The verse emphasizes not just outward bad behavior, but the absolute corruption of the inner world of every person – every single thought, idea, and intention originating from their hearts was continually evil, leaving no room for goodness. This shows that the problem wasn't a few bad apples, but a deep, internal rot that permeated their very being.
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. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The narrative is moving towards a catastrophic judgment. Following the account of humanity’s growing corruption, particularly the mixing of the godly line of Seth with the ungodly line of Cain and the subsequent spiritual decline, God observes the pervasive evil. This observation leads directly to His decision to bring a flood upon the earth to destroy all life due to its utter depravity.
What does it mean for 'every intention of the thoughts of the heart' to be 'only evil continually'?
This verse paints an incredibly stark picture of humanity's state before the Flood.
The Depth of Depravity
This wasn't a situation where a few people were bad. It was a complete breakdown of the human heart, affecting every person and every thought, leading God to see that the whole system was beyond repair without a drastic intervention.
How does God 'see' wickedness, and what does it mean that He was 'grieved'?
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Genesis 6:5-6 reveals God's perspective on humanity's profound sinfulness.
The All-Seeing Judge
God's response wasn't impulsive anger, but a sorrowful recognition that the trajectory of humanity was leading to utter ruin, necessitating a drastic act of judgment to preserve life and His own purposes.
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.
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The proper name of the God of Israel, the self-existent, eternal, covenant-keeping Creator who reveals Himself to His people.
nacham · Hebrew Verb
A strong emotional reaction of sorrow or pain, often used in Scripture to describe God’s response to human sin, though not implying a change in God's eternal nature or character.
atsab · Hebrew Verb
A deep-seated pain or sorrow, often associated with the seat of intellect and emotions; when attributed to God, it highlights His personal, emotional engagement with the moral state of His creation.
leb · Hebrew Noun
The inner part of a person, often representing the center of personality, will, emotions, and moral decision-making.
machah · Hebrew Verb
To wipe away, erase, or destroy, used here to describe the thorough removal of humanity and living creatures from the earth as a judgment for sin.
This verse paints a stark picture of humanity's deepest corruption just before the Flood. It's not just about outward actions, but the very core of human thought and intention being systematically turned towards evil, highlighting the profound need for divine intervention and a complete reset.
c. 10,000 BC - 3000 BC
Early Human Civilization
Following the last Ice Age, human populations began to grow, develop agriculture, and establish early settlements. This period laid the groundwork for the complex societies that would later emerge.
c. 3000 BC
Rise of Early Civilizations
The emergence of major civilizations in Mesopotamia and Egypt, marked by significant advancements in governance, writing, and monumental architecture. These societies often experienced internal conflict and religious development.
c. 2500 BC - 2300 BC— this verse
Pre-Flood World
The period leading up to the Great Flood, characterized by widespread human wickedness, violence, and moral corruption as described in Genesis 6. This societal decay was the direct cause for God's judgment.
c. 2350 BC
The Great Flood
God unleashes a global flood to cleanse the earth of its pervasive wickedness, saving only Noah and his family, along with pairs of every living creature, in the ark.
c. 2350 BC
Post-Flood Covenant
After the floodwaters recede, God establishes a covenant with Noah, symbolized by the rainbow, promising never again to destroy all life with a flood. This marks a new beginning for humanity.
c. 2300 BC - 1800 BC
Early Bronze Age
The period following the flood, marked by the rebuilding of civilizations and the spread of Noah's descendants across the earth. This era saw the development of new cultures and the continuation of human history.
This proverb echoes the deep-seated corruption described in Genesis 6:5, stating that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, a theme that resonates with God's observation of humanity's inner state before the flood.
Matthew 15:18-19Jesus directly connects outward evil deeds to the inward source, the heart, mirroring Genesis 6:5's emphasis on the 'imagination of the thoughts of his heart.' This shows the continuous problem of human corruption from the heart outward.
Romans 3:10-12Paul quotes from the Old Testament to declare the universal sinfulness of humanity, stating 'None is righteous, no, not one... no one does good, not even one.' This passage provides a theological amplification of the extent of wickedness described in Genesis 6:5.
2 Peter 2:4-5This passage directly references the judgment of the antediluvian world, linking the 'ungodly' and their wicked deeds to God's decision to bring a flood upon them, reinforcing the severity of the sin described in Genesis 6:5.
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…
The verse emphasizes not just outward bad behavior, but the absolute corruption of the inner world of every person – every single thought, idea, and intention originating from their hearts was continually evil, leaving no room for goodness. This shows that the problem wasn't a few bad apples, but a deep, internal rot that permeated their very being.
The narrative is moving towards a catastrophic judgment. Following the account of humanity’s growing corruption, particularly the mixing of the godly line of Seth with the ungodly line of Cain and the subsequent spiritual decline, God observes the pervasive evil. This observation leads directly to His decision to bring a flood upon the earth to destroy all life due to its utter depravity.
The narrative is moving towards a catastrophic judgment. Following the account of humanity’s growing corruption, particularly the mixing of the godly line of Seth with the ungodly line of Cain and the subsequent spiritual decline, God observes the pervasive evil. This observation leads directly to His decision to bring a flood upon the earth to destroy all life due to its utter depravity.
"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. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So…" — The verse emphasizes not just outward bad behavior, but the absolute corruption of the inner world of every person – every single thought, idea, and intention originating from their hearts was cont…
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Last reviewed October 2026
