Verses 1-4: Corruption at the Source and the Mystery of the “Sons of God”

¹ When men began to multiply on the surface of the ground, and daughters were born to them, ² God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives. ³ Yahweh said, “My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; so his days will be one hundred twenty years.” ⁴ The 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.

• Human multiplication can coexist with moral decline:

  The chapter begins with growth in human society, yet it immediately shows that increasing numbers do not imply increasing righteousness. Genesis 6 presents a sobering picture: outward expansion can accompany inward corruption when desire rules rather than God’s will.

• Sin distorts what is good into what is grasped:

  Beauty and marriage are not presented as evil in themselves, yet the emphasis that “they took any that they wanted” highlights disordered desire and the abuse of rightful relationships. Theological reflection across Christian tradition has often seen here the pattern of sin: the heart turns gifts into occasions for self-will.

• God’s Spirit strives, but God is not endlessly mocked:

  Yahweh’s declaration, “My Spirit will not strive with man forever,” shows both patience and limit: patience, because God contends with humanity rather than instantly judging; limit, because persistent resistance brings accountability. This upholds God’s genuine engagement with human beings while also affirming his holy resolve to act in judgment at the proper time.

• Human “flesh” highlights frailty and moral weakness:

  “Because he also is flesh” points to creaturely limitation and the vulnerability of fallen humanity to corruption. The passage encourages humility: we are not self-sustaining, and our moral life cannot be secured by strength, status, or mere longevity.

• Scripture can report mysteries without satisfying every curiosity:

  The brief mention of “God’s sons,” “men’s daughters,” and “The Nephilim” has generated multiple faithful interpretations within Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions. Genesis 6 itself does not pause to resolve all questions; instead, it stresses the moral trajectory of humanity and the seriousness of God’s response, reminding believers to prioritize what the text clearly teaches over speculation.

Verses 5-8: Total Corruption, Divine Grief, and Surprising Favor

⁵ 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. ⁶ Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart. ⁷ Yahweh 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.” ⁸ But Noah found favor in Yahweh’s eyes.

• God sees sin as it truly is—deep, pervasive, and inward:

  God’s assessment is not superficial: it reaches “every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart.” The text locates the crisis in the interior life—thoughts, desires, and intentions—teaching that evil is not merely a social problem “out there” but a heart problem “in here.”

• Persistent evil is portrayed as comprehensive and ongoing:

  “Continually only evil” underscores the entrenched character of human wickedness in that generation. The theological point is not that people lacked any outward achievements, but that the moral direction of the heart had become habitually opposed to God.

• God’s grief reveals personal, relational holiness:

  “It grieved him in his heart” presents God’s response in relational terms: human sin is not merely a legal infraction but an offense against the Creator who made humanity for communion. This affirms that divine judgment is never cold indifference; it proceeds from holy love wounded by evil.

• Divine judgment is real, moral, and cosmic in scope:

  The announced destruction includes humanity and extends to the created order that has been drawn into humanity’s violence and corruption. Genesis 6 teaches that sin has consequences that ripple outward—affecting communities, cultures, and even the non-human creation entrusted to human stewardship.

• Favor is grace—God’s merciful initiative shines in a dark world:

  “But Noah found favor in Yahweh’s eyes” introduces hope without denying judgment. Favor is not earned as a bargaining chip; it is presented as a gift that sets Noah apart for preservation and calling, showing that in Scripture judgment and mercy are not rivals but coordinated expressions of God’s righteous purpose.

Verses 9-12: The Portrait of Noah and the Indictment of the World

⁹ 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. ¹⁰ Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. ¹¹ The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. ¹² God saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

• Righteousness is relational—“walked with God” defines true integrity:

  Noah’s righteousness is described not as isolated moral achievement but as a life oriented toward God: “Noah walked with God.” Biblically, a “walk” implies ongoing fellowship, obedience, and trust—an enduring posture rather than a single moment.

• Blamelessness is contrasted with the violence of the age:

  Noah is “blameless among the people of his time,” set against a world “filled with violence.” The text highlights that genuine holiness can exist even in a corrupt society, and that God’s people are called to faithful distinctness without needing the culture’s approval.

• God’s judgment is grounded in true knowledge, not rumor:

  Repeatedly, “Yahweh saw” and “God saw” emphasize divine clarity. Judgment is never arbitrary; it is God’s measured response to what he truly knows about the human condition and the earth’s corruption.

• Sin becomes a “way”—habitual corruption shapes a whole life:

  “All flesh had corrupted their way” describes corruption as a path people choose and normalize. This underscores moral responsibility while also acknowledging how deeply sin can form patterns that capture societies.

Verses 13-22: Judgment Announced, Salvation Prepared, Covenant Promised, Obedience Displayed

¹³ God 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. ¹⁴ Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch. ¹⁵ This 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. ¹⁶ You 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. ¹⁷ I, 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. ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ Of 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. ²⁰ Of 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. ²¹ Take 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.” ²² Thus Noah did. He did all that God commanded him.

• God names the moral reason for judgment—violence filled the earth:

  God’s stated rationale is ethical: “the earth is filled with violence through them.” Genesis 6 teaches that divine judgment is not capricious; it addresses real evil that destroys God’s creatures and defaces the purpose of creation.

• God provides a concrete way of salvation, not vague optimism:

  God’s instructions are detailed—materials, dimensions, structure, provisions—showing that salvation is not an abstract idea but an appointed refuge. The ark stands as a testimony that God’s mercy is purposeful and historically enacted, not merely sentimental.

• God’s sovereignty and human response are shown together:

  God declares, “I, even I, will bring the flood,” and also commands Noah to build, gather, and enter. The passage holds together God’s decisive action and Noah’s real obedience: God initiates, reveals, and promises; Noah hears, trusts, and acts. This honors both God’s primacy and the meaningfulness of faithful human response.

• The covenant is God’s binding commitment that creates a future:

  “But I will establish my covenant with you” reveals that God is not merely rescuing individuals from danger; he is securing his redemptive purpose through promise. Covenant language frames salvation as God’s pledged faithfulness that preserves a people and a line of hope for the world.

• Salvation extends outward—God cares for human and non-human life:

  The preservation of “every living thing of all flesh” shows that God’s redemptive concern includes creation. Humanity’s stewardship failure brought widespread harm, yet God’s saving plan makes room for creatures as well, teaching reverence for life and responsibility toward the created order.

• Obedience is the visible expression of trusting God’s word:

  “Thus Noah did. He did all that God commanded him” emphasizes wholehearted compliance. Noah’s obedience does not compete with grace; it displays what faith looks like when God speaks—humble submission, patient labor, and persevering trust in the midst of an unbelieving world.

Conclusion: Genesis 6 presents a unified theological message: human sin becomes pervasive and violent, God rightly grieves and judges, yet God also grants favor, establishes covenant, and provides a way of rescue that calls forth obedient faith. The chapter urges believers to take sin seriously, to trust God’s righteous character even in judgment, and to walk with God in faithful obedience as recipients of his merciful initiative.