Genesis 6:7
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)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
God's decision to "blot out" humanity isn't just about erasing them; it’s a powerful statement of regret. The word used here carries the sense of wiping clean, as if the entire creation has become an unbearable stain that He must remove from His sight. This reveals a profound sorrow that His own handiwork has become so corrupted that it must be utterly undone.
God has just observed that humanity's wickedness has reached an extreme point, corrupting every thought and action to the point where He deeply regrets creating humankind. This profound sorrow leads to His solemn declaration of intent to wipe all living things from the earth. The narrative immediately shifts to introduce Noah, highlighting that he alone found favor with God, setting the stage for preservation amidst the impending destruction.
Have you ever felt deep regret? The Bible says God 'repented.' What does that really mean for an all-knowing, all-powerful God?
The verse says, 'it repenteth me that I have made them.' This isn't like human regret, where we wish we could change the past because we made a bad choice. God is all-knowing; nothing surprises Him.
Instead, this 'repentance' speaks to the profound grief and sorrow God experiences when His creation, made for relationship and purpose, turns so completely away from Him into corruption and violence. It’s a sorrow that leads to a righteous judgment, not a change of mind.
God’s judgment in this passage extends beyond just people. Why did the animals and creeping things also face destruction?
The Lord declares, '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.' This isn't arbitrary cruelty; it's a consequence of humanity's pervasive sin.
Understand the original words
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 comes at a pivotal moment, marking God's decision to enact a catastrophic judgment due to humanity's deep-seated and pervasive wickedness, a decision made after long patience and after observing that all attempts at correction had failed.
c. 2500 BC
Early Settlement of Mesopotamia
Humanity begins to multiply and settle in regions like Mesopotamia, laying the groundwork for complex societies and increasing potential for widespread corruption.
c. 2000 BC - 1500 BC— this verse
The Age of the Patriarchs
This period spans the lives of the antediluvian patriarchs, from Adam to Noah. It is characterized by humanity's increasing wickedness and distance from God, despite God's attempts to guide them.
c. 1700 BC
God's Spirit Strives with Humanity
God's Spirit actively contends with humanity's sin through preaching and internal conviction, but this striving is met with obstinate resistance.
c. 1700 BC
God's Determination to Destroy
Observing the uncurable corruption and pervasive violence, God resolves to destroy humanity and all life from the earth.
This passage speaks of God's initial creation and blessing of humanity, establishing a stark contrast with the state of corruption described in Genesis 6, highlighting the depth of the fall.
Genesis 9:15-16This verse marks God's covenant after the flood, explicitly stating He will never again destroy all living creatures by a flood. It shows God's commitment to His promise, contrasting with His regret and decision in Genesis 6:7.
Romans 5:12This New Testament passage explains how sin and death entered the world through one man, providing theological context for the pervasive wickedness that led to God's judgment in Genesis 6.
2 Peter 2:5Peter explicitly references the judgment of the 'ungodly' by a flood in the time of Noah, reinforcing the historical significance and divine punishment described in Genesis 6.
Luke 17:26-27Jesus likens the days of the Son of Man to the days of Noah, emphasizing the normalcy and unsuspecting nature of life before the sudden destruction, mirroring the context of Genesis 6:7.
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 6:7: "And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them."
And the Lord said,.... Not to the angels, nor to Noah, but within himself, on observing to what a height the sin of man had got, and what a spread it made on the earth: I will destroy man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth; though he is my creature, the work of my hands…
God's decision to "blot out" humanity isn't just about erasing them; it’s a powerful statement of regret. The word used here carries the sense of wiping clean, as if the entire creation has become an unbearable stain that He must remove from His sight. This reveals a profound sorrow that His own handiwork has become so corrupted that it must be utterly undone.
God has just observed that humanity's wickedness has reached an extreme point, corrupting every thought and action to the point where He deeply regrets creating humankind. This profound sorrow leads to His solemn declaration of intent to wipe all living things from the earth. The narrative immediately shifts to introduce Noah, highlighting that he alone found favor with God, setting the stage for preservation amidst the impending destruction.
God has just observed that humanity's wickedness has reached an extreme point, corrupting every thought and action to the point where He deeply regrets creating humankind. This profound sorrow leads to His solemn declaration of intent to wipe all living things from the earth. The narrative immediately shifts to introduce Noah, highlighting that he alone found favor with God, setting the stage for preservation amidst the impending destruction.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Genesis 6:7 is available in the Sola app.
c. 1700 BC
Noah Finds Grace
In the midst of this universal corruption, Noah is found righteous in God's sight, receiving God's favor and the plan for salvation.
c. 1700 BC
Command to Build the Ark
God instructs Noah to build a massive ark, a daunting task that would take over a century to complete, serving as a testament to Noah's faith and obedience.
"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.”" — God's decision to "blot out" humanity isn't just about erasing them; it’s a powerful statement of regret. The word used here carries the sense of wiping clean, as if the entire creation has become an…
