Genesis 6:11-22

11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence.

12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.

13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.

14 So make yourself an ark of cypress^[a] wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.

15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high.^[b]

16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit^[c] high all around.^[d] Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks.

17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.

18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.

19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.

20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.

21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”

22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

Genesis 6:11-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 6

This chapter gives an account of the wickedness of the old world, both among the profane and the professors of religion, which was taken notice of and resented by God, upon which he determined the destruction of it, Ge 6:1-7 only one man, Noah, is excepted, who found favour with God, and whose character is given, Ge 6:8-10 and to whom was observed by God the general corruption of the earth, Ge 6:11-13 and to whom he gave orders and directions for the building an ark for himself, and his family, being determined to destroy the earth with a flood, and all creatures in it, Ge 6:14-17 only he would preserve him and his wife, his three sons and their wives, and two of every living creature, for which, and for himself and his family, he was to take food into the ark when built, Ge 6:18-21 and the chapter is concluded with observing, that Noah did as he was commanded, Ge 6:22.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 31:29; Judges 2:19
• 2. Psalms 7:9; Psalms 73:6; Ezekiel 7:23; Ezekiel 8:17; Ezekiel 28:16; Malachi 2:16
• 3. Exodus 32:7; Deuteronomy 4:16; Deuteronomy 9:12,24
• 4. Psalms 14:1-3
• 5. Deuteronomy 28:63; 2 Kings 8:19; Ezra 9:14; Jeremiah 44:11
• 6. ver 17; Ge 7:4,21-23; Job 34:15; Isaiah 5:6; Isaiah 24:1-3; Jeremiah 44:27; Ezekiel 7:2-3
• 7. Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20
• 8. Exodus 2:3
• 9. Psalms 29:10
• 10. S ver 7,S 13; Ge 7:4,21-23; 2 Peter 2:5
• 11. Genesis 9:9-16; Genesis 17:7; Genesis 19:12; Exodus 6:4; Exodus 34:10,27; Dt 29:13,14-15; Psalms 25:10; Psalms 74:20; Psalms 106:45; Isaiah 55:3; Jeremiah 32:40; Ezekiel 16:60; Haggai 2:5; 1 Peter 3:20
• 12. Ge 7:1,7,13
• 13. Genesis 7:15
• 14. Genesis 7:15
• 15. S Genesis 1:11
• 16. Genesis 7:3
• 17. Genesis 7:5,9,16; Exodus 7:6; Exodus 39:43; Exodus 40:16,19,21,23,25,27,29,32

Footnotes

• [a]. The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
• [b]. That is, about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high or about 135 meters long, 23 meters wide and 14 meters high
• [c]. That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
• [d]. The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.