Genesis 6

Humanity’s Corruption

1When humankind began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, 2the sons of God saw that the daughters of humankind were beautiful, and they took wives for themselves from any whom they chose. 3Then the LORD said, “My spirit shall not contend with humankind forever, for they are flesh; their days shall be one hundred twenty years.” 4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went in to the daughters of humankind and they bore children to them. These were the mighty ones who were of old, men of renown.

5The LORD saw that the evil of humankind was great on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their heart was only evil continually. 6And the LORD regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7So the LORD said, “I will blot out from the face of the ground the humankind whom I have created—humanity and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens—for I regret that I have made them.” 8But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

The Generations of Noah

9These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his generation. Noah walked with God. 10And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth. 13Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Therefore behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.

Instructions for the Ark

14Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ark, and you shall cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16You shall make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from above, and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.

17For behold, I am bringing the floodwaters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under the heavens. Everything that is on the earth shall perish. 18But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19And from every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, and of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind shall come to you to keep them alive. 21And you shall take with you every kind of food that is eaten and gather it to yourself, and it shall be food for you and for them.” 22Noah did this; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.