Genesis 6:3

Authorized King James Version

And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

Word-by-Word Analysis

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר

H559

said

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוָ֗ה

H3068

And the LORD

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

לֹֽא

H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

יָד֨וֹן

H1777

strive

to rule; by implication to judge (as umpire); also to strive (as at law)

רוּחִ֤י

H7307

My spirit

wind; by resemblance breath, i.e., a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the

בָֽאָדָם֙

H120

with man

ruddy i.e., a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)

לְעֹלָ֔ם

H5769

shall not always

properly, concealed, i.e., the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e., (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

בְּשַׁגַּ֖ם

H1571

for that he also

properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and

ה֣וּא

H1931

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo

#10

בָשָׂ֑ר

H1320

is flesh

flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of a man

#11

וְהָי֣וּ

H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

#12

יָמָ֔יו

H3117

yet his days

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

#13

מֵאָ֥ה

H3967

shall be an hundred

a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction

#14

וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים

H6242

and twenty

twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth

#15

שָׁנָֽה׃

H8141

years

a year (as a revolution of time)

Analysis

The creation and providence theme here intersects with the broader canonical witness to God's character and purposes. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of progressive revelation that finds its culmination in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine sovereignty contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's consistent character and purposes.

Historical Context

The historical context of the patriarchal period (c. 2000-1500 BCE) and primeval history provides crucial background for understanding this verse. The ancient Near Eastern world with its creation myths, flood narratives, and patriarchal social structures provided the cultural backdrop against which God's revelation stands in stark contrast. The ancient Near Eastern cosmology and patriarchal society would have shaped how the original audience understood divine sovereignty. Archaeological and historical evidence reveals Ancient Near Eastern creation texts like Enuma Elish provide comparative context for understanding Genesis's unique theological perspective.

Questions for Reflection

How does this verse's literary context within Genesis chapter 6 illuminate its theological significance, and what does this teach us about biblical interpretation?
How does the creation and providence theme in this verse connect to the overarching narrative of Scripture, and what does this reveal about God's character and purposes?
In what ways does understanding divine sovereignty in its original context challenge or deepen contemporary Christian thinking about creation and providence?

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