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Genesis 6

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Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Genesis 6 Overview

Genesis 6 describes a world filled with increasing corruption and violence. The chapter includes the difficult account of the sons of God, daughters of men, giants, and mighty men, then emphasizes that human wickedness is great and the earth is corrupt before God. The LORD determines to judge the world with a flood, but Noah finds grace. God gives Noah detailed instructions for an ark and establishes his covenant purpose to preserve Noah, his family, and representatives of living creatures.

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Before you read Genesis 6

Coming from

Genesis 5 carries Adam’s line to Noah while repeatedly showing death’s reign.

In this chapter

Human corruption becomes worldwide, but judgment is accompanied by grace and a divinely provided means of preservation.

Leads into

Genesis 7 records Noah entering the ark and the flood waters covering the earth.

Key understanding

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Violence and corruption fill the earth.

Truth 2

God’s grief over human wickedness shows moral seriousness, not indifference.

Truth 3

Noah finds grace before the narrative describes his obedient response.

Truth 4

The ark is God’s specified means of preservation through judgment.

Truth 5

God’s covenant purpose begins to be stated before the flood arrives.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Jesus compares the days of Noah with the circumstances surrounding his future coming in Matthew 24.

Connection 2

Hebrews 11:7 presents Noah building the ark by faith.

Connection 3

1 Peter 3 and 2 Peter 2–3 use Noah and the flood as judgment-and-deliverance examples.

Connection 4

Genesis 9 will formally expand the covenant after the flood.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

The identity of the “sons of God” in Genesis 6:1–4 has multiple interpretations; the overview should not pretend the disputed details are explicit.

Keep this clear 2

The text’s unmistakable emphasis after verse 4 is human wickedness, violence, divine judgment, grace, and the ark.

Keep this clear 3

“Noah found grace” appears before the extended description of his obedience; grace and faithful obedience should not be reversed into salvation by works.

Keep this clear 4

The flood narrative presents historical judgment within the storyline, not merely an inward metaphor.

Read Genesis 6 watching for…Explore deeper

The movement from unusual conditions in verses 1–4 to the moral verdict in verses 5–13.

The words wickedness, violence, corrupt, grace, and covenant.

Everything God tells Noah to make, take, and bring.

The contrast between “all flesh” and the preserved household.

Noah’s response to God’s command.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-4The sons of God and the daughters of men 5-8The wickedness of man and the grace shown to Noah 9-12Noah walks with God in a corrupt earth 13-22God tells Noah to build the ark

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.

A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.

And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.

And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.

Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.

And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.

Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

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Genesis 6:20

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