The Quran

Preface

حَتّىٰ إِذا جاءَ أَمرُنا وَفارَ التَّنّورُ قُلنَا احمِل فيها مِن كُلٍّ زَوجَينِ اثنَينِ وَأَهلَكَ إِلّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيهِ القَولُ وَمَن آمَنَ ۚ وَما آمَنَ مَعَهُ إِلّا قَليلٌ

Yusuf Ali

At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth¹ gushed forth! We said: “Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female,² and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,-³ and the Believers.” but only a few believed with him.

Far al tannur. Two interpretations have been given: (1) the fountains or the springs on the surface of the earth bubbled over or gushed forth; or (2) the oven (of God’s Wrath) boiled over. The former has the weight of the best authority behind it and I prefer it. Moreover, the same phrase occurs in 23:27, where it is a clause coordinated (as here) with the coming of God’s Command. These two passages may be compared with 54:11-12, where it is said that water poured forth from the skies and gushed forth from the springs. This double action is familiar to anyone who has seen floods on a large scale. The rain from above would saturate the great Ararat Plateau, and give great force to the springs and fountains in the valley of the Tigris below.
Zawjayn: the dual number refers to the two individuals in each pair of opposite sexes. Some of the most authoritative Commentators (e.g., Imām Razi) construe it in this sense, though others construe it to mean two pairs of each species.
A disobedient and recalcitrant son (or step-son or grandson) of Noah is mentioned below (11:42-43, 45-46). A member of the family, who breaks away from the traditions of the family in things that matter, ceases to share in the privileges of the family.