never mind the preposterous idea that all the species on the planet could fit into it.
I agree that that IS an utterly preposterous idea, dear Simon (peace to you!), just given the size of the ark (the possibility that the interior was spiritual, not physical, notwithstanding). What, though, of... say... some from every genus, perhaps even from every "family"... and NOT from every "species" was actually the case? The word Hebrew word translated as "kind"... miyn... is transliterated by some to mean "species." But is that correct? Not necessarily. First, "species" is a Latin word... and Latin didn't exist at the time in question. Indeed, not for some few thousand years. In addition, the Hebrew writings we have today are translations from Greek. And the Greek (i?ea?) word denotes both "form" and "kind." So, we're back to "kind," which is not necessarily "species." The SYRIAN (the Greek term for Assyria, wherein the 10-tribe kingdom of Israel was exiled prior to Jerusalem's conquer and exile of the Jews by Babylon/Chaldea) word for the same term, however, means "family" or "race."
In the taxonomic scale, the taxon "family" ranks at least two steps above "species." The word "species" originates from a related Latin word "s pecere " which meant "to look at, to see, behold," and was with reference to the APPEARANCE of a kind of animal (possibly, that whole "if it LOOKS like a duck, well, then..." thing). The word "family", however, has its roots in meaning "'members of a household', including relatives...", but even moreso, in the main modern sense of "those connected by blood."
Given many folks stance on evolution... and the rate of that phenomenon said to occur in some non-human/plant life-forms... is it possible that what accompanied Noah and HIS "family"... were the progenitors of the modern animal kingdom "genuses"? Indeed, would there need to be anything other than some from each "family" to have been preserved, given evolution?
While I don't believe that humans evolved, I have absolutely NO doubt that animal species (but NOT their families/genuses) did and do evolve. Whether naturally or artificially. I believe science agrees with (the latter), as well.
Any thoughts?
Again, peace to you!
YOUR servant and a slave of Christ,
SA