Genesis 6
6
The Wickedness of Humankind
1When people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, 2the sons of God saw that they were fair; and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose. 3Then the Lord said, “My spirit shall not abide#6.3 Meaning of Heb uncertain in mortals forever, for they are flesh; their days shall be one hundred twenty years.” 4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went in to the daughters of humans, who bore children to them. These were the heroes that were of old, warriors of renown.
5The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. 6And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7So the Lord said, “I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8But Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord.
Noah Pleases God
9These are the descendants of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. 10And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12And God saw that the earth was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth. 13And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth. 14Make yourself an ark of cypress#6.14 Meaning of Heb uncertain wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16Make a roof#6.16 Or window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. 18But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. 19And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind shall come in to you, to keep them alive. 21Also take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.
New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Genesis 6
6
Sons of God and Daughters of Men
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 # Or women for themselves. # 1Pt 3:19-20; Jd 6 3And the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain # Or strive with # Or in mankind forever, # Gl 5:16-17; 1Pt 3:20 because they are corrupt. # Lit flesh # Ps 78:39 Their days will be 120 years.” 4The Nephilim # 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 man’s wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every scheme his mind thought of 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 grieved in His heart. 7Then the Lord said, “I will wipe off from the face of the earth mankind, whom I created, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky — for I regret that I made them.” 8Noah, however, found favor in the sight of 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. # Or injustice 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 # Or injustice because of them; therefore I am going to destroy them along with the earth.
14“Make yourself an ark of gopher # 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. # Or 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high 16You are to make a roof, # Or window, or hatch ; Hb uncertain finishing the sides of the ark to within 18 inches # 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 die. 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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