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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Genesis 6

The Lord Will Send a Flood

1-2 # Job 1.6; 2.1. More and more people were born, until finally they spread all over the earth. Some of their daughters were so beautiful that supernatural beings#6.1,2 supernatural beings: Or “angels.” came down and married the ones they wanted. 3Then the Lord said, “I won't let my life-giving breath remain in anyone forever.#6.3 I won't … forever: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. No one will live for more than 120 years.”#6.3 No one … years: Or “In fact, they will all be destroyed in about 100 years” (that is, at the time of the flood).

4 # Nu 13.33; Si 16.7; Ba 3.26. #3 Macc 2.4. The children of the supernatural beings who had married these women became famous heroes and warriors. They were called Nephilim and lived on the earth at that time and even later.

5 # Mt 24.37; Lk 17.26; 1 P 3.20. The Lord saw how bad the people on earth were and that everything they thought and planned was evil. 6He was sorry that he had made them, 7and he said, “I'm going to destroy every person on earth! I'll even wipe out animals, birds, and reptiles. I'm sorry I ever made them.”

8But the Lord was pleased with Noah, 9#Si 44.17,18; 2 P 2.5. and this is the story about him. Noah was the only person who lived right and obeyed God. 10He had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11-12God knew that everyone was terribly cruel and violent. 13So he told Noah:

Cruelty and violence have spread everywhere. Now I'm going to destroy the whole earth and all its people. 14Get some good lumber and build a boat. Put rooms in it and cover it with tar inside and out. 15Make it 133 meters long, 22 meters wide, and 13 meters high. 16Build a roof#6.16 roof: Or “window.” on the boat and leave a space of about 44 centimeters between the roof and the sides.#6.16 leave … sides: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. Make the boat three stories high and put a door on one side.

17I'm going to send a flood that will destroy everything that breathes! Nothing will be left alive. 18But I solemnly promise that you, your wife, your sons, and your daughters-in-law will be kept safe in the boat.#6.18 boat: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 18.

19-20Take into the boat with you a male and a female of every kind of animal and bird, as well as a male and a female of every reptile. I don't want them to be destroyed. 21Store up enough food both for yourself and for them.

22 # He 11.7. Noah did everything God told him to do.

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