January 2, 2025
Why did God flood the earth?
Genesis 6-10
Anne Olson
Big Book Idea
From the beginning, Jesus has always been God's plan A.
Key Verse | Genesis 6:12-13
And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth."
Genesis 6-10
Increasing Corruption on Earth
1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in 1 6:3 Or My Spirit shall not contend with man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim 2 6:4 Or giants were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
Noah and the Flood
9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, 3 6:13 Hebrew The end of all flesh has come before me for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. 4 6:14 An unknown kind of tree; transliterated from Hebrew Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, 5 6:15 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16 Make a roof 6 6:16 Or skylight for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.
1 Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, 7 7:2 Or seven of each kind of clean animal the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, 3 and seven pairs 8 7:3 Or seven of each kind of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing 9 7:4 Hebrew all existence; also verse 23 that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” 5 And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.
6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, 9 two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights. 13 On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, 14 they and every beast, according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature. 15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the LORD shut him in.
17 The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits 10 7:20 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters deep. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. 23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days.
The Flood Subsides
1 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, 3 and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated, 4 and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.
6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made 7 and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. 10 He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. 11 And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. 12 Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.
13 In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry. 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth had dried out. 15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him. 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by families from the ark.
God's Covenant with Noah
20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse 11 8:21 Or dishonor the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”
1 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.
6
Whoever sheds the blood of man,
by man shall his blood be shed,
for God made man in his own image.
7 And you, 12 9:7 In Hebrew you is plural be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it.”
8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
Noah's Descendants
18 The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the people of the whole earth were dispersed. 13 9:19 Or from these the whole earth was populated
20 Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. 14 9:20 Or Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard 21 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,
“Cursed be Canaan;
a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
26 He also said,
“Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem;
and let Canaan be his servant.
27
May God enlarge Japheth,
15
9:27
Japheth sounds like the Hebrew for enlarge
and let him dwell in the tents of Shem,
and let Canaan be his servant.”
28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died.
Nations Descended from Noah
1 These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.
2 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastland peoples spread in their lands, each with his own language, by their clans, in their nations.
6 The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. 8 Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. 16 10:8 Or he began to be a mighty man on the earth 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.” 10 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and 12 Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. 13 Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14 Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom 17 10:14 Or from where the Philistines came), and Caphtorim.
15 Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth, 16 and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 17 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 18 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the clans of the Canaanites dispersed. 19 And the territory of the Canaanites extended from Sidon in the direction of Gerar as far as Gaza, and in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 20 These are the sons of Ham, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations.
21 To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, children were born. 22 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24 Arpachshad fathered Shelah; and Shelah fathered Eber. 25 To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg, 18 10:25 Peleg means division for in his days the earth was divided, and his brother's name was Joktan. 26 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 The territory in which they lived extended from Mesha in the direction of Sephar to the hill country of the east. 31 These are the sons of Shem, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations.
32 These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood.
Footnotes
[1] 6:3 Or My Spirit shall not contend with[2] 6:4 Or giants
[3] 6:13 Hebrew The end of all flesh has come before me
[4] 6:14 An unknown kind of tree; transliterated from Hebrew
[5] 6:15 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
[6] 6:16 Or skylight
[7] 7:2 Or seven of each kind of clean animal
[8] 7:3 Or seven of each kind
[9] 7:4 Hebrew all existence; also verse 23
[10] 7:20 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
[11] 8:21 Or dishonor
[12] 9:7 In Hebrew you is plural
[13] 9:19 Or from these the whole earth was populated
[14] 9:20 Or Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard
[15] 9:27 Japheth sounds like the Hebrew for enlarge
[16] 10:8 Or he began to be a mighty man on the earth
[17] 10:14 Or from where
[18] 10:25 Peleg means division
Table of Contents
Introduction to Genesis
Timeline
Author, Date, and Recipients
Traditionally, Moses is considered to have been the author of Genesis and the rest of the Pentateuch (see Num. 33:2; Deut. 31:24; John 5:46). Of course, Moses lived much later than the events of Genesis. Presumably, stories were passed down about those earlier events, and Moses brought them all together.
The first audience would have been the Israelites Moses led through the wilderness. For readers today, Genesis is an essential introduction to the rest of the Bible. It is rightly called the book of beginnings.
Theme
The theme of Genesis is creation, sin, and re-creation. God made the world very good, but first cursed it and then destroyed it in the flood because of man’s disobedience. The new world after the flood was also spoiled by human sin (ch. 11). God chose Abraham for a special purpose. Through his family, all nations would be blessed (12:1–3). God’s purpose will eventually be fulfilled through Abraham’s descendants (ch. 49).
Key Themes
- The Lord God commissions human beings to be his representatives on earth. They are to take care of the earth and govern the other creatures (1:1–2:25).
- Instead of acting as God’s representatives on earth, the first man and woman—Adam and Eve—listen to the serpent and follow his advice. Their disobedience has devastating results for all mankind and for the entire created world (3:1–24; 6:5–6).
- God graciously announces that Eve’s offspring will free humanity from the serpent’s control (3:15). Genesis then begins tracing the history of one family that will become the people of Israel. This family has a special relationship with God and will become a source of blessing to fallen humanity (12:1–3).
- As a result of Adam’s disobedience, his unique relationship with the ground degenerates, resulting in hard work and later in flood and famine. But the special family descending from Adam also brings relief from the difficulties (3:17–19; 5:29; 50:19–21).
- While Eve’s punishment centers on pain in bearing children (3:16), women play an essential role in continuing the unique family line. With God’s help, even barrenness is overcome (11:30; 21:1–7; 25:21; 38:1–30).
- The corruption of human nature causes families to be torn apart (4:1–16; 13:5–8; 25:22–23; 27:41–45; 37:2–35). Although Genesis shows the reality of family conflicts, individual members of the chosen family can also help resolve those conflicts (13:8–11; 33:1–11; 45:1–28; 50:15–21).
- The wicked are exiled from Eden and scattered throughout the earth (3:22–24; 4:12–16; 11:9), but God is kind to his chosen people and promises them a land of their own (12:1–2, 7; 15:7–21; 28:13–14; 50:24).
- God is prepared to destroy almost the entire human race because of its corruption (6:7, 11–12; 18:17–33), but he still wants his world to be populated by righteous people (1:28; 9:1; 15:1–5; 35:11).
Outline
- Primeval History (1:1–11:26)
- Patriarchal History (11:27–50:26)
- Terah’s descendants (11:27–25:18)
- Isaac’s descendants (25:19–37:1)
- Jacob’s descendants (37:2–50:26)
The Near East at the Time of Genesis
Fact: In the Beginning
In the Hebrew Bible, the title of Genesis is In the Beginning, the book’s first words. The English title is related to the Greek word genesis, which means “beginning.”
Fact: Genesis through Deuteronomy
Genesis through Deuteronomy are the foundation of the Bible. They introduce the key promises that show God’s purposes in history and prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ.
Fact: The Sadducees
The Sadducees were a small but powerful group of Jewish leaders who did not believe in the resurrection (12:18). This may have been because of their emphasis on the Pentateuch (Genesis–Deuteronomy), which does not seem to explicitly mention the resurrection. But Jesus showed them that the idea of resurrection can, in fact, be found in the Pentateuch (Mark 12:26–27).
Fact: All things were made through him
All things were made through him. John begins his Gospel in the same way that Genesis begins: with creation (1:1–5; Gen. 1:1). He reveals that Jesus, God’s Son, existed eternally with God the Father, and the whole creation was made through him (Col. 1:15–16; compare 1 Cor. 8:6).
Fact: As numerous as the stars
As numerous as the stars. As the book of Exodus begins, some 350 years have passed since the end of Genesis. The 70 Israelites who went to Egypt have grown into a great multitude. This fulfills God’s promise to multiply Abraham’s descendants and to make them a blessing to all the nations of the world (Gen. 12:1–3; 15:5).
Fact: The term “Hebrews”
The term “Hebrews” is used in 4:6 by the Philistines to describe the Israelites as an ethnic group. The term literally means “descendants of Eber” (Gen. 10:21–25). After David established the monarchy, the nation was referred to as “Israel” rather than “the Hebrews.”
Fact: Favor in the eyes of the Lord
Favor in the eyes of the Lord. “Favor” (6:8) is another word for God’s grace. Of all the people living at the time of the flood, only Noah and his family found favor in God’s sight.
Fact: Why did Noah take seven pairs of each clean animal but only one pair of each unclean animal?
Why did Noah take seven pairs of each clean animal but only one pair of each unclean animal? After the flood, some clean animals were needed for making sacrifices and for food. To ensure their survival, it was necessary to have more than one pair of each kind in the ark.
Fact: Extending an olive branch
Extending an olive branch. The universal symbol for peace—a dove with an olive branch—is based on the Bible story of the flood (8:11).
Fact: The land of Nimrod
The land of Nimrod (5:6) included Assyria and other parts of Mesopotamia. Nimrod was the son of Cush and was a “mighty hunter before the LORD” (Gen. 10:8–14). Many cities of the region claim him as their founder.
The Near East at the Time of Genesis
c. 2000 B.C.
The book of Genesis describes events in the ancient Near East from the beginnings of civilization to the relocation of Jacob’s (Israel’s) family in Egypt. The stories of Genesis are set among some of the oldest nations in the world, including Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, and Elam.
The Garden of Eden
Genesis describes the location of Eden in relation to the convergence of four rivers. While two of the rivers are unknown (the Pishon and the Gihon), the nearly universal identification of the other two rivers as the Tigris and the Euphrates suggests a possible location for Eden at either their northern or southern extremes.
Table of Nations
c. 2200 B.C.
Many of the people groups mentioned in Genesis 10 can be identified with relative certainty. In general, the descendants of Ham settled in North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean coast, the descendants of Shem in Mesopotamia and Arabia, and the descendants of Japheth in Europe and the greater area of Asia Minor.
The Hebrew Calendar
The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.
*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.
The Generations of Genesis
| Primeval History (1:1–11:26) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | General heading | Specific heading | Section introduced |
| 2:4 | These are the generations of | the heavens and the earth | 2:4–4:26 |
| 5:1 | These are the generations of | Adam | 5:1–6:8 |
| 6:9 | These are the generations of | Noah | 6:9–9:29 |
| 10:1 | These are the generations of | the sons of Noah | 10:1–11:9 |
| 11:10 | These are the generations of | Shem | 11:10–26 |
| Patriarchal History (11:27–50:26) | |||
| 11:27 | These are the generations of | Terah | 11:27–25:11 |
| 25:12 | These are the generations of | Ishmael | 25:12–18 |
| 25:19 | These are the generations of | Isaac | 25:19–35:29 |
| 36:1, 9 | These are the generations of | Esau | 36:1–37:1 |
| 37:2 | These are the generations of | Jacob | 37:2–50:26 |
Chronology of Noah’s Time in the Ark
Dates are in the form of month, day, and Noah’s year, as given in the text. Hence, 2/10/600 means the tenth day of the second month in Noah’s 600th year. Months are calculated at 30 days each. Dates in parentheses are guesses based on dates given in the text.
| Reference | Event | Date | Day | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:4, 10 | Announcement of the flood 7 days in advance | (2/10/600) | Sunday | |
| Waters prevail: 150-day period | 7:11, 13 | Flood begins; Noah and family enter the ark | 2/17/600 | Sunday |
| 7:12 | Flood lasts 40 days and ends | (3/27/600) | Friday | |
| 8:4 | Ark rests on mountains of Ararat after waters prevail and abate for 150 days total | 7/17/600 | Friday | |
| Waters abate: 150-day period | 8:5 | Mountaintops eventually become visible | 10/1/600 | Wednesday |
| 8:7 | Raven sent out (after 40 days of mountaintop visibility) | (11/10/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:8 | Dove sent out | (11/17/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:10 | Dove’s second flight (7 days later); returns with olive leaf | (11/24/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:12 | Dove’s third flight (7 days later); does not return | (12/1/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:3 | Waters fully abated; end of second 150-day period | (12/17/600) | Wednesday | |
| Earth dries: 70-day period | 8:13 | Noah eventually removes the covering of the ark | 1/1/601 | Wednesday |
| 8:14–19 | Earth dried out; Noah leaves ark | 2/27/601 | Wednesday | |
| Total time in ark: 370 days |
Noah
Noah was a righteous man who faithfully walked with God despite the wickedness of his generation. When God chose to destroy the earth because of its hopeless corruption, Noah alone found favor in his eyes. God instructed Noah to build an ark that would keep him and his family safe during the coming flood. Noah also took representative pairs of each kind of animal with him into the ark, to replenish the earth after the flood. God made a covenant with Noah, promising that he would never again destroy the earth with a flood. The NT calls Noah a “herald of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:5). (Genesis 6:7–8)
Gen. 6:1–2 Although God had commanded mankind to multiply (1:28), their increasing numbers led to increasing wickedness on the earth. The problem was worsened by the joining of the sons of God and the daughters of man. Scholars have proposed at least two interpretations of this passage: (1) fallen angels were marrying the daughters of man; (2) male descendants of Seth were marrying the ungodly female descendants of Cain. However one interprets the passage, it is clear that the relationships described here involved sexual sin, as men saw and took any women they wanted.
Gen. 6:3 God announces that because of the immoral nature of people, their days shall be 120 years. This could mean either that the lives of human beings will no longer exceed 120 years, or that the flood will come in 120 years.
Gen. 6:4 The meaning of Nephilim is not clear. The only other OT occurrence of the term is in Num. 13:33, where the Israelite spies use it to describe a group living in Canaan. The Nephilim were mighty men or warriors and, as such, may well have contributed to the violence that filled the earth (see Gen. 6:13).
Gen. 6:6–7 The Hebrew word for regretted is sometimes translated “repent” and sometimes as “feel sorrow” or “be grieved.” God is grieved over his creation, which he at first saw as very good (1:31) but which is now filled with sin (see note on 1 Sam. 15:29).
Gen. 5:1–6:8 Adam’s Descendants. This section of Genesis falls into two parts: 5:1–32 traces a single line of descendants from Adam to Noah, naming only one person in each generation (see diagram); 6:1–8 provides a worldwide picture of increasing human wickedness.
Fact: Favor in the eyes of the Lord
Favor in the eyes of the Lord. “Favor” (6:8) is another word for God’s grace. Of all the people living at the time of the flood, only Noah and his family found favor in God’s sight.
The Genealogies of Genesis
Gen. 6:11–12 In contrast to Noah, the earth was corrupt in God’s sight. These verses confirm vv. 1–7. Here the emphasis is on the violence that fills the earth. Compare “bondage to corruption” (Rom. 8:21): the creation suffers because of mankind’s sin.
Gen. 6:15 In modern measurements, the ark would have been around 450 feet (140 m) long, 75 feet (23 m) wide, and 45 feet (14 m) high, displacing about 43,000 tons (about 39 million kg). The inside capacity would have been 1.4 million cubic feet (39,644 cubic m), with an approximate total deck area of 95,700 square feet (8,891 square m).
Gen. 6:17 Everything that is on the earth shall die. This does not necessarily mean that the flood had to cover the whole earth. Since the geographical perspective of ancient people was more limited, it is possible that the flood, while universal from their viewpoint, did not cover the entire globe. Genesis implies that prior to the Tower of Babel incident (see 11:1–9), people had not yet spread throughout the earth. Many interpreters argue that a huge regional flood may have been all that was necessary for God to destroy all humans. The expression “all the earth” (7:3; compare 8:9, “the whole earth”) does not exclude such a possibility. Later, “all the earth” came to Joseph to buy grain (41:57); here, “all the earth” clearly refers to the eastern Mediterranean seaboard. To support the view that the flood did in fact cover the entire globe, other interpreters point out that the text says “all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered” (7:19) and that the water was “fifteen cubits” above the tops of the mountains. If “the mountains of Ararat” (8:4) refers to the range that includes present-day Mount Ararat in Turkey (elevation 16,854 feet or 5,137 m), the amount of water necessary to cover it would be at least 16,854 feet above sea level.
Gen. 6:18–22 God indicates that he will establish a covenant with Noah (see note on 9:9–11).
Fact: Why did Noah take seven pairs of each clean animal but only one pair of each unclean animal?
Why did Noah take seven pairs of each clean animal but only one pair of each unclean animal? After the flood, some clean animals were needed for making sacrifices and for food. To ensure their survival, it was necessary to have more than one pair of each kind in the ark.
Gen. 7:1–5 On the distinction between clean and not clean creatures, see Lev. 11:1–47 and Deut. 14:4–20. Since after the flood some clean animals will be offered as sacrifices (see Gen. 8:20) and some will be eaten as food (see 9:3), it was necessary to have more than one pair of each kind in the ark.
The Hebrew Calendar
The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.
*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.
Gen. 7:11–12 The exact dates given for the flood (see 8:4–5, 13–14) show that it was a real event. all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. From below and above, water poured out to cover the land.
Chronology of Noah’s Time in the Ark
Dates are in the form of month, day, and Noah’s year, as given in the text. Hence, 2/10/600 means the tenth day of the second month in Noah’s 600th year. Months are calculated at 30 days each. Dates in parentheses are guesses based on dates given in the text.
| Reference | Event | Date | Day | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:4, 10 | Announcement of the flood 7 days in advance | (2/10/600) | Sunday | |
| Waters prevail: 150-day period | 7:11, 13 | Flood begins; Noah and family enter the ark | 2/17/600 | Sunday |
| 7:12 | Flood lasts 40 days and ends | (3/27/600) | Friday | |
| 8:4 | Ark rests on mountains of Ararat after waters prevail and abate for 150 days total | 7/17/600 | Friday | |
| Waters abate: 150-day period | 8:5 | Mountaintops eventually become visible | 10/1/600 | Wednesday |
| 8:7 | Raven sent out (after 40 days of mountaintop visibility) | (11/10/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:8 | Dove sent out | (11/17/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:10 | Dove’s second flight (7 days later); returns with olive leaf | (11/24/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:12 | Dove’s third flight (7 days later); does not return | (12/1/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:3 | Waters fully abated; end of second 150-day period | (12/17/600) | Wednesday | |
| Earth dries: 70-day period | 8:13 | Noah eventually removes the covering of the ark | 1/1/601 | Wednesday |
| 8:14–19 | Earth dried out; Noah leaves ark | 2/27/601 | Wednesday | |
| Total time in ark: 370 days |
Gen. 7:16 The safety of those in the ark depended on both human and divine action. the LORD shut him in. The use of the personal name “Yahweh” (“LORD”; see note on 2:4) emphasizes God’s special relationship with Noah.
Chronology of Noah’s Time in the Ark
Dates are in the form of month, day, and Noah’s year, as given in the text. Hence, 2/10/600 means the tenth day of the second month in Noah’s 600th year. Months are calculated at 30 days each. Dates in parentheses are guesses based on dates given in the text.
| Reference | Event | Date | Day | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:4, 10 | Announcement of the flood 7 days in advance | (2/10/600) | Sunday | |
| Waters prevail: 150-day period | 7:11, 13 | Flood begins; Noah and family enter the ark | 2/17/600 | Sunday |
| 7:12 | Flood lasts 40 days and ends | (3/27/600) | Friday | |
| 8:4 | Ark rests on mountains of Ararat after waters prevail and abate for 150 days total | 7/17/600 | Friday | |
| Waters abate: 150-day period | 8:5 | Mountaintops eventually become visible | 10/1/600 | Wednesday |
| 8:7 | Raven sent out (after 40 days of mountaintop visibility) | (11/10/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:8 | Dove sent out | (11/17/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:10 | Dove’s second flight (7 days later); returns with olive leaf | (11/24/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:12 | Dove’s third flight (7 days later); does not return | (12/1/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:3 | Waters fully abated; end of second 150-day period | (12/17/600) | Wednesday | |
| Earth dries: 70-day period | 8:13 | Noah eventually removes the covering of the ark | 1/1/601 | Wednesday |
| 8:14–19 | Earth dried out; Noah leaves ark | 2/27/601 | Wednesday | |
| Total time in ark: 370 days |
Gen. 7:17–24 the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days (v. 24). The figure of 150 days, which includes the 40 days of rain mentioned in v. 12, is repeated in 8:3 (see chart). In both places it refers to the five-month period between the detailed chronology in 7:11 (at the very start of the flood, on the 17th day of the second month) and 8:4 (when the ark comes to rest on the 17th day of the seventh month). It will be an additional seven months before the land is sufficiently dry for those in the ark to leave it safely (see 8:13–14). On the depth of the flood (above the mountains), see note on 6:17.
Chronology of Noah’s Time in the Ark
Dates are in the form of month, day, and Noah’s year, as given in the text. Hence, 2/10/600 means the tenth day of the second month in Noah’s 600th year. Months are calculated at 30 days each. Dates in parentheses are guesses based on dates given in the text.
| Reference | Event | Date | Day | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:4, 10 | Announcement of the flood 7 days in advance | (2/10/600) | Sunday | |
| Waters prevail: 150-day period | 7:11, 13 | Flood begins; Noah and family enter the ark | 2/17/600 | Sunday |
| 7:12 | Flood lasts 40 days and ends | (3/27/600) | Friday | |
| 8:4 | Ark rests on mountains of Ararat after waters prevail and abate for 150 days total | 7/17/600 | Friday | |
| Waters abate: 150-day period | 8:5 | Mountaintops eventually become visible | 10/1/600 | Wednesday |
| 8:7 | Raven sent out (after 40 days of mountaintop visibility) | (11/10/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:8 | Dove sent out | (11/17/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:10 | Dove’s second flight (7 days later); returns with olive leaf | (11/24/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:12 | Dove’s third flight (7 days later); does not return | (12/1/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:3 | Waters fully abated; end of second 150-day period | (12/17/600) | Wednesday | |
| Earth dries: 70-day period | 8:13 | Noah eventually removes the covering of the ark | 1/1/601 | Wednesday |
| 8:14–19 | Earth dried out; Noah leaves ark | 2/27/601 | Wednesday | |
| Total time in ark: 370 days |
Gen. 8:1 God remembered Noah. When the Bible says that God “remembers” someone or that he remembers his covenant with someone, it means he is about to act for that person’s welfare (see 9:15; 19:29; 30:22; Ex. 2:24; 32:13). God proceeds to renew everything, echoing what he did in Genesis 1. God made a wind blow over the earth. The Hebrew word for “wind” is also sometimes translated “Spirit” (e.g., 1:2; 6:3).
Gen. 8:2–4 In v. 2 God reverses the process started in 7:11. The waters both rose and fell during the period of 150 days (see note on 7:17–24). Mountains of Ararat indicates a range of mountains of which Mount Ararat (in modern Turkey) is the highest. The text does not name the specific mountain on which the ark came to rest.
Fact: Extending an olive branch
Extending an olive branch. The universal symbol for peace—a dove with an olive branch—is based on the Bible story of the flood (8:11).
The Hebrew Calendar
The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.
*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.
Chronology of Noah’s Time in the Ark
Dates are in the form of month, day, and Noah’s year, as given in the text. Hence, 2/10/600 means the tenth day of the second month in Noah’s 600th year. Months are calculated at 30 days each. Dates in parentheses are guesses based on dates given in the text.
| Reference | Event | Date | Day | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:4, 10 | Announcement of the flood 7 days in advance | (2/10/600) | Sunday | |
| Waters prevail: 150-day period | 7:11, 13 | Flood begins; Noah and family enter the ark | 2/17/600 | Sunday |
| 7:12 | Flood lasts 40 days and ends | (3/27/600) | Friday | |
| 8:4 | Ark rests on mountains of Ararat after waters prevail and abate for 150 days total | 7/17/600 | Friday | |
| Waters abate: 150-day period | 8:5 | Mountaintops eventually become visible | 10/1/600 | Wednesday |
| 8:7 | Raven sent out (after 40 days of mountaintop visibility) | (11/10/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:8 | Dove sent out | (11/17/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:10 | Dove’s second flight (7 days later); returns with olive leaf | (11/24/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:12 | Dove’s third flight (7 days later); does not return | (12/1/600) | Sunday | |
| 8:3 | Waters fully abated; end of second 150-day period | (12/17/600) | Wednesday | |
| Earth dries: 70-day period | 8:13 | Noah eventually removes the covering of the ark | 1/1/601 | Wednesday |
| 8:14–19 | Earth dried out; Noah leaves ark | 2/27/601 | Wednesday | |
| Total time in ark: 370 days |
Gen. 8:20–22 Noah’s burnt offering is intended to express gratitude for divine deliverance. It is also an act of atonement. Despite the human tendency to sin, atonement through sacrifice is possible, resulting in a peaceful relationship between the Lord and humanity. I will never again curse the ground means that God will not send another flood. He is not revoking the curse pronounced in 3:17, which continues (the words for “curse” in these two verses are different; see ESV footnote). These verses show the importance of sacrifice in the Bible’s plan of salvation.
Noah
Noah was a righteous man who faithfully walked with God despite the wickedness of his generation. When God chose to destroy the earth because of its hopeless corruption, Noah alone found favor in his eyes. God instructed Noah to build an ark that would keep him and his family safe during the coming flood. Noah also took representative pairs of each kind of animal with him into the ark, to replenish the earth after the flood. God made a covenant with Noah, promising that he would never again destroy the earth with a flood. The NT calls Noah a “herald of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:5). (Genesis 6:7–8)
Gen. 9:1–4 The earlier positive instruction that humans should exercise authority over the other living creatures (1:28–30) is replaced by the negative comment that those creatures will fear and dread humans. God now permits the taking of animal life for food (in contrast to 1:30, where man and animals are given “every green plant” for food). However, the animal’s blood remains sacred and is not to be consumed; this is because the blood is the source of life, and all life is from God (see Lev. 17:12–14).
Gen. 9:5–6 From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Any animal or person that takes a human life will be held accountable by God (see Ex. 20:13; 21:28). Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed. Human life is to be valued so highly because God made man in his own image. To murder another human being is to murder what is most like God, and is thus like an attack on God himself. Many see this as permitting the death penalty for murder—with the understanding that the person’s guilt has been established beyond any reasonable doubt (thus the requirement of two or three witnesses, Deut. 19:15). A further requirement is that such a death sentence must always be carried out by the established authorities (see Deut. 19:15–21; Rom. 13:1–5).
Gen. 9:9–11 This is the first covenant explicitly named in Genesis. A covenant formally binds two parties together in a relationship, with consequences for keeping or breaking the covenant. God makes this kind of covenant with a group of people through one person who represents the entire group. Everyone else then experiences the covenant by being included “in” the representative (see note on 12:3). Emphasizing that this particular covenant is for all living creatures, God states that there will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.
Gen. 9:12–17 The rainbow will be a reminder of God’s everlasting covenant. This does not mean that rainbows did not exist till this time.
Gen. 9:21–23 became drunk. The brevity of the description of Noah’s drunkenness indicates God’s disapproval. Ham’s actions of looking on the nakedness of his father in the tent and then reporting this to his brothers bring serious criticism. There is no indication that perverse sexual behavior was involved. Though the text does not explicitly state what happened, it is clear that Ham humiliated and dishonored his father, and apparently he involved his brothers in that humiliation.
Gen. 9:24–27 The designation of Ham as the youngest son is peculiar, since he is always listed after Shem and before Japheth. Possibly the traditional order of names does not reflect the birth sequence of the boys. Cursed be Canaan. Noah’s reaction to Ham’s action is to curse Canaan, Ham’s son. a servant of servants shall he be. This passage was wrongly used in past centuries to justify the enslavement of African people, resulting in grievous abuse, injustice, and inhumanity to people created in the image of God. Noah’s curse of Canaan, which focuses on his being a servant, anticipates the judgment that will later befall the Canaanites (compare Deut. 7:1–3 with Gen. 10:15–19). This, coupled with the fact that the curse falls on Canaan alone and not on Ham’s other children (who settled in northern Africa), shows how illegitimate it was to use this text to justify enslaving African people. (For more about biblical teaching on slavery, see notes on 1 Cor. 7:21; Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22–25; 1 Tim. 1:10.) Shem is highlighted in Noah’s remark that Japheth will dwell in the tents of Shem (Gen. 9:27).
Gen. 6:9–9:29 Noah’s Descendants. Chapters 6–9 describe a flood that leads to a renewal of the earth—a reminder of the creation account of 1:1–2:3. But while the land is cleansed and God makes a new start possible, human nature has not changed. This is clearly seen in the final verses of these chapters (9:20–29).
Gen. 10:2–5 From these the coastland peoples spread. This places Japheth’s descendants in the coastal regions and islands of the Mediterranean Sea.
The City of Nineveh
Nineveh, which was situated at the confluence of the Tigris and Khoser rivers (modern-day Mosul, Iraq), was first settled in the seventh millennium B.C. According to the Bible, Nimrod was the founder of the city (Gen. 10:11). Major excavations took place under the direction of Henry Layard from 1845 to 1854. The diagram pictures the results of those excavations, especially as they reflect the period of the Assyrian Empire (1420–609 B.C.). Around 1000 B.C. there occurred a great revival of Assyrian power, and Nineveh became a royal city. It was a thriving city during the first half of the first millennium, and contained such luxuries as public squares, parks, botanical gardens, and even a zoo. One of the great archaeological finds of the period is the library of King Ashurbanipal (669–627 B.C.; called Osnappar in Ezra 4:10). The size of the city was approximately 1,850 acres. The book of Jonah reflects the flourishing nature of Nineveh at this time (3:1–5). Nineveh eventually fell to the Medes and Babylonians in 612 B.C. The invading armies dammed the rivers that supplied water to the city, causing a flood that broke through one of the perimeter walls, giving the foreign armies access to the city.
Fact: The land of Nimrod
The land of Nimrod (5:6) included Assyria and other parts of Mesopotamia. Nimrod was the son of Cush and was a “mighty hunter before the LORD” (Gen. 10:8–14). Many cities of the region claim him as their founder.
Gen. 10:6–20 Many of Israel’s enemies, such as the Egyptians, Babylonians, Philistines, and various Canaanite groups, descended from Ham. Cush and Put are regions south and west of Egypt, respectively. Cush fathered Nimrod (v. 8). This may seem unusual since Cush is linked geographically with Africa, and Nimrod with the great cities of Babel and Nineveh in Assyria. The military might of the Assyrians and Babylonians may account for the observations that Nimrod was a mighty man and a mighty hunter (vv. 8, 9). These descriptions are probably to be viewed negatively. Nimrod’s aggression runs totally counter to God’s intentions. Babel . . . in the land of Shinar (v. 10). These details link Nimrod with the Tower of Babel episode (11:2, 9). Nimrod’s kingdom is the opposite of what God desired. The great city (10:12) probably refers to a region that included both Nineveh and Calah (see Jonah 3:3). “Canaanite” is sometimes used to cover all the different groups mentioned in Gen. 10:15–19 (e.g., 28:1).
Fact: The term “Hebrews”
The term “Hebrews” is used in 4:6 by the Philistines to describe the Israelites as an ethnic group. The term literally means “descendants of Eber” (Gen. 10:21–25). After David established the monarchy, the nation was referred to as “Israel” rather than “the Hebrews.”
Gen. 10:1–32 This passage shows how the descendants of Noah’s three sons populated different regions of the earth, forming nations. This process covered a long time, as families migrated to particular regions.
Gen. 10:21–32 Abraham was descended from Shem. Many of Shem’s descendants are Arabian tribes or kingdoms. Shem’s great-grandson Eber receives special attention (v. 21), being mentioned even before Shem’s own sons are named (v. 22). The designation “Hebrew” (see 14:13) is derived from “Eber.” He called one of his sons Peleg (which could mean “division”), for in his days the earth was divided (10:25). This is probably a reference to the Tower of Babel (11:1–9).
Table of Nations
c. 2200 B.C.
Many of the people groups mentioned in Genesis 10 can be identified with relative certainty. In general, the descendants of Ham settled in North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean coast, the descendants of Shem in Mesopotamia and Arabia, and the descendants of Japheth in Europe and the greater area of Asia Minor.
S4:002 Genesis 6-10
Listen NowDive Deeper | Genesis 6-10
When my sons were born, I brought them home from the hospital wrapped in a Noah's Ark printed blanket. I can't tell you how soft this fabric was—like butter between your fingers, covered with happy animals, marching two-by-two out of a friendly little boat, with a rainbow overhead. I'm sure anyone who has been around young children has similar memories of the soft, gentle story of the Ark, a preschool classic.
But you just read the story of Noah for yourself—does that seem right to you? It's hard to reconcile this childhood interpretation when Genesis 6-9 describes de-creation and the fury of Almighty God. We have to ask ourselves: which is true, the God of the Ark from my nursery or the God who saw earth's wretched corruption and sent a flood?
Today's reading (and the rest of Scripture) shows us that both are fundamental parts of God's character. We are given this story early in the Bible to help us understand the gravity and rightful consequences of our own sin, but also the hope that is to come. It is a microcosm of the entire biblical narrative.
God's power is limitless and His justice absolute. He created the world (Acts 17:24-25), and He can crush it in a moment. Noah's story also reminds us that we are all sinners, unworthy of a relationship with our perfect God (Romans 3:23). And yet, He has a tender and loving heart toward those who hear His voice and walk with Him, like Noah did. He arches rainbows over their lives as a gentle promise that He will never leave nor forsake them (Deuteronomy 31:8). Generations after Noah, God's own Son joined us in human form to die a vicious and unjust death, drinking every drop of sin He had never committed, all because He loves us and wants us to be close to Him.
Noah's Ark reveals the weight of God's justice and the depth of His mercy, reminding us that the God we serve is both mighty as a flood and gentle as a lamb.
This month's memory verse
"The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, 'The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.'"
– Exodus 34:6
Discussion Questions
1. What does the story of Noah teach you about the totality of God's character?
2. Noah showed total trust in the Lord. I wonder if he worried how much food to bring on the Ark or if he was bothered by the mocking of those around him? We don't know—all we know is that Noah obeyed. What can we learn from Noah's faith and obedience in the face of an overwhelming and unprecedented task?
3. Reflect on an instance in your own life when God delivered you or showed you mercy.