Genesis 7

Genesis 7 read aloud, in a fresh direct translation from the Hebrew — plain modern English, nothing added. Translator's notes: • Genesis 7:2 — שִׁבְעָה שִׁבְעָה (shiv'ah shiv'ah): chose "seven pairs". Alternatives: "seven of each kind", "by sevens". Why: the Hebrew repeats the number ("seven, seven") and immediately adds "a male and its mate", which is the language of pairs. • Genesis 7:11 — אֲרֻבֹּת הַשָּׁמַיִם (arubbot hashamayim): chose "the floodgates of the sky". Alternatives: "the windows of the sky", "the windows of heaven", "the sluices of the sky". Why: an arubbah is an opening that lets things through — in the sky's case, water; "floodgates" keeps that picture without suggesting glass windows.