The Meaning of Genesis 6:5 Explained

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.

YLT: And Jehovah seeth that abundant is the wickedness of man in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil all the day;

Darby: And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of Man was great on the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil continually.

ASV: And Jehovah 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 6:5 Mean?

Study Notes

imagination
Or, the whole imagination. The Hebrew word signifies not only the imagination but also the purposes and desires.

Verse Meaning

Men and women"s actions were very wicked and their thoughts and affections were completely evil by this time (cf. Genesis 6:11-12; Romans 1:18-32).
"Near the turn of the19th century F. W. Farrar wrote a book entitled Seekers After God. The book was a popular seller and was in considerable demand. A certain western bookseller had a number of requests for the volume but had no copies available. He sent a telegram to the dealers in New York requesting them to ship him a number of the books. After awhile a telegram came back which read, "No seekers after God in New York. Try Philadelphia."" [1]

Context Summary

Genesis 6:1-8 - The Wickedness Of Men
When a son was born to Lamech, he named him Noah, which means "Rest."He thought that the boy would grow up to share and alleviate the strain of daily toil. But his hope was premature: rest was not yet: the Deluge would soon sweep over the works of men. The world must await the true Rest-giver, who said, "Come unto Me." It was an age of abounding wickedness, but the language describing it is obscure. Some think that "the sons of God" were fallen angels; others that the seed of Seth became joined in marriage with the daughters of Cain. But God's Spirit strove with man, and though a limit was put to His pleadings, yet He sought men with yearning remonstrance, till His Holy Spirit received the final negative and turned away disappointed and grieved. There was considerable delay. For 120 years the Spirit of God waited. See 1 Peter 3:20. He will not wait for ever, Luke 13:9. [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 6:5 mean?

And saw Yahweh that [was] great the wickedness of man in the earth and [that] every intent of the thoughts of his heart [was] altogether evil all the time
וַיַּ֣רְא יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכָל־ יֵ֙צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כָּל־ הַיּֽוֹם

וַיַּ֣רְא  And  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
כִּ֥י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
רַבָּ֛ה  [was]  great 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
רָעַ֥ת  the  wickedness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
הָאָדָ֖ם  of  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
בָּאָ֑רֶץ  in  the  earth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְכָל־  and  [that]  every 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
יֵ֙צֶר֙  intent 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יֵצֶר  
Sense: form, framing, purpose, framework.
מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת  of  the  thoughts 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מַחֲשָׁבָה  
Sense: thought, device.
לִבּ֔וֹ  of  his  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
רַ֥ק  [was]  altogether 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רַק  
Sense: only, altogether, surely.
רַ֖ע  evil 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
הַיּֽוֹם  the  time 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.