Gen 6:17  And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. 

The first thing I’d like to do, is what I always do to help bring about a better understanding: I’m going to draw your attention to a few specific words, that will hopefully bring some clarity to some of the questions about the flood that you may have.

The first word is “breath“. In the verse above it’s actually the word “spirit” rûach H7307, used three times prior to this verse in Gen 1:2 (Spirit of God) Gen 3:8 (spirit of the day) and Gen 6:3 (My Spirit). So the phrase “breath of life” in this verse is more properly translated as “spirit of life”, rûach chay, which speaks concerning the spirit of life that exists under the heavens. The actual phrase “breath of life” is used for the first time in Genesis 2:7.

Gen 2:7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 

In verse 2:7 breath of life is, neshâmâh chay, which speaks to that which is breathed from heaven to that which is under heaven, upon the earth. Neshâmâh H5397 means: breath, that which makes flesh a living soul. All but eight people that had the “breath of life” within them died due to the flood the Lord sent upon the earth.

Gen 7:22  All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. 

The second word I would like to draw attention to is the word “flood”. In Hebrew this word is mabbûl H3999, and it’s used 13 times in 12 different verses in the OT to specifically describe Noah’s flood that submerged the earth under water for about a year.

Biblical numbers are very symbolic and I don’t think it’s by accident that the increased corruption of mankind upon the earth is brought into focus in chapter 6 of Genesis, with 6 representing the number of man. Let’s dig deep into the actual Hebrew translation of Genesis chapter 6 so we can all get a better understanding as to why the Lord chose to destroy mankind from off of the face of the earth. The beginning of that why starts in the first verse of Chapter 6.

Gen 6:1  And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 

It’s important to note that there are two words used to describe “men” in the Book of Genesis, one that describes the males of mankind ‘âdâm H120, and one that describes chosen men or men set apart from mankind ‘ı̂ysh H376. All of mankind was referred to as ‘âdâm until Genesis 2:23-24 when it states that Woman was taken from out of Man, and that a Man shall leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife and the two shall become one flesh. We’ll see both of these words used for man in Gen 6:4 in just a bit, but for now, let’s take a look at the much disputed and convoluted 2nd verse of Genesis chapter 6 keeping in mind that there are two types of men described thus far in Genesis.

Gen 6:2  That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were *fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 

That word “fair” is actually the word for good in Hebrew, ṭôb H2896, and it’s used in the context of “and the Lord saw that it was good” Gen 1:4, Gen 1:10, Gen 1:12, Gen 1:18, Gen 1:21, Gen 1:25 and so on.

The more accurate translation of Gen 6:2 is: The sons of God saw the daughters of men as though they were *good and took wives from all that they chose.

Next, I’d like to point out that the sons of God are not angels but are the chosen sons of God born from the bloodline of Seth; those proceeding from his son Enos that called upon the name of the Lord before the Flood, as stated in Gen 4:26. Noah and his sons were chosen sons from that bloodline. Let’s take a look at what the NT book of Hebrews says about the angels.

Heb 1:5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are my Son; today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him for a Father, and He will be to Me for a Son”?

So, as you can see by this verse, God never said nor ever referred to the angels in heaven as His sons. Many like to use the verses in chapter 1 of the Book of Job as there reference point for the claim that the angles in heaven are the sons of God, but I can dispel that claim. Moses received the command from God to have all the men among the Hebrews to present themselves before the Lord three times a year in observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, The Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles.

Job 1:6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. 

Deut 16:16 Three times a year all your men are to appear before the LORD your God in the place He will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed.

The corruption of the chosen bloodline of men (‘ı̂ysh H376) began when the Sons of God took wives from among the daughters of the bloodline of Cain (‘âdâm H120). The sons born to the bloodline of Shem which means “name”, interbred with those under a curse. Those “named” of God or rather the sons of God, are those specifically named and listed in Genesis chapter 5 from the bloodline of Adam proceeding from Seth.

Genesis Chapter 5: Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah and his threes sons Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Cain’s sons are mentioned in Genesis chapter 4, and it’s stated that he and consequently his descendants were to be fugitives and vagabonds upon the the earth in Gen 4:12 and in verse 4:16 it says that Cain went out from the presence of the LORD. His descendants are Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, Methusael and Lamech, and Lamech’s children by two separate wives, Jabal, Jubal, Tubalcain and Naamah. These men proceeding from the bloodline of Cain, excluding the daughter of Lamech, are the sons of men.

What Genesis Chapter 1 is drawing to our attention to is this: Those chosen of God to call upon His name, perceived the daughters of Cain as *good, and took from them wives that they chose, and were mixing those called of God with the seed of those cursed to wander as vagabonds upon the earth. The very word Babel/Babylon bâbel H894 means: “confusion by mixing” and is used for the first time in Genesis chapter 10. Let’s move on to Genesis verses 3 and 4.

Gen 6:3  And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always *strive with man (‘âdâm H120), for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. (that word *strive means to contend for or judge between.)

Now, those referred to as ‘ı̂ysh H376, the descendants of Shem, live way longer than 120 years after the Flood as we can see in Genesis Chapter 11.

Gen 6:4  There were *giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of *renown. 

This word above translated as “giants”, is used only 3 times in the Scriptures, and is the word nephı̂yl or nephil H5303 in Hebrew and it gets it’s root from the word “fallen” nâphal, used in Gen 4:5-6 when referring to Cain and how his presence had “fallen” before the Lord.

Verse 4 in the original Hebrew reads like this:

There were *the fallen on the earth in those days and even after that when the sons of God entered into the daughters of men (‘âdâm H120) and they brought forth these strong/mighty ones which were from the ancient men (‘ı̂ysh H376) named. (shêm H8034)

The word for giants in Hebrew is râphâ’ or râphâh H7497, translated as Rephaim, and it’s used 21 times in the Old Testament to represent giants.

Gen 6:5  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man (‘âdâm H120) was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 
Gen 6:6  And it repented the LORD that he had made man (‘âdâm H120) on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 
Gen 6:7  And the LORD said, I will destroy man (‘âdâm H120) whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man (‘âdâm H120), and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 
Gen 6:8  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 

Gen 6:9  These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man (‘ı̂ysh H376) and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. *Notice the word for man describing Noah is ‘ı̂ysh H376 and not ‘âdâm H120.

There are many verses in the Bible that differentiate the men chosen by God from those that do not walk with God. Before we move on to the remainder of chapter 6, let me show you an example from one of them.

2Sa 7:14  I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men (‘ı̂ysh H376), and with the stripes of the sons of men (‘âdâm H120): 

Gen 6:10  And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 
Gen 6:11  The earth also was corrupted before God, and the earth was filled with *violence. 
Gen 6:12  And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted His way upon the earth. 
Gen 6:13  And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with *violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

(The word violence in Hebrew is châmâs H2555 and it more accurately means: injustice or that which is unjust, or unrighteous.)

Gen 6:17  And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. 

Gen 6:18  But with thee will I establish My covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. 

Now, things get a bit confusing in Gen 6:19 because it states that two of every living thing is to be brought onto the Ark to be kept alive with Noah and his family and in Gen 7:2-4 it says of every clean animal, both beast and fowl they are to be taken by sevens. The two spoken of are the male and female of each living thing brought upon the Ark. Gen 7:2-3 reads as follows:

Gen 7:2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, seven male and female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and female. 

Gen 7:3  Of fowls also of the air by sevens, seven male and female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. 

So, of those living things considered clean by the Lord; they were to be brought onto the Ark by sevens; seven clean males and seven clean females, 14 in total, and of those things deemed not clean by the Lord, they were to be brought by twos, one male and one female; 2 in total of each of the unclean living things. Of the fowls of the air, they were to be brought also by sevens, seven males and seven females.

Gen 7:4  For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. 

*It’s saying: In one week, seven days, He will cause it to rain upon the earth for 40 days and 40 nights until every living substance that He made is destroyed from off of the face of the earth.

Gen 7:5  And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him. 
Gen 7:6  And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. 
Gen 7:7  And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. 
Gen 7:8  Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 
Gen 7:9  There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah. 
Gen 7:10  And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. 
Gen 7:11  In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 
Gen 7:12  And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. 

Gen 7:21  And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: 
Gen 7:22  All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. 
Gen 7:23  And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. 
Gen 7:24  And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days. 

Now, as we head into Chapter 8 of Genesis, I’m going to point out some things in the original Hebrew that I think you will find interesting.

Gen 8:1  And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; 

In Hebrew it doesn’t say “God made a wind to pass over the earth”, it says “God’s Spirit passed over the earth and the waters decreased.”

Gen 8:4  And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of *Ararat. (‘ărâraṭ H780 means: “the curse reversed”)

Gen 8:6  And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: 
Gen 8:7  And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off *the earth. 
Gen 8:8  Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of *the ground; 

Here’s a bit of symbolism I’d like to point out, the raven and the dove. One is sent out to examine the earth (‘erets H776), the other is sent out to examine the ground or land (‘ădâmâh H127)

The word “raven” is ‛ôrêb H6158, it’s used 10 times in the Bible and gets it’s root from the word ‛ârab H6150 which means: to become darkened, to grow dark, or to become evening.

In Hebrew Gen 8:8 it says “He sent out a dove with it, to see if the waters had lightened from off the face of the ground.“

I believe the raven, based on it’s application throughout Scripture, could represent those that have become darkened, like Cain, which was the first born (sent out) among mankind. The dove being sent out with it could represent those that are lightened by the Spirit of the Lord like Abel, Enoch or Noah himself. I have also pondered if the raven could represent Satan being cast down to the earth before mankind was created, and the Dove, the Spirit of God being sent to pass over the face of the earth through God’s chosen vessels. These are things you will have to pray over and study to see what’s revealed to you concerning them.

Without going too much farther into symbolism or even the deeper meanings of Biblical words; this article is about the Flood, and it’s more important to me that we all understand the reason the Lord flooded the earth to begin with. I hope and pray that I have brought some clarity concerning those questions of why. I know this article was lengthy, but I like my articles to be more Bible than Babble/Babel and to do that, it requires inserting many passages of Scripture. I sincerely pray that the things I’ve touched on in this article, has helped put some periods where there were question marks in your thinking concerning the Flood.

God Bless you all, Be Free and Set Free in Jesus Name!