Day 3: The Flood – Genesis 6-9

Instead of enjoying a bank holiday properly, I've still got a flu-like bug that's made me spend half the morning in bed. A good chance to read today's verses, although my head is pounding.

Corrupt Civilisation

Genesis 6:1-7, 11-12

Instructions for building the ark

Genesis 6:8, 13-21

Birth of Noah's sons

Genesis 5:32, 6:9-10, 1 Chronicles 1:4

Death of Lamech

Genesis 5:30-31

Death of Methusaleh

Genesis 5:26-7

Entering the ark

Genesis 6:22, 7:1-9

The Flood: rain falls

Genesis 7:10-24

The Flood: rain stops

Genesis 8:1-19

God's rainbow covenant

Genesis 8:20-22, 9:1-17


6:6 - God was grieved that he had made the world – grieved, not angry – and his heart was filled with pain. God is not like other mythological gods, capricious and cruel, so obviously made in the image of humans, rather than the other way round. 7:2 - Noah is told to take seven of every clean creature – this bit is presumably a later addition, since the law has not been given yet. 7:11 is the most wonderful poetry: “All the springs of the deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.” I wish I could read it in Hebrew. Ah well, my fault – I had two chances to learn Hebrew at college, and gave up both times.
As God made a new covenant with Noah, the reach of human dominion is extended. We are told that all animals will fear people, and humanity is given permission to eat animals as well as plants. Human dominion becomes more terrible and more total. But the lifeblood remains sacred, harking back to Abel's blood spilt, and setting up a powerful theme that will resonate throughout the 65 books to come.