Genesis 6:1-9

1 When people had spread all over the world, and daughters were being born, ¹

2 some of the heavenly beings saw that these young women were beautiful, so they took the ones they liked.

3 Then the Lord said, "I will not allow people to live forever; they are mortal. From now on they will live no longer than 120 years."

4 In those days, and even later, there were giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and the heavenly beings. They were the great heroes and famous men of long ago. ²

5 When the Lord saw how wicked everyone on earth was and how evil their thoughts were all the time, ³

6 he was sorry that he had ever made them and put them on the earth. He was so filled with regret

7 that he said, "I will wipe out these people I have created, and also the animals and the birds, because I am sorry that I made any of them."

8 But the Lord was pleased with Noah.

9 This is the story of Noah. He had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Noah had no faults and was the only good man of his time. He lived in fellowship with God, ⁴

Genesis 6:1-9 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. 6.1-4Job 1.6; 2.1.
• 2. 6.4Numbers 13.33+2Ben Sira 16.7;Baruch 3.26.
• 3. 6.5-8Matthew 24.37;Luke 17.26; 1 P 3.20.
• 4. 6.9 +2Ben Sira 44.17, 18; +12 Peter 2.5.

Footnotes

• [a]. heavenly beings; [or] sons of the gods; [or] sons of God.