Genesis 6:1

Genesis 6:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
• New International Version (NIV)When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them,
• English Standard Version (ESV)When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,

Context of Genesis 6:1

People began to grow in number all over the earth. They gave birth to daughters. 2The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful. They chose for themselves any of them that they wanted to become their wives. 3The Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not give life to humans for ever. One day they will die. I will not let them live for more than 120 years. Then they will die.’

Genesis 6:1 word by word

וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּֽי־הֵחֵ֣ל הָֽאָדָ֔ם לָרֹ֖ב עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה וּבָנ֖וֹת יֻלְּד֥וּ לָהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, when menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• beganחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: beginH2490
• to multiplyרָבַבrâbab · to multiplyH7231
• onעַל‛al · uponH5921
• the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: surfaceH6440
• of the earthאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
• and daughtersבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• were bornיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205

Cross-references for Genesis 6:1

• Genesis 1:28God blessed them. He said to them, ‘Give birth to children. Grow in number. Fill the earth and rule over it. Rule over the fish in the sea. Rule over the birds in the sky. Rule over every different kind of living animal that moves along the ground.’

Commentaries on Genesis 6:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1When men began to multiply - It was not at this time that men began to multiply, but the inspired penman speaks now of a fact which had taken place long before. As there is a distinction made here between men and those called the sons of God, it is generally supposed that the immediate posterity of Cain and that of Seth are intended. The first were mere men, such as fallen nature may produce, degenerate sons of a degenerate father, governed by the desire…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-8Verses 1-8 - The Growth of Sin 3. דון dı̂yn “be down, strive, subdue, judge.” בשׁגם bāshagām “inasmuch, as also.” The rendering “in their error” requires the pointing בשׁגם beshāgām and the plural form of the following pronoun. It is also unknown to the Septuagint. 4. נפילים nepı̂lı̂ym “assailants, fellers, men of violence, tyrants.” Having traced the line of descent from Adam through Sheth, the seed of God, to Noah, the author proceeds to describe…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The wickedness of the world which provoked God's wrath. (1-7) Noah finds grace. (8-11) Noah warned of the flood, The directions respecting the ark. (12-21) Noah's faith and obedience. (22) Verses 1-7 The most remarkable thing concerning the old world, is the destroying of it by the deluge, or flood. We are told of the abounding iniquity of that wicked world: God's just wrath, and his holy resolution to punish it. In all ages there has been a peculiar…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2The sons of God have generally been understood as fallen angels (or demons). The main interpretation of the phrase seems to refer to demons. The same Hebrew phrase is in Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Psalms 29:1; 89:7. This idea appears often in ancient Jewish and Christian writings (for example, 1 Enoch 6:1–7:6; Justin Martyr, Apology 2.5). The New Testament also seems to support this view in some passages (see 1 Peter 3:18–20; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6–7). Some…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-222. the sons of God saw the daughters of men--By the former is meant the family of Seth, who were professedly religious; by the latter, the descendants of apostate Cain. Mixed marriages between parties of opposite principles and practice were necessarily sources of extensive corruption. The women, religious themselves, would as wives and mothers exert an influence fatal to the existence of religion in their household, and consequently the people of that…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 6:1

• Ship

In the dictionaries

• Corrupt
• Fill
• Flesh
• Imagination
• Multiply
• Noah
• Renown
• Repent
• Strive
• Violence

Commentaries on Genesis 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings