Genesis 6
6
Ancient heroes
1When the number of people started to increase throughout the fertile land, daughters were born to them. 2The divine beings saw how beautiful these human women were, so they married the ones they chose. 3The LORD said, “My breath#6.3 Or spirit will not remain in humans forever, because they are flesh. They will live one hundred twenty years.” 4In those days, giants#6.4 Or the Nephilim lived on the earth and also afterward, when divine beings and human daughters had sexual relations and gave birth to children. These were the ancient heroes, famous men.
Great flood
5The LORD saw that humanity had become thoroughly evil on the earth and that every idea their minds thought up was always completely evil. 6The LORD regretted making human beings on the earth, and he was heartbroken. 7So the LORD said, “I will wipe off of the land the human race that I’ve created: from human beings to livestock to the crawling things to the birds in the skies, because I regret I ever made them.” 8But as for Noah, the LORD approved of him.
9These are Noah’s descendants. In his generation, Noah was a moral and exemplary man; he#6.9 Heb Noah walked with God. 10Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11In God’s sight, the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. 12God saw that the earth was corrupt, because all creatures behaved corruptly on the earth.
13God said to Noah, “The end has come for all creatures, since they have filled the earth with violence. I am now about to destroy them along with the earth, 14so make a wooden ark.#6.14 Or ark of gopher wood, an unknown species of tree Make the ark with nesting places and cover it inside and out with tar. 15This is how you should make it: four hundred fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high. 16Make a roof#6.16 Or window for the ark and complete it one foot from the top.#6.16 Heb uncertain Put a door in its side. In the hold below, make the second and third decks.
17“I am now bringing the floodwaters over the earth to destroy everything under the sky that breathes. Everything on earth is about to take its last breath. 18But I will set up my covenant with you. You will go into the ark together with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives. 19From all living things—from all creatures—you are to bring a pair, male and female, into the ark with you to keep them alive. 20From each kind of bird, from each kind of livestock, and from each kind of everything that crawls on the ground—a pair from each will go in with you to stay alive. 21Take some from every kind of food and stow it as food for you and for the animals.”
22Noah did everything exactly as God commanded him.
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Genesis 6
6
1And it came to pass when mankind began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2that the sons of God#GodHebrew: Elohim saw the daughters of men that they were fair, and took themselves wives of all that they chose.
3And Jehovah said, My Spirit shall not always plead with Man; for he indeed is flesh; but his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.
4In those days were the giants on the earth, and also afterwards, when the sons of God#GodHebrew: Elohim had come in to the daughters of men, and they had borne children to them; these were the heroes, who of old were men of renown. 5And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of Man was great on the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil continually.
6And Jehovah repented that he had made Man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart. 7And Jehovah said, I will destroy Man, whom I have created, from the earth — from man to cattle, to creeping things, and to fowl of the heavens; for I repent that I have made them.
8But Noah found favour in the eyes of Jehovah. 9This is the history of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect amongst his generations: Noah walked with God#GodHebrew: Elohim 10And Noah begot three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11And the earth was corrupt before God#GodHebrew: Elohim and the earth was full of violence. 12And God#GodHebrew: Elohim looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its way on the earth.
13And God#GodHebrew: Elohim said to Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is full of violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14Make thyself an ark of gopher wood: with cells shalt thou make the ark; and pitch it inside and outside with pitch. 15And thus shalt thou make it: let the length of the ark be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16A light shalt thou make to the ark; and to a cubit high shalt thou finish it above. And the door of the ark shalt thou set in its side: with a lower, second, and third story shalt thou make it. 17For I, behold, I bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy all flesh under the heavens in which is the breath of life: everything that is on the earth shall expire. 18But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt go into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. 19And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee: they shall be male and female. 20Of fowl after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of each shall go in to thee, to keep them alive. 21And take thou of all food that is eaten, and gather it to thee, that it may be for food for thee and for them.
22And Noah did it; according to all that God#GodHebrew: Elohim had commanded him, so did he.
First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.