English Standard Version
Genesis 6:17
17For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.
Genesis 6:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die.
Context of Genesis 6:17
15This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. 19And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.
Read all of Genesis 6Genesis 6:17 word by word
וַאֲנִ֗י הִנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶת־הַמַּבּ֥וּל מַ֙יִם֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לְשַׁחֵ֣ת כָּל־בָּשָׂ֗ר אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ֙ ר֣וּחַ חַיִּ֔ים מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָ֖רֶץ יִגְוָֽע׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And, beholdהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
- Iאֲנִי'ănîy · IH589
- even I, do bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- a floodמַבּוּלmabbûl · floodH3999
- of watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- upon the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- to destroyשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
- all fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
- the breathרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
- of lifeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
- from underתַּחַתtachath · underneath: underH8478
- heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- every thingכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- shall dieגָּוַעgâva‛ · to dieH1478
Cross-references for Genesis 6:17
- Genesis 6:13And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
- Genesis 7:4For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground."
- Genesis 9:9"Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you,
- Exodus 14:17And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen.
- Leviticus 26:28then I will walk contrary to you in fury, and I myself will discipline you sevenfold for your sins.
- Deuteronomy 32:39"'See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
- Psalms 29:10The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
- Isaiah 51:12"I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass,
- Ezekiel 5:8therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, even I, am against you. And I will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations.
- Ezekiel 6:3and say, You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God! Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.
- Ezekiel 34:11"For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out.
- Hosea 5:14For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear and go away; I will carry off, and no one shall rescue.
- 2 Peter 2:5if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;
- Job 22:16They were snatched away before their time; their foundation was washed away.
- Psalms 93:3The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring.
- Psalms 107:34a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants.
Commentaries on Genesis 6:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17I-do bring a flood - מבול ; mabbul ; a word used only to designate the general deluge, being never applied to signify any other kind of inundation; and does not the Holy Spirit intend to show by this that no other flood was ever like this, and that it should continue to be the sole one of the kind? There have been many partial inundations in various countries, but never more than One general deluge; and we have God's promise, Genesis 9:15, that there…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9-22Verses 9-22 - Section VI - The Deluge - XXIII. The Ark 9. דור dôr “age, time from birth to death,” applied either to an individual or the whole contemporary race, running parallel with some leading individual. Hence, the “race” or “generation” living during that time. 14. תבה tēbâh “chest, ark.” It is used only of this vessel of Noah‘s construction, and of the little vessel in which Moses was put Exodus 2:3, Exodus 2:5. The root, according to Furst…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-21Verses 12-21 God told Noah his purpose to destroy the wicked world by water. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, Psa 25:14. It is with all believers, enabling them to understand and apply the declarations and warnings of the written word. God chose to do it by a flood of waters, which should drown the world. As he chooses the rod with which he corrects his children, so he chooses the sword with which he cuts off his enemies. God established…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17will bring floodwaters upon the earth: Some scholars suggest the great flood might have only covered the ancient Near East, as known to Noah or Moses. But the flood's purpose was to destroy every living thing that breathes (see also 6:7, 11–13; 7:1, 4, 18–23; 8:21). It was also intended to undo creation (see study notes on 1:9–10; 7:11–12). This suggests the great flood covered the entire planet (see also 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5; 3:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2217-22. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood--The repetition of the announcement was to establish its certainty (Ge 41:32). Whatever opinion may be entertained as to the operation of natural laws and agencies in the deluge, it was brought on the world by God as a punishment for the enormous wickedness of its inhabitants.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 6:17
In the dictionaries
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
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