Genesis 6:9

Genesis 6:9

These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

a. NLT: This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.[Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, and perfect in his generations: Noah walked with God. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: These are births of Noah: Noah is a righteous man; perfect he hath been among his generations; with God hath Noah walked habitually. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible: This is the history of the generations of Noah. Noah was a just and righteous man, blameless in his [evil] generation; Noah walked [in habitual fellowship] with God. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: This is the history of the generations of Noah. Noah was a just and righteous man, blameless in his [evil] generation; Noah walked [in habitual fellowship] with God.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: These are the offspring of Noah—Noah was a righteous man, perfect in his generations; Noah walked with God. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “These are the generations of Noah…”

a. These [are] [Strong: 428 'el-leh ale'-leh prolonged from 411; these or those:--an- (the) other; one sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those, thus, which, who(-m).]

b. [the] generations [Strong: 8435 towldah to-led-aw' or toldah {to-led-aw'}; from 3205; (plural only) descent, i.e. family; (figuratively) history:--birth, generations.]

b. [of] Noah [Strong: 5146 Noach no'-akh the same as 5118;; rest; Noach, the patriarch of the flood:--Noah.]

2. “…Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations…”

a. Noah [Strong: 5146 Noach no'-akh the same as 5118; rest; Noach, the patriarch of the flood:--Noah.]

b. was a just man [Strong: 6662 tsaddiyq tsad-deek'; from 6663; just:--just, lawful, righteous (man).] [Gesenius: just, lawful, righteous, just, righteous (in government), just, right (in one's cause), just, righteous (in conduct and character), righteous (as justified and vindicated by God), right, correct, lawful.]

c. perfect [Strong: 8549 tamiym taw-meem'  from 8552; entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth:--without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright(-ly), whole.] [Gesenius: complete, whole, entire, sound complete, whole, entire, whole, sound, healthful, complete, entire (of time), sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity, what is complete or entirely in accord with truth and fact (neuter adj/subst)]

1).This word is used 91 times in the Old Testament and translated 44 times “without blemish” referring to the physical perfection of sacrificial animals. In six other times it is translated “without spot” and is referring to sacrificial animals. In the majority of times this word is used it is referring to physical perfection. This has led some to teach that the intermingling of the “sons of God” and “daughters of men” in Genesis 6:1-4 had corrupted the blood line of men to the degree it jeopardized the coming of the Messiah through the seed of men, and thus made the flood destroying those corrupted a necessity. I lean toward this interpretation.

d. generations [Strong: 1755 dowr dore or (shortened) dor {dore}; from 1752; properly, a revolution of time, i.e. an age or generation; also a dwelling:--age, X evermore, generation, (n-)ever, posterity.] [Gesenius: period, generation, habitation, dwelling, period, age, generation (period of time), generation (those living during a period), generation (characterised by quality, condition, class of men), dwelling-place, habitation.]

2. “…and Noah walked with God.”

a. Noah [Strong: 5146 Noach no'-akh the same as 5118; rest; Noach, the patriarch of the flood:--Noah.]

b. walked [Strong: 1980 halak haw-lak' akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead, march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away), be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread, still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad, on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax, (way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.][Gesenius: to go, walk, come, to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away, to die, live, manner of life (fig.), to walk, to walk (fig.), to traverse, to walk about, to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk.]

1). The five translations I cited above correctly convey the meaning of what it means for one to have “walked with God”. Add what Amos asked in his book and we have more understanding of the term. Agreement is necessary when walking together in this manner. This is established in the word study of the following verse.

a). Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

a). agreed [Strong: 3259 ya`ad yaw-ad' a primitive root; to fix upon (by agreement or appointment); by implication, to meet (at a stated time), to summon (to trial), to direct (in a certain quarter or position), to engage (for marriage): -agree,(maxke an) appoint(-ment,a time), assemble (selves), betroth, gather (selves, together), meet (together), set (a time).] [Gesenius: to fix, appoint, assemble, meet, set, betroth, to appoint, assign, designate, to meet, to meet by appointment, to gather, assemble by appointment, to cause to meet, to be set, be placed before, be fixed.][Strong: a primitive root; to fix upon (by agreement or appointment); by implication, to meet (at a stated time), to summon (to trial), to direct (in a certain quarter or position), to engage (for marriage): -agree,(maxke an) appoint(-ment,a time), assemble (selves), betroth, gather (selves, together), meet (together), set (a time).]

b). The Hebrew word for “agreed” is used 29 times in the Bible and translated into other words. In the KJV it is translated “meet” eight times and in six of those times it is referring to meeting with God such as in Exodus 25:22 “And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.” In two instances it is used for betrothal. These words means more than just the basic English meaning, there is a Covenantal sense to them. Noah, as Enoch his great grandfather before him, walked in Covenant with God. Noah walked habitually in fellowship with God and they were in agreement.