The Meaning of Genesis 6:17 Explained

Genesis 6:17

KJV: And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

YLT: And I, lo, I am bringing in the deluge of waters on the earth to destroy all flesh, in which is a living spirit, from under the heavens; all that is in the earth doth expire.

Darby: For I, behold, I bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy all flesh under the heavens in which is the breath of life: everything that is on the earth shall expire.

ASV: And I, behold, I do bring the flood of waters upon this earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is in the earth shall die.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And, behold,  I,  even I, do bring  a flood  of waters  upon the earth,  to destroy  all flesh,  wherein [is] the breath  of life,  from under  heaven;  [and] every thing  that [is] in the earth  shall die. 

What does Genesis 6:17 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 6:17 mean?

And I behold am bringing - a flood of waters on the earth to destroy all flesh which in it [is] the breath of life from under heaven everything that [is] on the earth shall die
וַאֲנִ֗י הִנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶת־ הַמַּבּ֥וּל מַ֙יִם֙ עַל־ הָאָ֔רֶץ לְשַׁחֵ֣ת כָּל־ בָּשָׂ֗ר אֲשֶׁר־ בּוֹ֙ ר֣וּחַ חַיִּ֔ים מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־ בָּאָ֖רֶץ יִגְוָֽע

וַאֲנִ֗י  And  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
הִנְנִי֩  behold 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
מֵבִ֨יא  am  bringing 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמַּבּ֥וּל  a  flood 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַבּוּל  
Sense: .
מַ֙יִם֙  of  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
הָאָ֔רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
לְשַׁחֵ֣ת  to  destroy 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
בָּשָׂ֗ר  flesh 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּשָׂר  
Sense: flesh.
בּוֹ֙  in  it  [is] 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
ר֣וּחַ  the  breath 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
חַיִּ֔ים  of  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
מִתַּ֖חַת  from  under 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
כֹּ֥ל  everything 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אֲשֶׁר־  that  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בָּאָ֖רֶץ  on  the  earth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
יִגְוָֽע  shall  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּוַע  
Sense: to expire, die, perish, give up the ghost, yield up the ghost, be dead, be ready to die.