Noah's introduction occurs uniquely amid divine grief and grace rather than his typical contexts of judgment and covenant, positioning him as God's gracious response to universal corruption.
Genesis 6
The Corruption of Humanity
1When men began to multiply on the surface of the ground, and daughters were born to them,
2God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives.
3The LORD said, “My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; so his days will be one hundred twenty years.”
4The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when God’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had children with them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
5The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil.
6The LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart.
7The LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the surface of the ground—man, along with animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky—for I am sorry that I have made them.”
8But Noah found favor in the LORD’s eyes.
Noah and the Command to Build the Ark
9This is the history of the generations of Noah: Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God.
10Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12God saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
13God said to Noah, “I will bring an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them and the earth.
14Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch.
15This is how you shall make it. The length of the ship shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.
16You shall make a roof in the ship, and you shall finish it to a cubit upward. You shall set the door of the ship in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third levels.
17I, even I, will bring the flood of waters on this earth, to destroy all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky. Everything that is in the earth will die.
18But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come into the ship, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
19Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ship, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.
20Of the birds after their kind, of the livestock after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort will come to you, to keep them alive.
21Take with you some of all food that is eaten, and gather it to yourself; and it will be for food for you, and for them.”
22Thus Noah did. He did all that God commanded him.
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Theme
Genesis 6 presents humanity's moral corruption reaching such depths that God grieves His creation and determines to destroy all flesh through a great flood. The chapter introduces the mysterious 'sons of God' who intermarry with human women, producing the Nephilim, while describing a world filled with violence and wickedness. Amidst this universal corruption, Noah stands as a righteous exception who finds favor with God and receives detailed instructions to build an ark for preserving life through the coming judgment.
Context
This chapter transitions from the genealogies and early human civilization of Genesis 4-5 to the flood narrative that will dominate Genesis 7-9.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-4 Sons of God and the Nephilim Mysterious beings intermarry with humans, producing mighty offspring in an increasingly corrupt world
- 5-7 God's Grief and Decision to Destroy The LORD observes humanity's complete wickedness and sorrowfully determines to destroy all life
- 8-10 Noah's Righteousness Noah alone finds favor with God as a righteous man who walks with God and fathers three sons
- 11-13 Earth's Corruption and Violence God observes that all flesh has corrupted their ways and the earth is filled with violence
- 14-21 Instructions for the Ark God provides Noah with detailed specifications for building the ark and preserving life through covenant
- 22 Noah's Obedience Noah demonstrates complete obedience by doing everything God commanded him
The Corruption of Humanity
6:1–6:8 narrative narration mournful
This passage describes humanity's corruption and God's decision to destroy the earth by flood due to widespread wickedness. Despite divine grief over creation's fallen state, Noah finds favor with God, setting up the salvation narrative to follow.
person_contrast
Noah's introduction occurs uniquely amid divine grief and grace rather than his typical contexts of judgment and covenant, positioning him as God's gracious response to universal corruption.
Noah and the Command to Build the Ark
6:9–6:22 narrative instruction solemn
God commands the righteous Noah to build an ark as preparation for the coming flood judgment. This passage establishes God's covenant with Noah and details the divine instructions for preserving life through the coming destruction.
person_contrast
Noah receives the Hebrew word "tamim" (blameless) here—the same term later reserved for sacrificial animals, uniquely positioning him as both priest and offering in God's covenant rescue plan.
Insights
Noah receives the Hebrew word "tamim" (blameless) here—the same term later reserved for sacrificial animals, uniquely positioning him as both priest and offering in God's covenant rescue plan.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Genesis 6:7 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 7:23 Lexical
Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, livestock, creeping things, and b…
Genesis 1:26 Lexical
God said, “Let’s make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over th…
Ezekiel 38:20 Lexical
so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, all creeping things who creep on the earth,…
Zephaniah 1:3 Lexical
I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the heaps of rubble w…
Jeremiah 16:4 Lexical
“They will die grievous deaths. They will not be lamented, neither will they be buried. They will be as dung on the surf…
Genesis 6:9 1 reference
Genesis 6:10 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 7:13 Lexical
In the same day Noah, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth—the sons of Noah—and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with t…
Genesis 10:1 Lexical
Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them aft…
Genesis 5:32 Lexical
Noah was five hundred years old, then Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 9:18 Lexical
The sons of Noah who went out from the ship were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham is the father of Canaan.
1 Chronicles 1:4 Lexical
Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 6:13 1 reference
Genesis 6:15 5 references
Lexicals 5
1 Kings 7:2 Lexical
For he built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was one hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its heig…
Exodus 27:18 Lexical
The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, and the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits, of fine…
1 Kings 6:2 Lexical
The house which King Solomon built for the LORD had a length of sixty cubits, and its width twenty, and its height thirt…
2 Chronicles 6:13 Lexical
(for Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in th…
Exodus 38:1 Lexical
He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. It was square. Its length was five cubits, its width was five cubits…
Genesis 6:16 1 reference
Genesis 6:17 2 references
Genesis 6:19 3 references
Lexicals 3
Genesis 7:9 Lexical
went by pairs to Noah into the ship, male and female, as God commanded Noah.
Genesis 7:16 Lexical
Those who went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded him; then the LORD shut him in.
Genesis 7:3 Lexical
Also of the birds of the sky, seven and seven, male and female, to keep seed alive on the surface of all the earth.
Genesis 6:20 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 7:14 Lexical
they, and every animal after its kind, all the livestock after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth…
Genesis 1:25 Lexical
God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on th…
Genesis 7:23 Lexical
Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, livestock, creeping things, and b…
Genesis 1:24 Lexical
God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth…
Genesis 8:17 Lexical
Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, including birds, livestock, and every creeping thin…
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