וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּֽי־הֵחֵ֣ל הָֽאָדָ֔ם לָרֹ֖ב עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה וּבָנ֖וֹת יֻלְּד֥וּ לָהֶֽם׃

It was, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them;

וַיִּרְא֤וּ בְנֵי־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־בְּנ֣וֹת הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֥י טֹבֹ֖ת הֵ֑נָּה וַיִּקְח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ נָשִׁ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּחָֽרוּ׃

the sons of the great ones [ benei ha’elohim ] saw that the daughters of man were fair. Some explain that with the proliferation of the human race came the development of a social hierarchy. The term benei ha’elohim refers to members of an upper class that grew apart from the rest of humanity. According to this understanding, the daughters of man were women of the lower classes. According to another interpretation, the sons of God were angels who arrived in this world and were granted human bodies and qualities as a kind of test, which they failed. Although they ceased to be angels, they still retained their supernatural powers alongside their human urges. According to this opinion, the daughters of man refers to mortal women. And they took for themselves wives, from whomever they chose, whether young or old, single or married, without consideration for laws of any kind.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה לֹֽא־יָד֨וֹן רוּחִ֤י בָֽאָדָם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ם בְּשַׁגַּ֖ם ה֣וּא בָשָׂ֑ר וְהָי֣וּ יָמָ֔יו מֵאָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים שָׁנָֽה׃

Society turned a blind eye to lawlessness. No one interfered with or objected to the breaching of boundaries. Therefore, the Lord said: My spirit shall not abide in man forever. According to many commentaries, the verse means: My spirit shall not fight and complain about man forever, for he too is flesh. Man has repeatedly failed to actualize his superiority over other creatures; therefore, he too is only flesh. And his days shall be one hundred and twenty years. I will grant mankind an extension of 120 years before sealing its fate. If man does not change, humanity will cease to exist in its current form.

הַנְּפִלִ֞ים הָי֣וּ בָאָרֶץ֮ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵם֒ וְגַ֣ם אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָבֹ֜אוּ בְּנֵ֤י הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־בְּנ֣וֹת הָֽאָדָ֔ם וְיָלְד֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם הֵ֧מָּה הַגִּבֹּרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר מֵעוֹלָ֖ם אַנְשֵׁ֥י הַשֵּֽׁם׃ (פ)

The verse notes: The giants [ nefilim ] were on the earth in those days, and also thereafter. It is possible that they were called nefilim because they fell [ nafelu ] from their position of greatness, or because they were more wondrous [ nifla ] than the rest of humanity. The nefilim are mentioned much later as well, some as mythical creatures, others as actual people, perhaps remnants of the primeval giants mentioned in this verse. The nefilim were born when the sons of the great ones consorted with the daughters of man, and they bore them children. Although the nefilim were not themselves “sons of the great ones” in either sense mentioned above, as their children they were nonetheless great and powerful. Although few in number, the nefilim ruled over many places in the world. For example, Og, king of Bashan, was described as one of the last surviving descendants of these giants. He was killed by the children of Israel in his kingdom, the Bashan, in the present-day Golan Heights. They were the mighty who were from ancient times, the men of renown, those who made a name for themselves and were remembered by later generations. When people spoke of the mighty men of yore, they were referring to these nefilim .

וַיַּ֣רְא יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכָל־יֵ֙צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. One’s inclinations are not necessarily evil; they are the proactive and creative force within man, which can lead him in various directions. Indeed, the Sages speak of a good inclination. The verse, however, refers to an inclination that is completely evil. That is, man chose to utilize his inclination exclusively for evil.

וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהוָ֔ה כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃

The Lord regretted, as it were, that He had made man on the earth. The hopes placed upon man, who was granted free will, were dashed. And He was saddened in His heart. The verse employs anthropomorphic expressions toward God, meant to convey that the creation of man was a failure. Some explain the verse as follows: The Lord considered and decided with regard to the man that He had made on the earth, and He brought sadness to the heart of man.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה אֶמְחֶ֨ה אֶת־הָאָדָ֤ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֙אתִי֙ מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה מֵֽאָדָם֙ עַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה עַד־רֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י נִחַ֖מְתִּי כִּ֥י עֲשִׂיתִֽם׃

The Lord said: I will obliterate man whom I have created from the face of the earth; from man to animal, to crawling creatures, to birds of the heavens; for I regret that I made them. Man is not simply the pinnacle of creation, but the very purpose of it. Only man can direct the many objects and creatures of the world to their collective purpose. Consequently, in his absence, all of creation loses its reason for being. The Sages teach a parable to illustrate this idea: A man fashioned a wedding canopy for his son and prepared many types of food for the wedding feast. Sometime later, before the wedding, his son died. The father then dismantled the canopy, saying: I fashioned all this only for my son. Now that he is dead, why do I need a wedding canopy? Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I created all the animals only for man. Now that man sins, why do I need these creatures?

וְנֹ֕חַ מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (פ)

But from the entire human race, only Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. After being disappointed by the rest of Adam’s descendants, God chose Noah as the father of the new humanity, due to his special qualities.

אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃

This is the legacy of Noah, the story of his life in brief. Noah was a righteous, wholehearted man in his generations; in contrast to those surrounding him, Noah walked with God. Noah was connected to God, as he contemplated Him and lived with an awareness of the Divine. During this period, when mankind had not yet received God’s commandments, one’s relationship with God was not expressed in mandated actions. It is stated about Noah, as well as Hanokh before him and Abraham after him, that they walked with or before God (5:22, 17:1). This means that God was the subject of their lives, and they had a special relationship with Him.

וַיּ֥וֹלֶד נֹ֖חַ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים אֶת־שֵׁ֖ם אֶת־חָ֥ם וְאֶת־יָֽפֶת׃

Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Yefet.

וַתִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ חָמָֽס׃

After a brief description of Noah as a private individual, the focus returns to the history of the world and Noah’s important role in the unfolding events. The earth was corrupted before God, and the earth was filled with villainy. The absence of law and order, described above in relation to men taking women as they chose (verse 2), was not limited to the sexual sphere. This corruption also found expression in the manner in which the powerful exerted control over the weak, as people began to steal and snatch property from one another without compunction. As a result, the very possibility of possession and ownership was eliminated.

וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְהִנֵּ֣ה נִשְׁחָ֑תָה כִּֽי־הִשְׁחִ֧ית כָּל־בָּשָׂ֛ר אֶת־דַּרְכּ֖וֹ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ס)

God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupted, as all flesh corrupted its path upon the earth. People’s lives in the environment of the time were apparently quiet and comfortable, with abundant food and water. However, instead of being happy with their lot, the people exploited the abundance that was in easy reach by stealing from one another and refusing to recognize property laws and social conventions. Limits and boundaries did not exist for them.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֜ים לְנֹ֗חַ קֵ֤ץ כָּל־בָּשָׂר֙ בָּ֣א לְפָנַ֔י כִּֽי־מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֛רֶץ חָמָ֖ס מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְהִנְנִ֥י מַשְׁחִיתָ֖ם אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

God said to Noah: The end of all flesh has come before Me. According to My reckoning, the end of all living creatures has arrived, as the earth is filled with villainy because of them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. I will destroy them together with the earth itself. However, you have been chosen to continue humanity.

עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ תֵּבַ֣ת עֲצֵי־גֹ֔פֶר קִנִּ֖ים תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֶת־הַתֵּבָ֑ה וְכָֽפַרְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֛הּ מִבַּ֥יִת וּמִח֖וּץ בַּכֹּֽפֶר׃

Therefore, make for you an ark of the relatively light gopher wood; separate compartments shall you make the ark, and you shall coat it within and without with pitch, a kind of tar from which asphalt is produced. The tar will serve as a waterproofing substance.

וְזֶ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֹתָ֑הּ שְׁלֹ֧שׁ מֵא֣וֹת אַמָּ֗ה אֹ֚רֶךְ הַתֵּבָ֔ה חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים אַמָּה֙ רָחְבָּ֔הּ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אַמָּ֖ה קוֹמָתָֽהּ׃

And this is how you shall make it: Three hundred cubits shall be the length of the ark, fifty cubits its breadth, and thirty cubits its height. This is a huge structure, of exceptional proportions even in comparison to structures built on land.

צֹ֣הַר ׀ תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה לַתֵּבָ֗ה וְאֶל־אַמָּה֙ תְּכַלֶ֣נָּה מִלְמַ֔עְלָה וּפֶ֥תַח הַתֵּבָ֖ה בְּצִדָּ֣הּ תָּשִׂ֑ים תַּחְתִּיִּ֛ם שְׁנִיִּ֥ם וּשְׁלִשִׁ֖ים תַּֽעֲשֶֽׂהָ׃

You shall make a window for the ark, to allow the entrance of light. And to a cubit shall you complete it at the top; the sides of the ark shall form a kind of trapezoid, with the roof of the ark one cubit long. And the entrance of the ark you shall place in its side, for entering and exiting. Lower, second, and third stories you shall make it; the ark shall have three floors.

וַאֲנִ֗י הִנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶת־הַמַּבּ֥וּל מַ֙יִם֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לְשַׁחֵ֣ת כָּל־בָּשָׂ֗ר אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ֙ ר֣וּחַ חַיִּ֔ים מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָ֖רֶץ יִגְוָֽע׃

And behold, I am bringing the flood [ mabbul ]. The term mabbul is commonly translated as flood, based on the context. However, it is likely that the word actually means “judgment” or “sentence.” In other words, God is bringing a sentence of judgment in the form of water upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which there is the breath of life, from under the heavens. In those waters, everything that is on the earth, everything that is generally found on dry land, shall perish.

וַהֲקִמֹתִ֥י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וּבָאתָ֙ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֔ה אַתָּ֕ה וּבָנֶ֛יךָ וְאִשְׁתְּךָ֥ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנֶ֖יךָ אִתָּֽךְ׃

But at this juncture I will keep My covenant with you, which will be confirmed and fulfilled at a later point (see 9:9–11). You shall come to the ark: you, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.

וּמִכָּל־הָ֠חַי מִֽכָּל־בָּשָׂ֞ר שְׁנַ֧יִם מִכֹּ֛ל תָּבִ֥יא אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֖ה לְהַחֲיֹ֣ת אִתָּ֑ךְ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה יִֽהְיֽוּ׃

From every living being of all flesh, two of each you shall bring to the ark to keep alive with you; they shall be male and female. You must bring into the ark the living beings that will form the basis of the future existence of both mankind and the animal kingdom.

מֵהָע֣וֹף לְמִינֵ֗הוּ וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ מִכֹּ֛ל רֶ֥מֶשׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה לְמִינֵ֑הוּ שְׁנַ֧יִם מִכֹּ֛ל יָבֹ֥אוּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ לְהַֽחֲיֽוֹת׃

From the birds according to their kind, and from the animals according to their kind, from every crawling creature of the ground according to its kind, two of each shall come to you. You are not commanded to hunt them; rather, I will make them come to you in pairs. The aim is to keep all of the species of the world alive from them. Although you are not required to gather the animals into the ark, there is another duty which you are obligated to perform:

וְאַתָּ֣ה קַח־לְךָ֗ מִכָּל־מַֽאֲכָל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל וְאָסַפְתָּ֖ אֵלֶ֑יךָ וְהָיָ֥ה לְךָ֛ וְלָהֶ֖ם לְאָכְלָֽה׃

You, take for you from all food that is eaten. You must collect enough appropriate food for you and all the animals that will be living in the ark. And gather it to you; and it shall be for you and for them for food.

וַיַּ֖עַשׂ נֹ֑חַ כְּ֠כֹל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֥ה אֹת֛וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים כֵּ֥ן עָשָֽׂה׃ (ס)

Noah did according to all that God had commanded him; so he did. It should not be inferred from the brevity of the account that this was a simple process. Various midrashim describe at length Noah’s difficulties during the years of the construction of the ark. For over one hundred years Noah was occupied with building an enormous structure. The ark that he built did not have a steering wheel, mast, sail, or oar. It resembled neither a ship nor a building. It was not meant to sail in any particular direction, but merely to float. It is easy to imagine the practical and social difficulties of this effort, and the halting efforts that Noah might have made to explain the purpose of his work to others.