Genesis 6:5 kjv

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 6:5 nkjv

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 6:5 niv

The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.

Genesis 6:5 esv

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.

Genesis 6:5 nlt

The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.

Genesis 6 verses

Genesis 6 5 Meaning

Gen 6:5 presents God's divine observation of the profound moral decay gripping humanity prior to the great flood. It states that the pervasive wickedness of mankind on earth had reached an overwhelming degree. More significantly, it reveals that the very core of human beings—their deepest inclinations and innermost thoughts stemming from their heart—were exclusively and consistently directed towards evil. This verse underscores the pervasive and ingrained nature of sin in the human condition.

Genesis 6 5 Context

Genesis chapter 6 opens with an enigmatic account of "sons of God" interacting with "daughters of man," resulting in the birth of Nephilim, which indicates a time of increased moral chaos and possible rebellion. This period also saw God declaring a limit on human lifespan, indicating His judgment was already being contemplated. Gen 6:5 directly follows these events, presenting God's solemn and definitive assessment of the global human condition. It serves as the primary theological justification for God's decision to bring the devastating flood upon the earth. The pervasive nature of human depravity, reaching both external acts and internal motivations, necessitated such a drastic divine intervention. This context highlights God's justice in responding to widespread moral corruption that had infiltrated the very core of human existence.

Genesis 6 5 Word analysis

• And God (וַיַּרְא יְהוָה, wa-yyaar YHWH): "And" connects God's direct observation to the preceding events of escalating human wickedness. "God" is the covenantal name YHWH, emphasizing His personal relationship and sovereign authority in observing, discerning, and judging the moral state of creation.

• saw (וַיַּרְא, wa-yyaar): This is not merely casual observation but a profound, discerning gaze. It implies full comprehension, knowledge, and an evaluation that precedes action. It highlights divine omniscience and His role as the ultimate arbiter of morality.

• that (כִּי, ki): A conjunction that introduces the content of what God perceived.

• the wickedness (רָעַת, ra'at): Derived from the Hebrew root raʿaʿ (רע), signifying evil, mischief, depravity, or moral badness. Here it refers to the quality and essence of humanity's actions and character.

• of man (הָאָדָם, ha-adam): Refers to humanity collectively, the whole race. It signifies the universal and pervasive nature of this corruption, not limited to isolated individuals or groups.

• was great (רָבָּה, rabba): Means to be "great," "many," or "increased/multiplied." It conveys both the quantity (how widespread) and the intensity (how profound) of the evil. It wasn't just present, but had multiplied exponentially and was overwhelming.

• in the earth (בָּאָרֶץ, ba-aretz): Emphasizes the geographical extent of the wickedness. It had become a global problem, affecting the entire inhabited world, demonstrating the scale of human corruption.

• and (וְכָל, we-khol): Connects the outward manifestation of wickedness to its inward source.

• every inclination (וְכָל־יֵצֶר, we-khol-yetzer): A pivotal term. Yetzer (יֵצֶר) derives from the verb "to form" or "to fashion" (יָצַר, yatsar). It refers to the internal disposition, the imaginative frame, the underlying impulse, purpose, or formation of one's thoughts. It signifies the core intent and character of the mind or will, suggesting an inner mold or design.

• of the thoughts (מַחְשְׁבֹת, machshevot): Refers to concrete thoughts, plans, purposes, and designs that originate from the heart. It indicates the actual content and product of the inner inclination.

• of his heart (לִבּוֹ, libbo): In Hebrew thought, the "heart" is the center of a person's being – the seat of intellect, will, emotions, and conscience. It's the source from which thoughts and actions flow. This highlights that the corruption was not superficial but ran to the very deepest part of human nature.

• was only (רַק, rak): An emphatic particle meaning "only," "just," or "nothing but." It stresses exclusivity; there was no counteracting good, no redeeming feature, no positive inclination to balance the evil.

• evil (רַע, ra): Same root as "wickedness." Here, it describes the quality of every inclination, thought, and desire of the heart – fundamentally bad, destructive, and contrary to God's character.

• continually (כָּל־הַיּוֹם, kol-ha-yom): Literally "all the day," signifying without pause, perpetually, unceasingly. This emphasizes the constant and persistent nature of the evil impulses and thoughts. It implies that every moment and every thought process was infected.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "And the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth": This phrase describes the outward, observable state of humanity. It emphasizes the extent and severity of humanity's sin manifested across the world. God's perspective is cosmic; He sees the global landscape of moral depravity.
  • "and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually": This is the crucial internal diagnosis. It delves into the source and quality of that wickedness. It specifies that the root cause was not merely external acts but an inherent, constant bent toward evil residing within the very core of human volition and cognition. The depth of sin is thus exposed as pervasive (every inclination), exclusive (only evil), and persistent (continually). This highlights the fundamental spiritual corruption.

Genesis 6 5 Bonus section

• Foundation for Anthropology of Sin: This verse, particularly "every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually," forms a cornerstone for the biblical doctrine of humanity's fallen nature or total depravity. While not meaning that every person is as wicked as they could possibly be in outward action, it does signify that sin has affected every part of human being – mind, emotions, will – and that there is no part left uncorrupted or inclined toward God apart from His grace.
• Divine Sovereignty and Omniscience: Gen 6:5 underscores God's absolute sovereignty and omniscience. He saw and understood the deep, hidden aspects of human depravity that humans themselves might not fully comprehend. This comprehensive knowledge informs His righteous judgment.
• Contrast to Creation: This description of humanity is a stark contrast to God's initial creation, which He declared "very good" (Gen 1:31). The world, meant to reflect God's goodness, had instead become filled with His antithesis – profound and ceaseless evil.
• Leading to Divine Grief: The comprehensive assessment of human evil in Gen 6:5 directly leads to God's deep grief and sorrow described in the subsequent verse (Gen 6:6), illustrating His emotional response to sin. His decision to wipe out humanity is not capricious but is borne out of a heartbroken resolve to purify the earth from such pervasive corruption.

Genesis 6 5 Commentary

Genesis 6:5 serves as a profound biblical statement on human sinfulness. It portrays God's precise and ultimate discernment of a widespread human condition that had spiraled into total depravity, reaching its zenith just before the flood. This verse asserts that humanity's problem was not merely external acts of wickedness, though those were indeed "great in the earth." The true issue lay deeper: the inner core of man, the "heart" (mind, will, affections), was thoroughly corrupted. Every "inclination" or formative impulse of human "thoughts" was exclusively and relentlessly directed towards "evil." This profound spiritual pathology made humanity irredeemable through conventional means, necessitating God's radical intervention. It foreshadows later biblical descriptions of the natural human heart (Jer 17:9; Rom 3:10-18) and the necessity of divine regeneration (Ezek 36:26-27). This declaration from the Creator justifies the drastic judgment of the Flood, illustrating God's holiness and His righteous response to utter rebellion at the heart level.