The Meaning of Genesis 6:11 Explained

Genesis 6:11

KJV: The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

YLT: And the earth is corrupt before God, and the earth is filled with violence.

Darby: And the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was full of violence.

ASV: And the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The earth  also was corrupt  before  God,  and the earth  was filled  with violence. 

What does Genesis 6:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 6:9-22 - Noah Builds The Ark
Human sin had reached an awful climax. Sooner or later its results must have swept the human race from the earth, as smallpox will slay every native on some infected island. God only hastened by the Flood the inevitable result of wrong-doing. Amid the universal corruption and violence, one man stood out as precious in the sight of God. His name meant Rest; he was righteous toward man and "blameless" toward God; he walked in fellowship with God; His ear was quick to detect, and His hand deft to fulfill the divine will. "By faith Noah"¦." See Hebrews 11:7. Such is the character to which God reveals His secrets and with which He enters into covenant. If we live thus we shall cross the flood of death into the resurrection life, 2 Peter 2:5. Not only shall we be saved, but we shall save others. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 6

1  The wickedness of the world, which provoked God's wrath
8  Noah finds grace
9  His family line
14  The order, form, dimensions, and building of the ark

What do the individual words in Genesis 6:11 mean?

And was corrupt the earth before God and was filled with violence
וַתִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א חָמָֽס

וַתִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת  And  was  corrupt 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
הָאָ֖רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א  and  was  filled  with 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מָלֵא 
Sense: to fill, be full.
חָמָֽס  violence 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָמָס  
Sense: violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice.