysis:
Read more about: Noah
and Noah's "rest," patriarch who survived the flood Noun H5146 נֹ֗חַ no·ach
wife woman, wife, female Noun H802 וְאֵ֣שֶׁת ve·'e·shet
and the three a three, triad Noun H7969 וּשְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת u·she·lo·shet
Analysis:

Three: Purposes of God in: Testing, revealing, proving, documenting, victory and if applied to God, holiness

The number "three" is one of the most significant numbers in the Scriptures. Its primary purpose is for the sake of revealing or documenting something as fact (testing to validate something). It is also connected to the outcome of the will of God. One of the most famous occurrences for the number three is found in the book of Jonah, where Jonah is in the belly of the fish "three days and three nights."  A major aspect of the book of Jonah is that the prophet was fleeing from the presence of HaShem. Instead of Jonah going to Nineveh as God had commanded, the prophet desired not to obey this commandment, even if it meant that his relationship with God would be destroyed. HaShem decided to test to see if Jonah preferred to end his relationship with God rather than go to Nineveh. By placing Jonah in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights, it would be revealed whether it was true that Jonah wanted to end his relationship with God over this commandment to go to Nineveh. It is most significant that immediately after (in the next verse) the reader is informed that Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.  What does Jonah do? The text states that Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from within the fish. Hence, the three days and three nights ultimately revealed, proved, or documented that what Jonah said he wanted was not true. One could also say that Jonah was tested for those three days and three nights and the test results showed that he did not want to end his relationship with God and in the end Jonah went to Nineveh.

In a similar manner, Peter rejects Yeshua's statement that he will deny Him. Therefore, Yeshua says to Peter that he will deny Him three times. These three denials prove, document, and reveal to the reader that Yeshua's statement was factual. It is not a coincidence that when Yeshua reinstated Peter after the resurrection, He asked him three times, "do you love Me?” In this context, Yeshua was testing the validity of Peter's statement. 

Yeshua also revealed that He, in a similar manner to Jonah being in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, would be in the belly of the earth three days and three nights and then rise from the dead. In this passage, the number three not only documents the fact that He died, but also the resurrection. It is also very significant that Yeshua rose on the third day.

The number three also relates to victory, as in the completion of God's purposes and plans. In the book of Genesis, one reads about the offering of Isaac. This passage has great theological significance and is one of the first passages which is read in the morning synagogue service each day. This section begins with HaShem commanding Abraham to offer his son as a burnt offering on one of the mountains in the land of Moriah. The climax of this portion of Scripture comes about on the third day. It was on the third day that HaShem provided the ram so that Isaac would live. In this passage, Isaac represents the promise (of God) which would have died (ended) had not HaShem acted. There is not a conflict between the two concepts for the number three of victory (the fulfillment of God’s will) and revelation or documentation. Often, it is the climax of what HaShem wants to do, which is simply being revealed or proved with the use of the number three.

Please note that when the number three is applied to God, then it can relate to holiness; whereas the number seven relates to holiness when this number is about man (see explanation for the number seven).

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

wives woman, wife, female Noun H802 נְשֵֽׁי־ ne·shei-
of his sons son Noun H1121 בָנָ֛יו va·nav
with them, entered to come in, come, go in, go Verb H935 בָּ֣א ba
the ark, a box, chest Noun H8392 הַתֵּבָֽה׃ hat·te·vah.

People

Ham

a place in Palestine

Noah

a woman of Manasseh

Shem

|name,| oldest son of Noah

Japheth

Japheth [N] [S] wide spreading: "God shall enlarge Japheth" (Heb. Yaphat Elohim le-Yephet,  Genesis 9:27 . Some, however, derive the name from yaphah , "to be beautiful;" hence white), one of the sons of Noah, mentioned last in order ( Genesis 5:32 ;  6:10 ;  7:13 ), perhaps first by birth ( 10:21 ; comp  9:24 ). He and his wife were t... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 On the very same day Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark,
King James Bible On In the very same selfsame day Noah entered Noah, and Shem Shem, and Ham Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, entered into the ark,ark;
Hebrew Greek English On the very same day Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark,