NOAH AND THE GREAT FLOOD

As the years passed, people began to fill the earth. But when God saw that man's wickedness covered the earth, and that every imagination of his heart was only evil continuallyit grieved the Lord.


And the Lord said, “I will destroy mankind, which I created, from the face of the earth.” But the Lord looked on Noah with favor. Noah, a righteous man, perfect in his generations, walked with God.


So God said to Noah, “The end of all mankind is coming. Because people have filled the earth with violence, I will destroy them along with the earth.

Make yourself an ark of wood. Build rooms in it and cover it with tar, inside and out. Build the boat four hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high, but make only one door.


You, your wife, your three sons and their wives must go into the ark. Bring also a male and female of every animal into the ark, to keep them alive with you.

Two of every sort will come to you, but you must take by sevens all the animals which I have declared holy.”While building the ark, Noah preached to the wicked people, saying; “Those who refuse to honor God shall be destroyed.” Sadly, everyone mocked Noah and laughed at God's warning.

But Noah and his family believed God, so at the appointed time they entered the ark, and the Lord shut them in.


During the Flood, the waters covered everything on the earth, including the hills, and even the mountains. All living creatures on earth died, except for everything in the Ark.Then God caused it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights. From underground, water spouted up like fountains and the waters increased on the earth. The waters kept rising, until the ark floated.

Finally, the water covered everything on the earth, including the hills and even the mountains.


Birds, cattle, walking and crawling animals, and every person on earth—all were destroyed, drowned in the flood. (see note)

The waters covered the earth for one hundred and fifty days. But God took care of Noah and every living thing in the ark. Then God made a wind to pass over the earth causing the water level to begin to go down. The waters continued to recede from the earth.

When the ark came to rest upon the mountains of Ararat, and the plants began once again to grow, God spoke to Noah, saying, “Go out of the ark, you and every living thing with you.” And they went out.


Noah and his family made an alter and offered a sacrifice to the Lord.Then Noah erected an altar and offered a sacrifice to the Lord.

Afterward, God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful, have many children, go out and refill the earth. Also, besides the plants I gave you for food, animals are now delivered into your hands to eat. But anyone who kills another human being must forfeit his own life, because man is made in the image of God.”

Then God said, “Behold, I am establishing My promise with you, and with your descendants after you. Never again will all people and animals die from a flood.

I am putting My rainbow in the clouds as a token of My promise.

Whenever I bring rain clouds over the earth, you will see the rainbow, and I too will see it, and honor My covenant.”