Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 6:19-22

"And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he." — Genesis 6:19-22 (ASV)

of every living thing of all flesh, two ... — The vast size of the ark and the wide terms used in reference to the animals to be collected into it make it evident that Noah was to save not merely his domestic cattle, but many wild species of beasts, birds, and creeping things. But the terms are conditioned by the usual rules for the interpretation of the language of Holy Scripture, and by the internal necessities of the event itself.

Thus, the animals in the ark could not have been more in number than four men and four women could attend to. Next, the terms exclude the carnivora (see also Note on Genesis 9:5). Not only was there no supply of animals taken on board to feed them, but half-tamed as they would have been by a year’s sojourn in the ark, they would have remained in Noah’s neighborhood and very soon would have destroyed all the cattle that had been saved, especially as far and wide no other living creatures would have existed for their food.

But if miracles are to be invoked to obviate these and similar difficulties, not only would it have been easier to save Noah and the denizens of the ark by one display of supernatural power, but the ark was the means provided by God for this purpose. And if He worked thus far through human instrumentality, in accordance with the usual law of the Divine working on earth, then to supplement the human means employed with repeated acts of omnipotence would have been to proclaim them insufficient.

It does not follow from this that no special providence watched over and guided the ark; such providence is often exercised now, but it works through and in accordance with the ordinary laws by which God governs the world.