The Bible — World English Bible
Genesis 6
In brief
Genesis 6 opens on a world that humanity has filled with violence. God sees it, he is grieved, and he announces judgment. Yet in the middle of this dark picture, one man finds grace in his eyes: Noah, who walked with God. The Lord gives him the plan for an ark and promises his covenant. The chapter ends with Noah's obedience, as he does everything God commands him. It shows both the seriousness of sin and the initiative of grace.
The chapter in 5 parts
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.
3Yahweh 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.
5Yahweh 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.
6Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart.
7Yahweh 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 Yahweh’s eyes.
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.
Key verses
Yahweh said, “My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; so his days will be one hundred twenty years.”
God sets a limit of one hundred twenty years. Some see in it the span of human life, others a period of patience granted before the flood. Either way, the verse speaks of time given to return to God.
Yahweh 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. Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart.
The diagnosis is severe: evil reaches the thoughts of the heart, not only actions. God's grief shows that he is not indifferent: sin truly affects him.
But Noah found favor in Yahweh’s eyes.
The turning point of the chapter. Noah receives grace even before he is described as righteous in the next verse: God's favor comes first and is the foundation of obedience.
This is the history of the generations of Noah: Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God.
Noah is called righteous and blameless, and he walked with God. This is a life turned toward God day by day, not flawless perfection.
But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come into the ship, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
This is the first mention of a covenant in the Bible. God commits himself to Noah and his family before the flood comes.
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Frequently asked questions about Genesis 6
What does “Noah found favor in Yahweh’s eyes” mean (Genesis 6:8)?
It means that Noah was the object of God's favor, without having earned it. The verse comes before the description of Noah as a righteous man: grace comes first. It does not excuse us from obeying, since Noah then does everything God commands him, but obedience responds to grace, it does not earn it.
Who are the “God’s sons” of Genesis 6:2?
The text does not say, and readers disagree. Some see spiritual beings or angels, others the descendants of Seth mixing with those of Cain. In any case, the chapter is less concerned with their identity than with the general corruption that results and the judgment that is announced.
What is the main message of Genesis 6?
Sin deeply damages the earth and grieves God, but it does not leave humanity without a way out. God takes the initiative: he grants his grace to Noah, establishes his covenant with him and gives him the means to be saved. Noah responds with trust and obedience, by building the ark.
What does “one hundred twenty years” mean in Genesis 6:3?
Two explanations are common. For some, God now limits human lifespan to about one hundred twenty years. For others, it is the period of patience given to people before the flood, while Noah builds the ark. The text says no more, and both readings stress that God leaves time to return to him.
Articles quoting Genesis 6
World English Bible translation — public domain.