Genesis 6:5
The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss is how intensely focused this verse is on the inner life of humanity. It's not just about outward actions; God sees that every single idea conceived in the heart, down to its very formation, was perpetually evil. This paints a devastating picture of a humanity whose thoughts themselves were irredeemably corrupted, not just their deeds.
Just before this verse, the text describes a disturbing mingling: the "sons of God" (likely meaning righteous descendants of Seth) began to marry the "daughters of men" (descendants of Cain). This union, and the resulting offspring, led to a world filled with violence and moral decay. Genesis 6:5 then explains why God was so grieved: He saw that humanity's corruption wasn't just in their actions, but deeply ingrained in their very thoughts and intentions. This pervasive evil was the catalyst for God's decision to bring the flood, a judgment meant to cleanse the earth and preserve a remnant through Noah.
Imagine a world where every single thought, every hidden intention, is bent on evil. This wasn't just a bad day; it was the fabric of reality before the Flood.
Genesis 6:5 paints a stark picture of humanity's pre-Flood state. The verse doesn't just say people were doing bad things; it dives deeper:
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How does God view such pervasive evil? It's not a distant observation but a deeply grieved and resolute stance.
God's seeing of man's wickedness in Genesis 6:5 is not merely an all-knowing observation but a divine assessment that leads to a profound reaction:
Understand the original words
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
Describes moral depravity, corruption, and a deviation from the divine standard of holiness. It denotes an active hostility toward God’s will and moral law.
lebab · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the core of human personality, encompassing the mind, will, emotions, and moral faculties. It is the seat of decision-making where both good and evil intentions are formed.
This verse describes a critical turning point in human history, where pervasive wickedness led to divine judgment and a new beginning, highlighting the consistent theme of God's response to human sin throughout biblical narrative.
c. 10,500 BC
Early Human Civilization Emerges
Following the end of the last Ice Age, human societies began to develop more complex structures and settlements.
c. 4000 BC - 3000 BC
Rise of Complex Societies
Early civilizations in Mesopotamia and Egypt developed agriculture, cities, and organized religion, marking a significant leap in human societal development.
c. 3000 BC - 2000 BC
The Patriarchal Period Begins
This era is traditionally associated with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whose lives and faith journeys are central to the covenant God makes with humanity.
c. 2350 BC— this verse
Height of Pre-Flood Wickedness
Humanity's descent into pervasive wickedness, violence, and corruption reaches its zenith, prompting God's judgment.
c. 2348 BC
The Great Flood Begins
God unleashes a global flood to cleanse the earth of its overwhelming corruption, saving only Noah and his family.
c. 2348 BC
God Establishes Covenant with Noah
After the flood, God makes a covenant with Noah and all living creatures, promising never again to destroy all life with a flood, symbolized by the rainbow.
This Psalm paints a stark picture of humanity's universal sinfulness and God's observation, mirroring Genesis 6:5's description of widespread wickedness stemming from the heart.
Jeremiah 17:9This verse echoes Genesis 6:5 by calling the human heart 'deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,' highlighting the deep-seated corruption that leads to outward sin.
Matthew 15:18-19Jesus directly links outward sinful actions to the corrupt thoughts and intentions originating from the heart, aligning with the Genesis account of the source of pervasive wickedness.
Romans 3:10-12The Apostle Paul quotes and expands upon the Psalms, asserting the universal sinfulness of all humanity, showing that 'no one is righteous, no, not one,' a truth illustrated by the state of the pre-flood world.
2 Peter 2:4-5This passage describes God's judgment on the ancient world for its ungodliness and lawlessness, directly referencing the flood as a consequence of their wickedness, which Genesis 6:5 explains in detail.
calvinGenesis 6:1-22: "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,"
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.
Gigantes fuerunt in terra in diebus illis: et etiam postquam ingressi sunt filii Dei ad filias hominum, genuerunt eis: isti sunt potentes, qui a saec…
gillGenesis 6:5: "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
And God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth,.... That it spread throughout the earth, wherever it was inhabited by men, both among the posterity of Cain and Seth, and who indeed now were mixed together, and become one people: this respects actual transgressions, the wicked actions of men, and those of the grosser sort, whic…
What's easy to miss is how intensely focused this verse is on the inner life of humanity. It's not just about outward actions; God sees that every single idea conceived in the heart, down to its very formation, was perpetually evil. This paints a devastating picture of a humanity whose thoughts themselves were irredeemably corrupted, not just their deeds.
Just before this verse, the text describes a disturbing mingling: the "sons of God" (likely meaning righteous descendants of Seth) began to marry the "daughters of men" (descendants of Cain). This union, and the resulting offspring, led to a world filled with violence and moral decay. Genesis 6:5 then explains why God was so grieved: He saw that humanity's corruption wasn't just in their actions, but deeply ingrained in their very thoughts and intentions. This pervasive evil was the catalyst for God's decision to bring the flood, a judgment meant to cleanse the earth and preserve a remnant through Noah.
Just before this verse, the text describes a disturbing mingling: the "sons of God" (likely meaning righteous descendants of Seth) began to marry the "daughters of men" (descendants of Cain). This union, and the resulting offspring, led to a world filled with violence and moral decay. Genesis 6:5 then explains why God was so grieved: He saw that humanity's corruption wasn't just in their actions, but deeply ingrained in their very thoughts and intentions. This pervasive evil was the catalyst for God's decision to bring the flood, a judgment meant to cleanse the earth and preserve a remnant through Noah.
"The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." — What's easy to miss is how intensely focused this verse is on the inner life of humanity. It's not just about outward actions; God sees that every single idea conceived in the heart, down to its…
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