Side by side
Genesis 6
Our retelling next to the Bible text it comes from. Each row lines up one scene with the verses it retells.
Between scenesVerses 1 to 7
This part isn't retold as its own scene.
1Now when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, 2the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose. 3So the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days shall be 120 years.” 4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown. 5Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time. 6And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7So the LORD said, “I will blot out man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—every man and beast and crawling creature and bird of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.”
Scene 2: NoahVerses 8 to 10
But there was one man God looked at differently. "Noah, however, found favor in the eyes of the LORD" (6:8). Favor means kindness and love that God gives freely.
Genesis tells us about God's favor first. Then it tells us what kind of man Noah was.
Noah was righteous, which means right with God. He was blameless among the people of his time. "Noah walked with God" (6:9). This is a comparison. It means Noah lived close to God every day, like two friends walking side by side.
Noah had three sons. Their names were Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
8Noah, however, found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 9This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. 10And Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Between scenesVerses 11 to 12
This part isn't retold as its own scene.
11Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and full of violence. 12And God looked upon the earth and saw that it was corrupt; for all living creatures on the earth had corrupted their ways.
Scene 3: Build an ArkVerses 13 to 16
God spoke to Noah. God said the end had come for all living creatures, because they had filled the earth with violence. God said he would destroy them along with the earth.
Then God gave Noah a job. "Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood" (6:14). An ark is a huge wooden box that floats, like a giant boat. Nobody today knows for sure what gopher wood was.
Noah was to build rooms inside the ark. He was to coat it inside and out with pitch. Pitch is a thick, sticky tar that keeps water out.
God gave Noah the size. The ark was to be about 450 feet long, about 75 feet wide, and about 45 feet high. That is longer than a football field, end zones included.
It would have a roof and a door in its side. Inside, it would have three decks, or floors.
13Then God said to Noah, “The end of all living creatures has come before Me, because through them the earth is full of violence. Now behold, I will destroy both them and the earth. 14Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15And this is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high. 16You are to make a roof for the ark, finish its walls a cubit from the top, place a door in the side of the ark, and build lower, middle, and upper decks.
Scene 4: God's Promise to NoahVerses 17 to 22
God told Noah what was coming. "I will bring floodwaters upon the earth" (6:17). Everything on the earth that breathed would die.
Then God made Noah a promise. "But I will establish My covenant with you" (6:18). A covenant is a promise that binds two sides together.
Noah would go into the ark with his wife, his sons, and his sons' wives.
Noah was to bring two of every kind of living creature, a male and a female. God would keep them alive with him. Noah was also to store every kind of food, for his family and for the animals.
"So Noah did everything precisely as God had commanded him" (6:22).
17And behold, I will bring floodwaters upon the earth to destroy every creature under the heavens that has the breath of life. Everything on the earth will perish. 18But I will establish My covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19And you are to bring two of every living creature into the ark—male and female—to keep them alive with you. 20Two of every kind of bird and animal and crawling creature will come to you to be kept alive. 21You are also to take for yourself every kind of food that is eaten and gather it as food for yourselves and for the animals.” 22So Noah did everything precisely as God had commanded him.
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