Genesis 6:3 kjv

And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

Genesis 6:3 nkjv

And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."

Genesis 6:3 niv

Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years."

Genesis 6:3 esv

Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years."

Genesis 6:3 nlt

Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years."

Genesis 6 verses

Genesis 6 3 Meaning

Genesis 6:3 records God's pronouncement concerning humanity's remaining time before a significant divine judgment, coupled with a statement about their inherent nature. It signifies a divine limitation on God's active Spirit working among depraved mankind due to their overwhelming sinfulness and focus on carnal desires, establishing a grace period of one hundred and twenty years before the impending judgment. The verse emphasizes the vast gulf between God's divine Spirit and rebellious human "flesh," highlighting divine patience nearing its end.

Genesis 6 3 Context

Genesis 6:3 is part of the unfolding narrative of human depravity before the great Flood. It follows the unsettling account of the "sons of God" (possibly angelic beings or God-fearing men) marrying the "daughters of man," leading to offspring who became "mighty men" or "heroes of old" (Gen 6:1-2). This union, coupled with unbridled human sinfulness described in the verses that immediately follow (Gen 6:5: "The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually"), triggers God's sorrow and decision for judgment. The statement in 6:3 functions as a divine verdict and a declaration of a final grace period for humanity before the impending catastrophic event, the Flood. Historically and culturally, the narrative challenges ancient Near Eastern polytheistic myths that often depicted deities intermingling freely with humans or heroic figures having unbounded lifespans, asserting the sovereign Yahweh's control over life, time, and moral boundaries. It establishes God's intolerance for pervasive wickedness and the consequence of humanity living solely by its own sinful desires.

Genesis 6 3 Word analysis

• Then the LORD said: The phrase introduces a divine decree, signifying a pivotal moment in the narrative where God directly intervenes and speaks. "LORD" is YHWH (יהוה), the covenant name of God, indicating a personal, active deity in relationship with creation, even in judgment.
• My Spirit (רוּחִי ruchi): Refers to God's Spirit, the divine animating principle and source of life, wisdom, and conviction. Its presence among humanity is tied to upholding life and moral order.
• shall not strive (יָדוֹן yadôn): This Hebrew word is subject to varied interpretations.
  • One primary understanding is "contend" or "strive" (as in legal contention or ongoing struggle), implying that God's Spirit will no longer wrestle with or plead with humanity's persistent rebellion.
  • Another strong possibility is "abide" or "dwell" (influenced by the Septuagint's "remain"), suggesting the Spirit's permanent dwelling or intimate relationship with humanity will cease or be drastically limited.
  • Less common views include "judge" or "rule." The dominant theological consensus favors a cessation of the Spirit's persisting influence or presence for conviction/restraint.
• with man (בָּאָדָם ba'adam): Refers to humanity collectively, the human race in its fallen state.
• forever (לְעֹלָם le'olam): Implies "eternally," "perpetually," but here used with a limiting condition ("for he is indeed flesh"), thus signifying for a prolonged but defined period, implying a time-bound endurance of the Spirit's striving/abiding.
• for he is indeed flesh (בְּשַׁגַּם הוּא בָשָׂר beshagam hu basar): This clause provides the reason for the Spirit's limitation.
  • flesh (basar בָשָׂר): Signifies human nature in its weakened, fallen, and corrupt state. It refers not merely to physical substance but humanity given over to carnal desires, depravity, and self-will, opposed to the spiritual nature of God (see Rom 8:5-8). It underscores mortality, frailty, and inherent sinfulness post-Fall.
  • "Indeed" or "even" emphasizes the profound degree to which humanity had become purely "flesh."
• yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years: This sets a temporal limit.
  • The most widely accepted interpretation is that this is a period of divine grace and forebearance—120 years from the time of this declaration until the coming of the Flood. It represents a definite window for repentance.
  • A less common view interprets this as a new maximum human lifespan after the Flood, though post-Flood genealogies initially show lifespans far exceeding 120 years before they gradually decreased over many generations to well below that mark. This interpretation is difficult to reconcile directly with the immediate biblical record.
  • It is a declaration of divine judgment on a specific timeline, emphasizing God's sovereignty over life and death.

Genesis 6 3 Bonus section

• Polemics: This verse inherently functions as a strong polemic against pagan creation narratives common in the Ancient Near East (ANE). Unlike gods who were sometimes subject to fate or whim, the God of Genesis definitively and justly limits human life and presence, demonstrating ultimate divine sovereignty over both time and being. It refutes notions of inherent immortality for all humans or semi-divine rulers that populated contemporary mythologies.
• Progressive Revelation: The understanding of God's Spirit evolves throughout the Bible. Here, the Spirit primarily functions as the divine active principle sustaining life and exercising moral influence. Later, in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is revealed as dwelling within believers for sanctification, guidance, and empowering for witness, contrasting with this initial limitation due to human unfaithfulness (Jn 14:16-17, Rom 8:9).
• Echoes in New Testament: The narrative of Noah and the Flood, initiated by this divine pronouncement, is frequently referenced in the New Testament (Mt 24:37-39; Lk 17:26-27; 1 Pet 3:20-21; 2 Pet 2:5, 3:5-6) as a paradigm for divine judgment following a period of warning, illustrating God's patience and humanity's accountability. The "flesh" concept also finds its full theological development in Pauline epistles, highlighting humanity's sinful nature without divine grace (Rom 7-8; Gal 5).

Genesis 6 3 Commentary

Genesis 6:3 encapsulates a moment of profound divine pathos and firm resolve. The "LORD's" (YHWH's) declaration signifies a critical shift in God's interaction with pre-Flood humanity. The "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever" implies a cessation of God's active, restraining, convicting, or abiding presence in the relentless face of human depravity. Humanity had descended into such comprehensive sin, summarized by being "flesh," meaning wholly consumed by their carnal, earthly, and rebellious nature, that divine interaction for the purpose of restraint or spiritual guidance had become futile. This statement underscores the biblical principle that while God is infinitely patient (Rom 2:4; 1 Pet 3:20), His patience has a boundary.

The ensuing consequence, "yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years," marks a specific period of grace. This is primarily understood as a countdown, providing humanity a final, clear span of 120 years to respond to the impending judgment, which Noah's preaching and ark-building would visibly represent. This is not a new individual lifespan ceiling at this point, as lifespans recorded immediately after the Flood still stretched beyond this number (e.g., Shem lived 600 years, Gen 11:10-11). Instead, it's a fixed prophetic period before the cataclysm. This demonstrates God's unwavering justice, but equally, His incredible long-suffering and desire for repentance, offering ample warning and time before the execution of judgment. The verse thus sets the stage for the dramatic events of the Flood, illustrating that humanity's doom was self-inflicted, born of their willful rejection of God and their embrace of "flesh."