Genesis 6

Evil Increases on the Earth

1The number of people increased all over the earth, and daughters were born to them. 2The sons of God saw that the daughters of other humans were beautiful. So they married any woman they chose.

3Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not struggle with humans forever, because they are flesh and blood. They will live 120 years.”

4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, as well as later, when the sons of God slept with the daughters of other humans and had children by them. These children were famous long ago.

5The Lord saw how evil humans had become on the earth. All day long their deepest thoughts were nothing but evil. 6The Lord was sorry that he had made humans on the earth, and he was heartbroken. 7So he said, “I will wipe off the face of the earth these humans that I created. I will wipe out not only humans, but also domestic animals, crawling animals, and birds. I’m sorry that I made them.” 8But the Lord was pleased with Noah.

Noah’s Family and the Ship

9This is the account of Noah and his descendants.

Noah had God’s approval and was a man of integrity among the people of his time. He walked with God. 10He had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11The world was corrupt in God’s sight and full of violence. 12God saw the world and how corrupt it was because all people on earth lived evil lives.

13God said to Noah, “I have decided to put an end to all people because the earth is full of their violence. Now I’m going to destroy them along with the earth. 14Make yourself a ship of cypress wood. #6:14 Or “teakwood.” Make rooms in the ship and coat it inside and out with tar. 15This is how you should build it: the ship is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 16Make a roof for the ship, and leave an 18-inch-high opening at the top. Put a door in the side of the ship. Build the ship with lower, middle, and upper decks. 17I’m about to send a flood on the earth to destroy all people under the sky—every living, breathing human. Everything on earth will die.

18“But I will make my promise #6:18 Or “covenant.” to you. You, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives will go into the ship. 19Bring two of every living creature into the ship in order to keep them alive with you. They must be male and female. 20Two of every type of bird, every type of domestic animal, and every type of creature that crawls on the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21Take every kind of food that can be eaten and store it. It will be food for you and the animals.”

22Noah did this. He did everything that God had commanded him.

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Genesis 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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