Genesis 6:1-8

Prelude to the Flood

1 And it happened [that], when humankind began to multiply on the face of the ground, daughters were born to them.

2 Then the sons of God saw the daughters of humankind, that they [were] beautiful. And they took for themselves wives from all that they chose.

3 And Yahweh said, "My Spirit shall not abide with humankind forever in that he [is] also flesh. And his days [shall be] one hundred and twenty years."

4 The Nephilim [were] upon the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God went into the daughters of humankind, and they bore children to them.

5 And Yahweh saw that the evil of humankind [was] great upon the earth, and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart [was] always only evil.

6 And Yahweh regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and {he was grieved in his heart}.

7 And Yahweh said, "I will destroy humankind whom I created from upon the face of the earth, from humankind, to animals, to creeping things, and to the birds of heaven, for I regret that I have made them."

8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of Yahweh.

Genesis 6:1-8 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Or "And"
• [b] Literally "every day"
• [c] Literally "he was grieved to his heart"
• [d] Or "the sky"