Bible Commentaries
Genesis 6

Verse 1

The Chronology having been brought up to Noah's days, the History takes us back (not forward).

men = sing, with art. = the man Adam. See App-14 .

earth = Hebrew. h'adamah, ground.

them: i.e. to Adam and Eve, as in Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 5:2 .

Verse 2

the sons of God = angels. See App-23 , and App-26 .

God = ha-Elohim = the Creator.

men: in contrast with angels. Hebrew. ha-'adham, singular. the man Adam. See App-14 .

they: emph.

wives = women. Genesis 2:22 .

Verse 3

spirit. Hebrew. ruach. See App-9 .

strive = remain in, with Septuagint, Arabic, Syriac, and Vulgate; Occurs only here.

man: with article, as in verses: Genesis 6:1 and Genesis 6:2 = the man Adam, App-14 .

he: emphatic, i.e. the man Adam.

also: i.e. the man Adam also, as well as the others. (Not "men"; if so, as well as what?)

is flesh. If taken as a verb, then it = "in their erring". Hebrew. shagag. App-44 . Adam had become like the others.

yet his days = yet Adam's days. See App-24 .

hundred and twenty years: this fixes the date A. M. 930-120-810. The B.C. date being 3194, as given.

Verse 4

giants = Nephilim. See App-25 .

those days = "the days of Noah. "

also after that = after their destruction by the Flood, as well as before it. There was another irruption, the result being like those "of old". See notes on Genesis 12:6 with Genesis 13:7 ; also App-23 and App-25 .

renown. Hebrew the men of name. The "heroes" of the Greek mythology. The remains of primitive truth, corrupted in transmission.

Verse 5

GOD = Jehovah. App-4 .

wickedness = lewdness, moral depravity. App-44 .

great = multiplied. Very emphatic.

Verse 6

repented = the Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

LORD = Jehovah, in His covenant relation with mankind.

Verse 7

destroy = wipe off, blot out.

Verse 9

the generations. Hebrew. toledoth = family history. man = Hebrew. 'ish. See App-14 .

perfect. Hebrew. tamin, without blemish as to breed or pedigree. See App-26 . All flesh corrupted but Noah's family. See verses: Genesis 6:11 , Genesis 6:12 .

his generations: his contemporaries. Hebrew. dor (not toledoth, as at beginning of the verse). See note on Genesis 7:1 .

walked. Same as Genesis 5:22 , Genesis 5:24 . Hebrew = walked habitually.

Verse 10

three sons. See Genesis 9:18 ; Genesis 10:1 ; and 1 Chronicles 1:4 . See note on Genesis 5:32 .

Verse 11

corrupt: destroyed by being debased.

violence: the Figure of speech Metonymy. App-6 .

Verse 12

all flesh. Noah's family the only exception. The Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), App-6 .

Verse 13

God = the Creator in connection with the two beasts for preservation (verses: Genesis 6:13 , Genesis 6:22 , Genesis 6:9 ). Jehovah in Genesis 7:1 , in connection with the seven clean for sacrifice. See note on Genesis 6:19 .

Verse 14

ark. Hebrew. tebah = a floating [building] (not 'aron, a chest). So in Exodus 2:2 , Exodus 2:3 .

of. Genitive of material. App-17 .

rooms = nests.

pitch it = coat it. Hebrew. kaphar, to cover: the only word for "atonement" in O.T. So that it is only atonement that can keep the waters of judgment from us.

with pitch = Hebrew. kopher = resin (not "pitch" or bitumen, which is zepheth, Exodus 2:3 Isaiah 34:9 , Isaiah 34:9 ).

Verse 15

cubit. The latest approximation gives Genesis 17:5 inches. But this is the "profane" cubit. The sacred cubit was probably about 25 inches.

Verse 16

window. Hebrew = a place for light (Genesis 7:11 ; Genesis 8:6 ).

Verse 17

I, even I. Figure of speech Epizeuxis. App-6 .

a flood. Hebrew. mabbul. Limited to this account of the Deluge, and Psalms 29:10 , which therefore refers to it. The Babylonian tablets of the Epic of Gilgames are the traditional accounts of primitive truths, corrupted in transmission. The inspired account here corrects the imaginary accretions which had gathered round it.

all flesh. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of part), put here for every kind of being.

breath. Hebrew. ruach = spirit. See App-9 .

life. Hebrew. chaiyim, plural for all kinds and manifestations.

die = cease to breathe, expire.

Verse 18

covenant. First occurrence of the word. and. Note the Polysyndeton ( App-6 ) emph, the assurance given to each.

Verse 19

two. For preservation of species. In contrast with the "seven" (Genesis 7:2 ) clean animals, which were for sacrifice. Hence here it is Elohim (verses: Genesis 6:13 , Genesis 6:22 , Genesis 6:9 ) as the Creator; while in Genesis 7:0 : it is Jehovah in His covenantrelation. See App-4 .

Verse 20

of. Samaritan Pentateuch, Targum of Onkelos, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, Septuagint, and Syriac read "and of".

earth = ground.

Verse 23

Thus. See Hebrews 11:17 .