TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Commentary on Genesis 7 verses 5–10
Here is Noah's ready obedience to the commands that God gave him. Observe, 1. He went into the ark, upon notice that the flood would come after seven days, though probably as yet there appeared no visible sign of its approach, no cloud arising that threatened it, nothing done towards it, but all continued serene and clear; for, as he prepared the ark by faith in the warning given that the flood would come, so he went into it by faith in this warning that it would come quickly, though he did not see that the second causes had yet begun to work. In every step he took, he walked by faith, and not by sense. During these seven days, it is likely, he was settling himself and his family in the ark, and distributing the creatures into their several apartments. This was the conclusion of that visible sermon which he had long been preaching to his careless neighbours, and which, one would think, might have awakened them; but, not obtaining that desired end, it left their blood upon their own heads. 2. He took all his family along with him, his wife, to be his companion and comfort (though it should seem that, after this, he had no children by her), his sons, and his sons' wives, that by them not only his family, but the world of mankind, might be built up. Observe, Though men were to be reduced to so small a number, and it would be very desirable to have the world speedily repeopled, yet Noah's sons were each of them to have but one wife, which strengthens the argument against having many wives; for from the beginning of this new world it was not so: as, at first, God made, so now he kept alive, but one woman for one man. See Mat 19:4, Mat 19:8. 3. The brute creatures readily went in with him. The same hand that at first brought them to Adam to be named now brought them to Noah to be preserved. The ox now knew his owner, and the ass his protector's crib, nay, even the wildest creatures flocked to it; but man had become more brutish than the brutes themselves, and did not know, did not consider, Isa 1:3.
Hippolytus, the Syrian expositor of the Targum, has said: We find in an ancient Hebrew copy that God commanded Noah to range the wild beasts in order in the lower floor or storey, and to separate the males from the females by putting wooden stakes between them.
And thus, too, he did with all the cattle, and also with the birds in the middle storey. And God ordered the males thus to be separated from the females for the sake of decency and purity, lest they should perchance get intermingled with each other.
Moreover, God said to Moses: Provide victuals for yourself and your children. And let them be of wheat, ground, pounded, kneaded with water, and dried. And Noah there and then bade his wife, and his sons' wives, diligently attend to kneading dough and laying it in the oven. They kneaded dough accordingly, and prepared just about as much as might be sufficient for them, so that nothing should remain over but the very least.
And God charged Noah, saying to him: Whosoever shall first announce to you the approach of the deluge, him you shall destroy that very moment. In the meantime, moreover, the wife of Cham was standing by, about to put a large piece of bread into the oven. And suddenly, according to the word of the Lord, water rushed forth from the oven, and the flow of water penetrated and destroyed the bread. Therefore the wife of Cham exclaimed, addressing herself to Noah: Oh, sir, the word of God is come good: "that which God foretold is come to pass; "execute, therefore, that which the Lord commanded. And when Noah heard the words of the wife of Chain, he said to her: Is then the flood already come? The wife of Cham said to him: Thou hast said it. God, however, suddenly charged Noah, saying: Destroy not the wife of Cham; for from thy mouth is the beginning of destruction-"thou didst first say, The flood is come." At the voice of Noah the flood came, and suddenly the water destroyed that bread. And the floodgates of heaven were opened, and the rains broke upon the earth. And that same voice, in sooth, which had said of old, "Let the waters be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear," gave permission to the fountain of waters and the floods of the seas to break forth of their own accord, and brought out the waters.
Consider what God said about the world: Let all its high places be brought low, and they were brought low; and let its low places be raised from its depths.
And the earth was made bare and empty of all existence, as it was at the beginning.
And the rain descended from above, and the earth burst open beneath. And the frame of the earth was destroyed, and its primitive order was broken. And the world became such as it was when desolated at the beginning by the waters which flowed over it. Nor was any one of the existences upon it left in its integrity.
Its former structure went to wreck, and the earth was disfigured by the flood of waters that burst upon it, and by the magnitude of its inundations, and the multitude of showers, and the eruption from its depths, as the waters continually broke forth. In fine, it was left such as it was formerly.
Noah did everything the Lord had commanded him, and he was six hundred years old when the waters of the flood overflowed the earth. And Noah entered the ark, and his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, and so on. The age of Noah signifies the perfection of those who enter the Church and, through faith and actions worthy of faith, reach eternal joys. For six times a hundred makes six hundred; and the number six, in which the world was made or formed, not undeservingly signifies the perfection of good action. The number one hundred, moreover, as we mentioned above, is transferred in digital computation from the left to the right, and is especially appropriate for those who in the final judgment will stand on the Judge’s right hand and will hear: Come, blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom (Matthew 25:34). Therefore, the number one hundred multiplied by six signifies that perfection of spiritual virtues which is not shown externally for the favor of men, but fulfilled for the glory of the Creator in the hope of heavenly reward; and justly, the leader of the ark, in which the state of the Church is expressed, in the time of his age also signifies the devotion of those who enter thus, that through the merits of good action they may also deserve to pass to eternal salvation. Although it can also be properly understood that since the waters of the flood designate the wave of baptism, the age of Noah then insinuates the perfection to which those who are baptized ought to strive. When it prefigures the time of the final judgment, the same number of his years figuratively announces what kind of people will enter everlasting rest with the Lord, which the name Noah means, that is, those worthy of heavenly entry by the effect of good work and purity of heart intention.
Continue studying Genesis 7:6 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Genesis 7:6 precisely records Noah's age as six hundred years when the cataclysmic flood of waters engulfed the earth, a pivotal moment that marked the culmination of God's patient long-suffering and Noah's unwavering obedience in preparing for this divinely ordained judgment and new beginning for humanity.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Genesis 7:6, though concise, provides a crucial chronological marker that anchors the narrative of the Great Flood in a specific historical moment, emphasizing both divine timing and human endurance.
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Genesis 7:6 employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. Precise Chronology is evident in the specific mention of Noah's age ("six hundred years old"), which grounds the narrative in a concrete, historical timeline, emphasizing the meticulous nature of God's plan and timing. The phrase "flood of waters" utilizes Descriptive Language to evoke the overwhelming power and scope of the deluge, distinguishing it from ordinary rain. Furthermore, the entire verse functions as a moment of Fulfillment, as it marks the literal onset of the judgment that God had warned about for decades, bringing to fruition the divine promises and threats detailed in Genesis 6. It also carries an element of Symbolism, where the waters represent both divine judgment and a cleansing, paving the way for a new, purified creation.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 7:6 stands as a stark reminder of God's absolute sovereignty over creation and history, demonstrating His meticulous timing in both long-suffering and judgment. The precise chronological detail underscores that the flood was not an arbitrary event but a divinely appointed act, culminating a prolonged period of human rebellion and God's patient warnings. It powerfully illustrates the severe consequences of sin and the certainty of divine judgment, while simultaneously highlighting God's faithfulness to His righteous servant, Noah. Through Noah, God preserved a remnant, signifying His commitment to redemptive history and the initiation of a new covenantal beginning for humanity.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 7:6 calls believers to a profound reflection on the critical importance of heeding divine warnings and cultivating a life of persistent readiness. Just as Noah, for decades, diligently prepared for a literal flood that seemed distant and improbable to his contemporaries, so too are Christians exhorted to prepare spiritually for the Lord's certain return and the ultimate judgment. This preparation involves cultivating unwavering faith, sustained obedience to God's commands, and living in anticipation of His coming, even when the world around us remains oblivious or dismissive. Noah's enduring faithfulness, even over a period of six centuries, serves as a powerful testament that sustained devotion to God, even in the face of societal opposition, ridicule, and the absence of immediate visible evidence, is not only possible but divinely honored, leading to salvation and the fulfillment of God's promises. It reminds us that our spiritual diligence today, however long it may take, is an act of trust in God's perfect timing and His ultimate justice.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Noah's age specified so precisely at 600 years?
Answer: The precise age highlights the meticulous nature of biblical chronology and God's divine timing. It underscores the immense duration of Noah's faith and obedience, as he spent a significant portion of his life building the ark, potentially over a century, in anticipation of an event that had never before occurred. This specificity emphasizes that the flood was not a random natural disaster but occurred at a divinely appointed moment, marking the culmination of God's long-suffering patience and the final opportunity for humanity to repent before judgment. It also serves to ground the narrative in a historical reality, reinforcing the biblical account's claim to factual accuracy.
Does the flood in Genesis 7:6 imply a local or global event?
Answer: The language used throughout Genesis 6-9, including terms like "all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered" (Genesis 7:19), "all flesh died that moved upon the earth" (Genesis 7:21), and the unique Hebrew term mabbûwl (מַבּוּל) for this specific flood, strongly indicates a global, universal catastrophe, not a localized one. The purpose of cleansing the entire earth of its pervasive wickedness (Genesis 6:11-13) further supports this interpretation, as a local flood would not achieve such a comprehensive judgment or necessitate the preservation of all animal kinds in an ark.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of the flood, initiated at Noah's 600th year, serves as a profound type and shadow pointing to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Just as Noah, a righteous man by faith, became the means of salvation for his household and the preservation of life through the ark amidst a world facing overwhelming divine judgment, so Jesus Christ, the perfectly righteous Son of God, is the sole means of salvation for humanity from the coming spiritual judgment of sin. The ark provided a physical refuge from the waters of divine wrath, prefiguring Christ who provides spiritual refuge and eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 3:16). Furthermore, Peter draws a direct parallel between the ark's salvation through water and Christian baptism, which now saves us "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:20-21). The new beginning for humanity after the flood also powerfully foreshadows the new creation and eternal life offered through Christ's redemptive work, where He makes "all things new" (Revelation 21:5), leading His people into a new heavens and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13).