Bible Commentaries

Genesis 6:8. Noah found grace — That is, he obtained mercy and favour; for although he was by nature corrupt and sinful, he had been renewed in the spirit of his mind, and by repentance and a lively faith, had obtained witness that he was righteous. This vindicates God’s justice in his displeasure against the world, and shows that he had examined the character of every person in it, before he pronounced it universally corrupt; for, there being one good man, he smiled upon him.

Genesis 6:9. Noah was a just man — Justified before God by faith in the promised Seed; for he was an heir of the righteousness which is by faith, Hebrews 11:7. He was sanctified, and had right principles and dispositions implanted in him; and he was righteous in his conversation, one that made conscience of rendering to all their due, to God his due, and to men theirs. And he walked with God, as Enoch had done before him: in his generation — Even in that corrupt, degenerate age. It is easy to be religious when religion is in fashion; but it is an evidence of strong faith to swim against the stream, and to appear for God when no one else appears for him: so Noah did, and it is upon record to his immortal honour.

Genesis 6:11. The earth — Put for its inhabitants; was corrupt before God — In matters of God’s worship; either having other gods before him, or worshipping him by images; or before the face of God, whose eye was upon it, and in despite and contempt of his presence and justice. They sinned openly and impudently, without shame, and boldly and resolutely, without any fear of God. The earth also was filled with violence and injustice toward men; there was no order, nor regular government; no man was safe in the possession of that which he had the most clear right to; there was nothing but murders, rapes, and rapines.

Genesis 6:13. The end, or ruin, of all flesh is come before me — Is approaching, is at the very door. It is come in my purpose and decree, and shall as certainly take place, as if it were come already, in what manner soever vain men may flatter themselves with hopes of longer impunity. I will destroy them with the earth; but make thee an ark — I will take care to preserve thee alive. This ark was like the hulk of a ship, fitted not to sail upon the waters, but to float, waiting for their fall. God could have secured Noah by the ministration of angels, without putting him to any care or pains; but he chose to employ him in making that which was to be the means of his preservation, both for the trial of his faith and obedience, and to teach us that none shall be saved by Christ, but those only that work out their salvation; we cannot do it without God, and he will not without us: both the providence of God, and the grace of God, crown the endeavours of the obedient and diligent.

Genesis 6:17-18. Behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth — I, who am infinite in power and therefore can do it; infinite in justice, and therefore will do it. But with thee will I establish my covenant — 1st, The covenant of providence, that the course of nature should be continued to the end of time, notwithstanding the interruption which the flood would give to it: this promise was immediately made to Noah and his sons, Genesis 9:8, &c.; they were as trustees for all this part of the creation, and a great honour was thereby put upon them. 2d, The covenant of grace, that God would be to him a God, and that out of his seed God would take to himself a people.

Genesis 6:22. Thus did Noah according to all that God commanded him — And that both as to the matter and manner of it. And when we consider how laborious, tedious, and dangerous a work the building of the ark was, and what ridicule he would have to encounter from the ungodly and profane, while engaged in a business apparently foolish, and that for so many scores of years together, we shall not wonder that the faith whereby he surmounted all these difficulties should be so celebrated in the Scriptures. See Hebrews 11:7.

Genesis 7:1. Come thou, and all thy house, into the ark — His family consisted only of eight persons, 1 Peter 3:20, namely, Noah and his three sons, and their four wives, Genesis 6:18. By this it appears that each man had but one wife, and consequently it is probable, that, as polygamy began in the posterity of Cain, so it was confined to them, and had not, as yet, got footing among the sons of God. For if ever polygamy had been allowable, it must have been now for repeopling of the perishing world. For thee have I seen righteous before me — With the righteousness of faith, as it is explained Hebrews 11:7, evidenced by the fruits of righteousness and true holiness. Those are righteous indeed, that are righteous before God; that have not only the form of godliness, by which they appear righteous before men, who may easily be imposed upon; but the power of it, by which they approve themselves to God, who searcheth the heart.

Genesis 7:2. Here are necessary orders given concerning the brute creatures that were to be preserved alive with Noah in the ark. He must carefully preserve every species, that no tribe, no, not the least considerable, might entirely perish out of the creation. Even the unclean beasts, that were least valuable, were preserved alive in the ark. For God’s tender mercies are over all his works, and not only over those that are of most use; yet more of the clean were preserved than of the unclean. 1st, Because the clean were most for the service of man; and therefore, in favour to him, more of them were preserved, and are still propagated. Thanks be to God, there are not herds of lions as there are of oxen; nor flocks of tigers, as there are of sheep. 2d, Because the clean were for sacrifice to God; and therefore, in honour to him, more of them were preserved, three couple for breed, and the odd seventh for sacrifice, Genesis 8:20.