According to Genesis, which animals did Noah take in sevens rather than in pairs?

According to Genesis, Noah took clean animals in sevens rather than merely in pairs.

Genesis 7:2 instructs Noah to take seven pairs of every clean animal, while taking one pair of animals that are not clean. The following verse separately mentions seven pairs of birds. The wording is commonly summarized as “seven of each clean animal,” but the passage’s exact phrasing concerns pairs.

This detail is easy to miss because the broader flood story is often remembered through the phrase “two by two.” Genesis 6:19–20 describes bringing pairs of living creatures, while Genesis 7 gives the more specific distinction between clean and unclean animals. The two passages are therefore discussed together when interpreting the narrative.

The clean-animal category relates to biblical ritual classification, though Genesis does not provide a complete list in this passage. The extra animals may also be connected with Noah’s later sacrifice, since Genesis 8:20 says he offered some clean animals and birds after leaving the ark.