Genesis 6:1-8

Wickedness in the World

1 When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them,
2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.
3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with[a] humans forever, for they are mortal[b] ; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
5 The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.
6 The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.
7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

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.

Cross References 18

  • 1. S Genesis 1:28
  • 2. Job 1:6 "fn"; 2:1 "fn"
  • 3. ver 4
  • 4. Deuteronomy 21:11
  • 5. S Genesis 4:19
  • 6. Job 34:14; Galatians 5:16-17
  • 7. Isaiah 57:16; 1 Peter 3:20
  • 8. Job 10:9; Psalms 78:39; Psalms 103:14; Isaiah 40:6
  • 9. Numbers 13:33
  • 10. ver 2
  • 11. Genesis 11:4
  • 12. Genesis 38:7; Job 34:26; Jeremiah 1:16; Jeremiah 44:5; Ezekiel 3:19
  • 13. Genesis 8:21; Psalms 14:1-3
  • 14. Exodus 32:14; 1 Samuel 15:11,35; 2 Samuel 24:16; 1 Chronicles 21:15; Isaiah 63:10; Jeremiah 18:7-10; Ephesians 4:30
  • 15. Ezekiel 33:28; Zephaniah 1:2,18
  • 16. ver 17; Genesis 7:4,21; Deuteronomy 28:63; Deuteronomy 29:20
  • 17. Ezekiel 14:14
  • 18. Genesis 19:19; Genesis 39:4; Ex 33:12,13,17; Exodus 34:9; Numbers 11:15; Ruth 2:2; Luke 1:30; Acts 7:46

Footnotes 2

Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.