Genesis 6:8

But Noah The sudden introduction of Noah's name implies that there had been some previous account, in J, describing the contrast of Noah's virtue with the sinfulness of his contemporaries. In the composite narrative of Genesis many features have necessarily disappeared in the process of combining the different traditions. Possibly, the passage at the beginning of this chapter (Genesis 6:1) was substituted for one that had introduced the mention of Noah's piety in contrast with the wickedness of man.

found grace This familiar expression occurs here for the first time in the Bible. For the expression "find grace" cf. Genesis 19:19; Genesis 32:5; Genesis 33:8; Genesis 33:10; Genesis 33:15. The rendering "grace" is sometimes altered to "favour," cf. Genesis 18:3; Genesis 30:27. It is implied that the "favour" which Noah "finds" in the eyes of Jehovah is based on moral grounds. The phrase, common in J, is not found in E or P.