ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Genesis 6

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. 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. 6:9 Noah’s personal righteousness explains why he is warned about the forthcoming deluge. Blameless conveys the idea of being without evident fault, though not necessarily sinless. walked with God. See note on 5:22–24.

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).