The big picture
Genesis moves from individual violence to a world described as corrupt and filled with violence. God's grief and judgment introduce the flood, while Noah receives a concrete commission to preserve his household and living creatures.
Scripture beside the summary
Genesis · King James Version · 22Genesis 6:1-4
A difficult opening
The sons of God, daughters of men and mighty men introduce an interpretive problem that readers have understood in different ways. Angelic, royal and family-line readings exist. The passage does not explain every identity or mechanism, so speculative systems should not displace its setting of human disorder.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
“That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
Genesis 6:1-4
King James Version1And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
3And 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.
4There 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.
Genesis 6:5-12
Grief over corruption
The narrator emphasizes pervasive evil, divine grief and the corruption of the earth. Noah finds grace and is described as righteous, walking with God. The contrast is moral and relational. It is not a claim that Noah lacks every human failing, as chapter 9 will make clear.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart…” The line’s distinctive content terms include continually, earth, evil. Its relationship to verses 6 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include beast, both, created. Its relationship to verses 6 and 8 shows what work it does in this passage.
Genesis 6:5-12
King James Version5And 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.
6And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7And 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.
8But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
9These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
10And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Genesis 6:13-22
Preservation through obedience
God specifies an ark, its dimensions, three decks, pitch, an opening and a side door. A covenant is announced, and food must be stored for people and animals. Noah's obedience turns the warning into practical preparation. The vessel is a means of preservation, not a warship or a royal monument.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them…” Naming Noah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“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…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Genesis 6:13-22
King James Version13And 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.
14Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
15And 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.
16A 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.
17And, 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.
18But 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.
19And 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.
20Of 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.
21And 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.
22Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Genesis 6:1 begins with “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,”
Where the chapter turns
Genesis 6:8 forms a natural hinge: “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”
The final note
Genesis 6:22 leaves the reader with “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words earth, Noah, flesh, sons, LORD, thing help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What repeated description explains the judgment?
The earth is corrupt and filled with violence, especially in verses 11-13.
What does obedience look like here?
Detailed preparation, gathering provisions and constructing what God commands.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- begat
- became the father of
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Who are the sons of God in Genesis 6?
Major readings identify heavenly beings, powerful human rulers, or the line of Seth intermarrying with the line of Cain. Arguments involve the phrase elsewhere in Scripture, the surrounding genealogies and the passage's language about mighty men. None should be presented as though Genesis supplied a full explanatory paragraph.
Genesis 6:1-13 · Job 1:6 · Jude 6-7 · 2 Peter 2:4-5 · Matthew 22:30
Was the flood global or regional?
The narrative uses comprehensive language about the earth, living creatures and waters covering mountains. Readers debate how that language relates to ancient geographical horizons and physical extent. A global reading takes the scope in a worldwide sense; regional readings argue that comprehensive language can describe the world of the narrative.
Genesis 6:11-13 · Genesis 7:17-24 · Genesis 8:1-22 · Genesis 9:8-17 · Genesis 41:57