The Lord Will Send a Flood
6 1-2 (A) More and more people were born, until finally they spread all over the earth. Some of their daughters were so beautiful that supernatural beings[a] came down and married the ones they wanted. 3 Then the Lord said, “I won't let my life-giving breath remain in anyone forever.[b] No one will live for more than 120 years.”[c]
4 (B)(C) The children of the supernatural beings who had married these women became famous heroes and warriors. They were called Nephilim and lived on the earth at that time and even later.
5 (D) The Lord saw how bad the people on earth were and that everything they thought and planned was evil. 6 He was sorry that he had made them, 7 and he said, “I'm going to destroy every person on earth! I'll even wipe out animals, birds, and reptiles. I'm sorry I ever made them.”
8 But the Lord was pleased with Noah, 9 (E) and this is the story about him. Noah was the only person who lived right and obeyed God. 10 He had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11-12 God knew that everyone was terribly cruel and violent. 13 So he told Noah:
Cruelty and violence have spread everywhere. Now I'm going to destroy the whole earth and all its people. 14 Get some good lumber and build a boat. Put rooms in it and cover it with tar inside and out. 15 Make it 133 meters long, 22 meters wide, and 13 meters high. 16 Build a roof[d] on the boat and leave a space of about 44 centimeters between the roof and the sides.[e] Make the boat three stories high and put a door on one side.
17 I'm going to send a flood that will destroy everything that breathes! Nothing will be left alive. 18 But I solemnly promise that you, your wife, your sons, and your daughters-in-law will be kept safe in the boat.[f]
19-20 Take into the boat with you a male and a female of every kind of animal and bird, as well as a male and a female of every reptile. I don't want them to be destroyed. 21 Store up enough food both for yourself and for them.
22 (F) Noah did everything God told him to do.
Footnotes
- 6.1,2 supernatural beings: Or “angels.”
- 6.3 I won't … forever: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 6.3 No one … years: Or “In fact, they will all be destroyed in about 100 years” (that is, at the time of the flood).
- 6.16 roof: Or “window.”
- 6.16 leave … sides: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 6.18 boat: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 18.