Genesis 6:8-18

8 But Noah ¹found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah and the Flood

9 These are the generations of Noah. ²Noah was a righteous man, ³blameless in his generation. Noah ⁴walked with God.

10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.

12 And God ⁵saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, ⁶for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

13 And God said to Noah, ⁷“I have determined to make an end of all flesh, ^[a] for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. ^[b] Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch.

15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, ^[c] its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits.

16 Make a roof^[d] for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks.

17 ⁸For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.

18 But ⁹I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.

Genesis 6:8-18 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. 6:8 ch. 19:19; Ex. 33:12, 13, 16, 17
• 2. 6:9 ch. 7:1; Ezek. 14:14, 20; 2 Pet. 2:5
• 3. 6:9 Job 1:1, 8; Luke 1:6
• 4. 6:9 ch. 5:22, 24; [Heb. 11:7]
• 5. 6:12 Ps. 14:2, 3; 53:2, 3
• 6. 6:12 Job 22:15-17
• 7. 6:13 Ezek. 7:2, 3, 6
• 8. 6:17 ch. 7:4; 2 Pet. 2:5
• 9. 6:18 ch. 9:9, 11

Footnotes

• [a] 6:13 Hebrew 'The end of all flesh has come before me'
• [b] 6:14 An unknown kind of tree; transliterated from Hebrew
• [c] 6:15 A 'cubit' was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
• [d] 6:16 Or 'skylight'