Genesis 6:11

11 But the earth was corrupted before God, and the earth was filled with iniquity.

Genesis 6:11 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 6:11

The earth also was corrupt before God
That is, the inhabitants of the earth were corrupt in their lives and conversations; they were corrupt both in principle and practice, and did abominable things; and those corruptions were, according to Jarchi, uncleanness and idolatry; they were corrupt in the worship of God, worshipping the creature more, or besides the Creator; and they were corrupt in their manners and behaviour to one another, being guilty of fornication and adultery, and other enormous crimes; of some against God, and of others against their neighbours; and these they committed openly and impudently, without any fear of God, or dread of his wrath and displeasure, and in contempt of him, his will and laws:

and the earth was filled with violence;
with doing injury to the persons and properties of men; with oppression and cruelty, by tyrannical decrees and unrighteous judgments; or with rapines and robberies, as the Targums and Jarchi; and with rapes, as Aben Ezra adds: the account that Lucian F24 gives from tradition agrees with this; that the present race of men is not the first, they totally perished by a flood; and those men were very insolent and addicted to unjust actions; for they neither kept their oaths, nor were hospitable to strangers, nor gave ear to suppliants, for which reason they were destroyed.


FOOTNOTES:

F24 De Dea Syria.

Genesis 6:11 In-Context

9 And these the generations of Noe. Noe was a just man; being perfect in his generation, Noe was well-pleasing to God.
10 And Noe begot three sons, Sem, Cham, Japheth.
11 But the earth was corrupted before God, and the earth was filled with iniquity.
12 And the Lord God saw the earth, and it was corrupted; because all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.
13 And the Lord God said to Noe, A period of all men is come before me; because the earth has been filled with iniquity by them, and, behold, I destroy them and the earth.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.