1 When men began to multiply on the surface of the ground, and daughters were born to them,
2 God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives.
3 Yahweh said, “My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh ; so his days will be one hundred twenty years.”
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also after that, when God’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had children with them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. Notesn1 or, giants
Note · Genèse 6.1–4
Un passage dont l’identification reste discutée
Les fils de Dieu, les filles des humains et les figures anciennes mentionnées ici ont reçu plusieurs interprétations. Le texte ne tranche pas toutes les identités que les lecteurs voudraient préciser. Une explication responsable évite de présenter une reconstruction détaillée de ce monde comme si elle était directement racontée.
5 Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil.
6 Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart.
7 Yahweh said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the surface of the ground—man, along with animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky—for I am sorry that I have made them.”
8 But Noah found favor in Yahweh’s eyes.
Note · Genèse 6.5–8
Le regret exprimé par Dieu
Le langage du regret et de la peine affirme que le mal humain compte dans la relation à Dieu. Il ne décrit pas un créateur qui découvrirait simplement une erreur technique. La faveur accordée à Noé introduit une possibilité d’avenir avant que les instructions de construction ne commencent.
9 This is the history of the generations of Noah : Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God.
10 Noah became the father of three sons : Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 God saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
13 God said to Noah, “I will bring an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them and the earth.
Note · Genèse 6.9–13
Une justice située au milieu de la corruption
Noé est décrit dans sa relation à Dieu et dans son époque. Le contraste principal porte sur un monde rempli de violence. Le jugement ne doit pas devenir un prétexte pour déclarer certains peuples dépourvus d’humanité : le récit concerne la dégradation des relations à l’échelle du monde qu’il décrit.
14 Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch.
15 This is how you shall make it. The length of the ship shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Notesn1 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.
16 You shall make a roof in the ship, and you shall finish it to a cubit upward. You shall set the door of the ship in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third levels.
17 I, even I, will bring the flood of waters on this earth, to destroy all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky. Everything that is on the earth will die.
18 But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come into the ship, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
19 Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ship, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.
20 Of the birds after their kind, of the livestock after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort will come to you, to keep them alive.
21 Take with you some of all food that is eaten, and gather it to yourself ; and it will be for food for you, and for them.”
22 Thus Noah did. He did all that God commanded him.
Note · Genèse 6.14–22
Préserver la vie par une obéissance concrète
La construction de l’arche donne une forme matérielle à la confiance de Noé. L’annonce d’une alliance et la préparation de nourriture montrent que la conservation du vivant est organisée. Le texte ne réduit pas la foi à l’attente passive d’un secours : des gestes précis lui correspondent.
