5
AndוַYHWHיְהוָהsawיַּרְאthatכִּיthe wickednessרָעַתof the human beingהָאָדָםwas greatרַבָּהon the earth,בָּאָרֶץand that everyוְכָלinclinationיֵצֶרof the thoughtsמַחְשְׁבֹתof his heartלִבּוֹwasonlyרַקevilרַעallכָּלthe day.הַיּוֹם
Genesis 6:5
Study it in the app“And YHWH saw that the wickedness of the human being was great on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the day.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 6:5, word by word
- YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- sawיַּרְאyar
realize
To realize: "he saw that it was good".
Where else “yar” appears- the wickednessרָעַתraat
evil
What is evil, the opposite of good.
Where else “raat” appears- of the human beingאָדָםadam
human being
All humankind, men and women, as creatures God formed.
Where else “adam” appears- was greatרַבָּהraba
much
In great quantity, more than expected.
Where else “raba” appears- on the earthאָרֶץarets
earth
The whole world, everything under the sky.
Where else “arets” appears- inclinationיֵצֶרyetser
inclination
What one thinks and intends inside.
Where else “yetser” appears- of the thoughtsמַחְשְׁבֹתmachshvot
thought
What one has in mind and intends.
Where else “machshvot” appears- of his heartלִבּlib
heart
The deepest part of a person: where they think, feel and decide.
Where else “lib” appears- the dayיּוֹםyom
day
The day, the hours of light, or a whole day.
Where else “yom” appears
The context
4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of Elohim went in to the daughters of human beings and they bore children to them; they were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
5 · This verse (above)
6And YHWH was sorry that he had made the human being on the earth, and he was grieved in his heart.
To study Genesis 6 in a group
1. What it says
What did YHWH see on the earth, and what did Elohim tell Noah to do (vv. 5, 13-14)?
2. What it means
Why does the text say Noah found favor in the eyes of YHWH (vv. 8-9)?
3. How I live it
What good thing can you keep doing steadily even if those around you do not understand it, as Noah did (v. 22)?