Genesis 6:1

CHAPTER VI

The children of God, among whom the true religion was at first

preserved, corrupt it by forming matrimonial connections with

irreligious women, 1, 2.

God, displeased with these connections and their consequences,

limits the continuance of the old world to one hundred and

twenty years, 3.

The issue of those improper connections termed giants, 4.

An affecting description of the depravity of the world, 5, 6.

God threatens the destruction of every living creature, 7.

Noah and his family find grace in his sight, 8.

The character and family of Noah, 9, 10.

And a farther description of the corruption of man, 11, 12.

Noah is forewarned of the approaching destruction of the

human race, 13;

and is ordered to build an ark for the safety of himself

and household, the form and dimensions of which are

particularly described, 14-16.

The deluge threatened, 17.

The covenant of God's mercy is to be established between him

and the family of Noah, 18.

A male and female of all kinds of animals that could not live

in the waters to be brought into the ark, 19, 20.

Noah is commanded to provide food for their sustenance, 21;

and punctually follows all these directions, 22.

NOTES ON CHAP. VI

Verse Genesis 6:1. When 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 of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life. The others were sons of God, not angels, as some have dreamed, but such as were, according to our Lord's doctrine, born again, born from above, John 3:3; John 3:5, c., and made children of God by the influence of the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:6. The former were apostates from the true religion, the latter were those among whom it was preserved and cultivated.

Dr. Wall supposes the first verses of this chapter should be paraphrased thus: "When men began to multiply on the earth, the chief men took wives of all the handsome poor women they chose. There were tyrants in the earth in those days and also after the antediluvian days powerful men had unlawful connections with the inferior women, and the children which sprang from this illicit commerce were the renowned heroes of antiquity, of whom the heathens made their gods."