Study Desk

God looked on the earth and saw how debased and degenerate it was, for all humanity had corrupted their way on the earth and lost their true direction.

God said to Noah, "I intend to make an end of all that lives, for through men the land is filled with violence; and behold, I am about to destroy them together with the land.

So Noah did this; according to all that God commanded him, that is what he did.

they came [motivated by God] into the ark with Noah two by two, the male and the female, just as God had commanded Noah.

And after the seven days [God released the rain and] the floodwaters came on the earth.

Those which entered, male and female of all flesh (creatures), entered as God had commanded Noah; and the LORD closed the door behind him.

God destroyed (blotted out, wiped away) every living thing that was on the surface of the earth; man and animals and the crawling things and the birds of the heavens were destroyed from the land. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive.

And God remembered and thought kindly of Noah and every living thing and all the animals that were with him in the ark; and God made a wind blow over the land, and the waters receded.

And God spoke to Noah, saying,

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.

"Whoever sheds man's blood [unlawfully], By man (judicial government) shall his blood be shed, For in the image of God He made man.

Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying,

And God said, "This is the token (visible symbol, memorial) of the [solemn] covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations;

"When the rainbow is in the clouds and I look at it, I will [solemnly] remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."

And God said to Noah, "This [rainbow] is the sign of the covenant (solemn pledge, binding agreement) which I have established between Me and all living things on the earth."

He also said, "Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.

"May God enlarge [the land of] Japheth, And let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant."

Melchizedek king of Salem (ancient Jerusalem) brought out bread and wine [for them]; he was the priest of God Most High.

And Melchizedek blessed Abram and said, "Blessed (joyful, favored) be Abram by God Most High, Creator and Possessor of heaven and earth;

And blessed, praised, and glorified be God Most High, Who has given your enemies into your hand." And Abram gave him a tenth of all [the treasure he had taken in battle].