The Human Race Grows More Evil

6 The number of people on earth began to ·grow [multiply], and daughters were born to them. ² When the ·sons of God [^Cmay refer to godly men among Seth’s descendants (ch. 5), or noble men, or angels] saw that ·these girls [^Lthe daughters of men/human beings; ^Ceither evil women among Cain’s descendants (4:17–24), poor women, or simply mortal women] were beautiful, they married any of them they chose [^Cthough their identity is unclear, their marriage clearly violated a boundary]. ³ The Lord said, “My Spirit will not ·remain in [or contend with] human beings forever, because they are ·flesh [mortal]. ·They will live [^LTheir days will be] only 120 years.”

⁴ The ·Nephilim [^Lfallen ones; ^Cthe significance of the name is unclear] were on the earth in those days and also later. That was when the sons of God ·had sexual relations with [^Lcame in to] the daughters of ·human beings [^Tman; ^CHebrew: Adam; 1:27–28]. These women gave birth to children ·who became famous [^Lmen of a name] and were the mighty warriors of long ago. [^CThe Nephilim of Num. 13:31–33, though not related genealogically, were giants, suggesting these pre-flood Nephilim were also.]

⁵ The Lord saw that the human beings on the earth were very ·wicked [evil] and that ·everything they thought about [^Levery inclination of their mind/heart] was ·evil [wicked]. ⁶ He ·was sorry [regretted] he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. ⁷ So the Lord said, “I will ·destroy [wipe/blot out; exterminate] all human beings that I ·made [created; 1:1] on the earth. And I will destroy every animal and everything that ·crawls [creeps] on the earth and the birds of the ·air [sky; heavens], because I ·am sorry [regret] I have made them.” ⁸ But Noah ·pleased [^Lfound grace/favor in the eyes of] the Lord.

Noah and the Great Flood

⁹ This is the family history [2:4] of Noah. Noah was a ·good [righteous; just] man, the most ·innocent [blameless; Job 1:1] man of his ·time [generation], and he walked with God [5:24]. ¹⁰ He had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth [9:18–10:32].

¹¹ ·People on earth [^LThe earth] did what ·God said was evil [^Lwas corrupt before God], and ·violence was everywhere [^Lthe earth was filled with violence]. ¹² When God saw that [^Lthe earth was corrupt because] ·everyone [^Lall flesh] on the earth ·did only evil [^Lwas corrupt], ¹³ God said to Noah, “·I have decided to bring an end to all living creatures [^LThe end of all flesh is coming before me]. Because people have made the earth full of violence, I will destroy all of them from the ·earth [land]. ¹⁴ ·Build [Make] ·a boat [^Lan ark] of ·cypress [or gopher; ^Cthe precise meaning is uncertain] wood for yourself. Make rooms in it and cover it inside and outside with ·tar [pitch]. ¹⁵ This is how ·big I want you to build the boat [^Lyou should make it]: ·four hundred fifty feet [^Lthree hundred cubits] long, ·seventy-five feet [^Lfifty cubits] wide, and ·forty-five feet [^Lthirty cubits] high. ¹⁶ Make an opening around the top of the boat [^Cprobably a window] that is ·eighteen inches [^La cubit] high from the edge of the roof down. Put a door in the side of the boat. Make an ·upper, middle, and lower [^Llower, second, and third] deck in it. ¹⁷ I will bring a flood of water on the earth to destroy all ·living things [^Lflesh] that live under ·the sky [heaven], including everything that has the breath of life. Everything on the earth will die. ¹⁸ But I will ·make [establish] an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with you—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives will all go into the boat. ¹⁹ Also, you must bring into the ·boat [^Lark] two of ·every living thing [^Lall flesh], male and female. Keep them alive with you. ²⁰ Two of every kind of bird, animal, and ·crawling [creeping] thing will come to you to be kept alive. ²¹ Also ·gather [take] some of every kind of food and store it on the boat as food for you and the animals.”

²² Noah did everything that God commanded him.