Genesis 6

The Human Race Becomes Evil

1The number of people on earth began to grow. Daughters were born to these people. 2The sons of God saw that these girls were beautiful. And they married any of them they chose. 3The Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain in human beings forever. This is because they are flesh. They will live only 120 years.”

4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days and also later. That was when the sons of God had physical relations with the daughters of men. These women gave birth to children, who became famous. They were the mighty warriors of long ago.

5The Lord saw that the human beings on the earth were very wicked. He also saw that their thoughts were only about evil all the time. 6The Lord was sorry he had made human beings on the earth. His heart was filled with pain. 7So the Lord said, “I will destroy all human beings that I made on the earth. And I will destroy every animal and everything that crawls on the earth. I will also destroy the birds of the air. This is because I am sorry that I have made them.” 8But Noah pleased the Lord.

Noah and the Great Flood

9This is the family history of Noah. Noah was a good man. He was the most innocent man of his time. He walked with God. 10Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

11People on earth did what God said was evil. Violence was everywhere. 12And God saw this evil. All people on the earth did only evil. 13So God said to Noah, “People have made the earth full of violence. So I will destroy all people from the earth. 14Build a boat of cypress wood for yourself. Make rooms in it and cover it inside and outside with tar. 15This is how big I want you to build the boat: 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. 16Make an opening around the top of the boat. Make it 18 inches high from the edge of the roof down. Put a door in the side of the boat. Make an upper, middle and lower deck in it. 17I will bring a flood of water on the earth. I will destroy all living things that live under the sky. This includes everything that has the breath of life. Everything on the earth will die. 18But I will make an agreement with you. You, your sons, your wife and your sons’ wives will all go into the boat. 19Also, you must bring into the boat two of every living thing, male and female. Keep them alive with you. 20There will be two of every kind of bird, animal and crawling thing. They will come to you to be kept alive. 21Also gather some of every kind of food. Store it on the boat as food for you and the animals.”

22Noah did everything that God commanded him.

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Genesis 6

Sons of God and Daughters of Mankind

1When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2the sons of God#Jb 1:6; 2:1; 38:7 saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves.#1Pt 3:19–20; Jd 6 3And the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain#6:3 Or strive with#6:3 Or in mankind forever,#Gl 5:16–17; 1Pt 3:20 because they are corrupt.#6:3 Lit flesh#Ps 78:39 Their days will be 120 years.” 4The Nephilim#6:4 Possibly means “fallen ones”; traditionally, “giants”; Nm 13:31–33 were on the earth both in those days and afterward, when the sons of God came to the daughters of mankind, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men of old, the famous men.

Judgment Decreed

5When the Lord saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time,#Gn 8:21; Ps 14:1–3; Pr 6:18; Mt 15:19; Rm 1:28–32 6the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth,#Nm 23:19; 1Sm 15:11,29; 2Sm 24:16; Jl 2:13 and he was deeply grieved. 7Then the Lord said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I created, off the face of the earth, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky — for I regret that I made them.” 8Noah, however, found favor with the Lord.#Gn 19:19; Ex 33:17; Lk 1:30

God Warns Noah

9These are the family records#Gn 2:4 of Noah. Noah was a righteous man,#Ps 37:39; 2Pt 2:5 blameless among his contemporaries;#Gn 17:1; Dt 18:13; Jb 1:1 Noah walked with God.#Gn 5:22 10And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with wickedness.#6:11 Or injustice, also in v. 13 12God saw how corrupt the earth was, for every creature had corrupted its way on the earth.#Jb 22:15–17; Ps 14:2–3; 53:2–3 13Then God said to Noah, “I have decided to put an end to every creature, for the earth is filled with wickedness because of them; therefore I am going to destroy them along with the earth.

14“Make yourself an ark of gopher#6:14 Unknown species of tree; perhaps pine or cypress wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and outside. 15This is how you are to make it: The ark will be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.#6:15 Or 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high 16You are to make a roof,#6:16 Or window, or hatch; Hb uncertain finishing the sides of the ark to within eighteen inches#6:16 Lit to a cubit of the roof. You are to put a door in the side of the ark. Make it with lower, middle, and upper decks.

17“Understand that I am bringing a flood — floodwaters on the earth#Gn 7:4; 2Pt 2:5 to destroy every creature under heaven with the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18But I will establish my covenant with you,#Gn 9:9–16; 17:7 and you will enter the ark with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives. 19You are also to bring into the ark two of all the living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20Two of everything — from the birds according to their kinds, from the livestock according to their kinds, and from the animals that crawl on the ground according to their kinds — will come to you so that you can keep them alive. 21Take with you every kind of food that is eaten; gather it as food for you and for them.” 22And Noah did this. He did everything that God had commanded him.#Gn 7:5

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