Genesis 5:1 to 6:8

Of Angels & Men

Image Caption: War and Peace panels on the Standard of Ur (ca 2550 BC). Source: Standard of Ur (Wikipedia) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_of_Ur] and [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Standard_of_Ur_-_War.jpg] and [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Standard_of_Ur_-_peace_side.jpg]

Prediluvian Vertical Genealogy The Way of YHWH

Genealogies of Cain & Seth

Image Caption: Genealogies of Cain and Seth. Source: Cain and Abel (Wikipedia) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cain_and_Abel]

Sumerian King List

Image Caption: Clay Tablet: Sumerian King List. Source: Sumerian King List (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford) [https://www.ashmolean.org/sites/default/files/styles/listing_image_gallery_image/public/ashmolean/images/media/1800full1_0.jpg?itok=w2mV5UL2]

The Sumerian King List is preserved in several recensions. The list seems sequential, though many were contemporaries. Ancients believed kingship was bestowed by the gods but could be transferred from city to city, thereby establishing a hegemony. The final version (2100 –1600 BC) legitimates Isin's claim to hegemony against Larsa and neighboring city-states in southern Mesopotamia.

The list is lengthy, extending through 21 ‘dynasties’.

Antediluvian rulers
First dynasty of Kish
First rulers of Uruk
First dynasty of Ur
Dynasty of Awan
Second dynasty of Kish
Dynasty of Hamazi
Second dynasty of Uruk
Second dynasty of Ur
Dynasty of Adab
Dynasty of Mari
Third dynasty of Kish
Dynasty of Akshak
Fourth dynasty of Kish
Third dynasty of Uruk
Dynasty of Akkad
Fourth dynasty of Uruk
Gutian rule
Fifth dynasty of Uruk
Third dynasty of Ur
Dynasty of Isin

Image Caption: Sumerian King List: Weld-Blundell Prism with transcription by Stephen Herbert Langdon (1876-1937). Source: Sumerian King List (Wikipedia) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumerian_King_List]

Only the predynastic antediluvian list of eight kings parallels Genesis 5.

None of the predynastic antediluvian rulers have been verified historically. The Sumerians purported them to have lived in the mythical era before the great deluge.

Antediluvian reigns are also lengthy, measured in Sumerian sexagesimal numerical units:

sars (units of 3,600)

ners (units of 600)

sosses (units of 60)

Sexagesimal notation is the technique of expressing numbers in base 60.

Sumerian Antediluvian Kings

After the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Eridug. In Eridug, Alulim became king; he ruled for 28800 years.

Alulim	8 sars (28,800 years)
Alalngar	10 sars (36,000 years)

Then Eridug fell and the kingship was taken to Bad-tibira.

En-men-lu-ana	12 sars (43,200 years)
En-men-gal-ana	8 sars (28,800 years)
Dumuzid, the shepherd	10 sars (36,000 years)

Then Bad-tibira fell and the kingship was taken to Larag.

En-sipad-zid-ana	8 sars (28,800 years)

Then Larag fell and the kingship was taken to Zimbir.

En-men-dur-ana	5 sars and 5 ners (21,000 years)

Then Zimbir fell and the kingship was taken to Shuruppag.

Ubara-Tutu	5 sars and 1 ner (18,600 years)

Then the flood swept over.

Sumerian King List versus Genesis 5

Antediluvian King List	Genealogy of Adam
a king list: kingship succession	a genealogy: kinship succession
records lengths of reigns	records length of lifespans
scope: Sumerian national interest	scope: human universal interest
rhetoric: implicitly political	rhetoric: implicitly ideological
legitimates one city-state: Isin	legitimates one ancestry: Noah
extant copies list 7 to 10 kings	lists 10 ancestors

Genesis Prediluvian Ancestor List

Mysterious Numbers of the Ages of the Patriarchs

Image Caption: Genesis Prediluvian and Postdiluvian Ancestor Lists. Source: Duane L. Christiensen, Mysterious Numbers of the Ages of the Patriarchs [https://jbburnett.com/resources/ot/christensen-patr-ages.pdf]

U. Cassuto (1961) said each number in Gen 5 (except Methuselah's 969 years) ends in 0, 5, 2, or 7, which can be thought of as factors of 5 (0 or 5) adding 7 (e.g. 5 + 7 = 12).

Based on Babylonian sexagesimal algebra, Dwight Wayne Young (1988) said one could account for all but three figures in both genealogies of Gen 5 and 11: those figures being 777 (Lamech), 365 (Enoch), and 110, which, have been solved by other methods.

Donald V. Etz (1993) explained that the author of Genesis 5 began with "a set of [invented] plausible numbers." From there, "each lifespan (except Enoch's) was increased by 300 years," and Enoch's by only 100 years. Then all numbers were multiplied by 10, then divided by 4, and "rounded down to whole numbers if necessary."

Manuscripts differ as to the the sums of ages in the MT, LXX, and SP, which are 1,556 (MT), 2,142 (LXX), and 1,207 (SP) years.

Prediluvian Patriarchs

Introductory Summary — Genesis 5:1-2

א זֶה סֵפֶר, תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם:
בְּיוֹם בְּרֹא אֱלֹהִים אָדָם,
בִּדְמוּת אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֹתוֹ׃

1 This is the book of the generations of Adam.
In the day that God created Man,
in the likeness of God he made him;

ב זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם;
וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם
וַיִּקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמָם אָדָם,
בְּיוֹם הִבָּרְאָם׃

2 male and female he created them,
and he blessed them
and called their name Man,
in the day when they were created.

Generation 1 — Genesis 5:3-5

ג וַיְחִי אָדָם, שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה, וַיּוֹלֶד בִּדְמוּתוֹ, כְּצַלְמוֹ; וַיִּקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמוֹ, שֵׁת׃

3 And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, according to his image; and called his name Seth.

ד וַיִּהְיוּ יְמֵי-אָדָם, אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת-שֵׁת, שְׁמֹנֶה מֵאֹת, שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים, וּבָנוֹת׃

4 And the days of Adam after he begot Seth were eight hundred years; and he begot sons and daughters.

ה וַיִּהְיוּ כָּל-יְמֵי אָדָם, אֲשֶׁר-חַי, תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה, וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה; וַיָּמֹת׃ {ס}

5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died. {S}

130 is a multiple of 13 (prime) and 2 and 5 or as 19 (prime) plus 7 times 5:

13 x 2 x 5 = 130 (prime factors)
(19 + 7) x 5 = 130

800 is a multiple of 2 and 5:

2⁵ x 5² = 800 (prime factors)
(5² + 7) x 5² = 800

Dwight Wayne Young said the number 800 could also be resolved by understanding the importance of the numbers 30 and 20 in Mesopotamia. Its resolution is (30 + (30 − 20)) x 20 = 800.

930 could be calculated as x² + ax = b where (for Adam) x = 30 and, in this case, a = 1. After computing, the result is 930 years.

930 is a multiple of the following primes:

31 x 2 x 3 x 5 = 930 (prime factors)

Generation 2 — Genesis 5:6-8

ו וַיְחִי-שֵׁת, חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד, אֶת-אֱנוֹשׁ׃

6 And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begot Enosh.

ז וַיְחִי-שֵׁת, אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת-אֱנוֹשׁ, שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, וּשְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים, וּבָנוֹת׃

7 And Seth lived after he begot Enosh eight hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters.

ח וַיִּהְיוּ, כָּל-יְמֵי-שֵׁת, שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, וּתְשַׁע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיָּמֹת׃ {ס}

8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died. {S}

105 is a multiple of 7 and 5 and 3:

7 x 5 x 3 = 105 (prime factors)
(7 x 7 x 2) + 7 = 105

807 is a multiple of 269 (prime) and 3:

269 x 3 = 807 (prime factors)
(32 x 5 x 5) + 7 = 807

Their sum is 912:

(7 x 5 x 3) + (269 x 3) = 912
2⁴ × 3 × 19 = 912 (prime factors)

912 is the sum of the 10 primes from 71 to 109:

71 + 73 + 79 + 83 + 89 + 97 + 101 + 103 + 107 + 109 = 912

912 is also the sum of four consecutive primes:

223 + 227 + 229 + 233 = 912

Generation 3 — Genesis 5:9-11

ט וַיְחִי אֱנוֹשׁ, תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד, אֶת-קֵינָן׃

9 And Enosh lived ninety years, and begot Kenan.

י וַיְחִי אֱנוֹשׁ, אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת-קֵינָן, חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, וּשְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים, וּבָנוֹת׃

10 And Enosh lived after he begot Kenan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begot sons and daughters.

יא וַיִּהְיוּ, כָּל-יְמֵי אֱנוֹשׁ, חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים, וּתְשַׁע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיָּמֹת׃ {ס}

11 And all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years; and he died. {S}

90 is a multiple of 3 primes:

2 x 3² x 5 = 90 (prime factors)

90 is also a multiple of the sum of 11 (prime) plus 7 times 5:

(11 + 7) x 5 = 90

815 is a multiple of 163 (prime) x 5:

163 x 5 = 815 (prime factors)

Their sum is 905:

((11 + 7) x 5) + (163 x 5) = 905

The primes 11 + 7 + 163 = 181 (prime)

So 905 is also a multiple of 181 (prime) and 5:

181 x 5 = 905 (prime factors)

Generation 4 — Genesis 5:12-14

יב וַיְחִי קֵינָן, שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד, אֶת-מַהֲלַלְאֵל׃

12 And Kenan lived seventy years, and begot Mahalalel.

יג וַיְחִי קֵינָן, אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת-מַהֲלַלְאֵל, אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, וּשְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים, וּבָנוֹת׃

13 And Kenan lived after he begot Mahalalel eight hundred and forty years, and begot sons and daughters.

יד וַיִּהְיוּ, כָּל-יְמֵי קֵינָן, עֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים, וּתְשַׁע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיָּמֹת׃ {ס}

14 And all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died. {S}

70 is a multiple of primes 7 and 5 and 2:

7 x 5 x 2 = 70 (prime factors)

840 is a multiple of sexagesimal 60 x 7 x 2:

60 x 7 x 2 = 840
2³ × 3 × 5 × 7 = 840 (prime factors)

Their sum is 910:

(7 x 5 x 2) + (60 x 7 x 2) = 910
(7 x 5 x 5) + 7) x 5 = 910
13 x 7 x 5 x 2 = 910 (prime factors)

Generation 5 — Genesis 5:15-17

טו וַיְחִי מַהֲלַלְאֵל, חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וְשִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד, אֶת-יָרֶד׃

15 And Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and begot Jared.

טז וַיְחִי מַהֲלַלְאֵל, אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת-יֶרֶד, שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה, וּשְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים, וּבָנוֹת׃

16 And Mahalalel lived after he begot Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters.

יז וַיִּהְיוּ, כָּל-יְמֵי מַהֲלַלְאֵל, חָמֵשׁ וְתִשְׁעִים שָׁנָה, וּשְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיָּמֹת׃ {ס}

17 And all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety and five years; and he died. {S}

65 is a multiple of 13 (prime) and 5:

13 x 5 = 65 (prime factors)

830 is a multiple of 83 (prime) x 5 x 2:

83 x 5 x 2 = 830 (prime factors)

Their sum, 895, is thus a multiple of 5:

(13 x 5) + (83 x 5 x 2) = 895
179 X 5 = 895 (prime factors)

Generation 6 — Genesis 5:18-20

יח וַיְחִי-יֶרֶד, שְׁתַּיִם וְשִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה וּמְאַת שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד, אֶת-חֲנוֹךְ׃

18 And Jared lived a hundred sixty and two years, and begot Enoch.

יט וַיְחִי-יֶרֶד, אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת-חֲנוֹךְ, שְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת, שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים, וּבָנוֹת׃

19 And Jared lived after he begot Enoch eight hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.

כ וַיִּהְיוּ, כָּל-יְמֵי-יֶרֶד, שְׁתַּיִם וְשִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה, וּתְשַׁע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיָּמֹת׃ {ס}

20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years; and he died. {S}.

162 is a multiple of 31 (prime) and 5 with 7 added:

(31 x 5) + 7 = 162
2 × 3⁴ = 162 (prime factors)

800 is a multiple of 2 and 5:

2⁵ x 5² = 800 (prime factors)
32 x 5 x 5 = 800

Their sum, 962, is also a multiple of other combinations with primes:

(31 x 5) + 7 + (32 x 52) = 962
(191 x 5) + 7 = 962
37 x 13 x 2 = 962 (prime factors)

Generation 7 — Genesis 5:21-24

כא וַיְחִי חֲנוֹךְ, חָמֵשׁ וְשִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד, אֶת-מְתוּשָׁלַח׃

21 And Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah.

כב וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ חֲנוֹךְ אֶת-הָאֱלֹהִים, אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת-מְתוּשֶׁלַח, שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת, שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים, וּבָנוֹת׃

22 And Enoch walked with God after he begot Methuselah three hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.

כג וַיְהִי, כָּל-יְמֵי חֲנוֹךְ, חָמֵשׁ וְשִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה, וּשְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה׃

23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years.

כד וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ חֲנוֹךְ, אֶת-הָאֱלֹהִים; וְאֵינֶנּוּ, כִּי-לָקַח אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים׃ {ס}

24 And Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for God took him. {S}.

65 is a multiple of 13 (prime) and 5:

13 x 5 = 65 (prime factors)

300 is a multiple of 5 and a sexagesimal:

60 x 5 = 300
2² x 3 x 5² = 300 (prime factors)

Their sum, 365, is thus a multiple of 5:

(13 x 5) + (60 x 5) = 365
73 x 5 = 365 (prime factors)

Generation 8 — Genesis 5:25-27

כה וַיְחִי מְתוּשֶׁלַח, שֶׁבַע וּשְׁמֹנִים שָׁנָה וּמְאַת שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד, אֶת-לָמֶךְ׃

25 And Methuselah lived a hundred eighty and seven years, and begot Lamech.

כו וַיְחִי מְתוּשֶׁלַח, אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת-לֶמֶךְ, שְׁתַּיִם וּשְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה, וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים, וּבָנוֹת׃

26 And Methuselah lived after he begot Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and begot sons and daughters.

כז וַיִּהְיוּ, כָּל-יְמֵי מְתוּשֶׁלַח, תֵּשַׁע וְשִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה, וּתְשַׁע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיָּמֹת׃ {ס}

27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years; and he died. {S}.

187 is a multiple of 5 x 62 plus 7:

(5 x 6²) + 7 = 187
11 x 17 = 187 (prime factors)

782 is a multiple of 31 (prime) x 5 plus 7:

(31 x 5 x 5) + 7 = 782
23 x 17 x 2 = 782 (prime factors)

969 can be resolved as their sum:

((5 x 6²) + 7) + ((31 x 5²) + 7) = 969
(5 x 6²) + (31 x 5²) + (7 x 2) = 969

969 can also be resolved as a multiple of 191 (prime) and 5, to which 7 x 2 has been added:

(191 x 5) + (7 x 2) = 969
19 x 17 x 3 = 969 (prime factors)

Generation 9 — Genesis 5:28-31

כח וַיְחִי-לֶמֶךְ, שְׁתַּיִם וּשְׁמֹנִים שָׁנָה וּמְאַת שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד, בֵּן׃

28 And Lamech lived a hundred eighty-two years, and begot a son.

כט וַיִּקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמוֹ נֹחַ, לֵאמֹר:
זֶה יְנַחֲמֵנוּ מִמַּעֲשֵׂנוּ, וּמֵעִצְּבוֹן יָדֵינוּ, מִן-הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר אֵרְרָהּ יְהוָה׃

29 And he called his name Noah, saying:
'This one shall give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands, from the ground that YHWH cursed.'

ל וַיְחִי-לֶמֶךְ, אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת-נֹחַ, חָמֵשׁ וְתִשְׁעִים שָׁנָה, וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאֹת שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים, וּבָנוֹת׃

30 And Lamech lived after he begot Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and begot sons and daughters.

לא וַיְהִי, כָּל-יְמֵי-לֶמֶךְ, שֶׁבַע וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה, וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיָּמֹת׃ {ס}

31 And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years; and he died. {S}

182 is a multiple of 5 and 7 with 7 added:

(7 x 5 x 5) + 7 = 182
13 x 7 x 2 = 182 (prime factors)

595 is a multiple of 5 and 7 and 17 (prime):

17 x 7 x 5 = 595 (prime factors)

777 is their sum but also a multiple of 37, 7 and 3:

(17 x 7 x 5) + ((7 x 5 x 5) + 7) = 777
37 x 7 x 3 = 777 (prime factors)

Generation 10 — Genesis 5:32

לב וַיְהִי-נֹחַ, בֶּן-חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה; וַיּוֹלֶד נֹחַ, אֶת-שֵׁם אֶת-חָם וְאֶת-יָפֶת׃

32 And Noah was five hundred years old; and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

500 is obviously a multiple of 5:

10² x 5 = 500
2² x 5³ = 500 (prime factors)

Prediluvian Ancestor Names

Adam (אָדָם) — ‘Man’ ‘Human’

Seth (שֵׁת) — ‘Set’ ‘Appointed’

'for God has set me another seed
instead of Abel, for Cain slew him.’ (Gen. 4:25)

‘begot a son in his own likeness, according to his image’ (Gen. 5:3)

Enosh (אֱנוֹש) — ͗noš ‘Man’; not adjectival ‘Mortal’

Kenan (קֵינָן) — ‘Weaver’ (cf. qn ‘nest’); not < qnh ‘Sorrow’

Mahalel-el (מַהֲלַלְאֵל) — mhll- ͗l ‘Blessed by God’

Jared (יָרֶד) — ‘He descended’; not ‘Shall descend’

Enoch (חֲנוֹךְ) — ‘Dedicated one’ (cf. Hannukah); not ‘Teaching’

And Enoch walked with God.
Then he was not, for God took him. (Gen. 5:24)

Methu-se-lah (מְתוּשָׁלַח) — mt-ū-š-lḥ ‘Man of the dart/tablet’; not ‘His death shall send’

La-mech (לָמֶך) — l-mk[k] ‘For lowering’; not ‘the Despairing’

Noah (נֹחַ) — ‘Giving Rest’

'This one shall give us rest from our work
and from the toil of our hands,
from the ground that YHWH cursed.’ (Gen. 5:29)

The sequence of antediluvian patriarch names does not appear to form a coherent sentence (contra Chuck Missler, apud Eric E. Walker, The Genesis of All Prophecy, Defender Publishing, 2022, pp. 13-16). Missler’s etymologies seem untenable and based on false lexical derivation.

However, three paronomastic sayings associated with the ‘second’ second son, Seth, with the seventh son, Enoch, and with the tenth son, Noah, extend a messianic theme that grows out of Gen. 3:15.

Rise of Rebellion

Genesis 6:1-4

א וַיְהִי כִּי-הֵחֵל הָאָדָם, לָרֹב עַל-פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה; וּבָנוֹת, יֻלְּדוּ לָהֶם׃

1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

ב וַיִּרְאוּ בְנֵי-הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת-בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם, כִּי טֹבֹת הֵנָּה; וַיִּקְחוּ לָהֶם נָשִׁים מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר בָּחָרוּ׃

2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took themselves wives from any they chose.

ג וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה, לֹא-יָדוֹן רוּחִי בָאָדָם לְעֹלָם, בְּשַׁגַּם, הוּא בָשָׂר; וְהָיוּ יָמָיו, מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה׃

3 And YHWH said: 'My spirit shall not contend with man forever, in that he is mere flesh; so his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.'

ד הַנְּפִלִים הָיוּ בָאָרֶץ, בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם, וְגַם אַחֲרֵי-כֵן אֲשֶׁר יָבֹאוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים אֶל-בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם, וְיָלְדוּ לָהֶם: הֵמָּה הַגִּבֹּרִים אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם, אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם׃ {פ}

4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days — and also after that — when the sons of God came to the daughters of men and bore children to them; they were the ancient mighty men, the men of renown. {P}

Sons of God

The first reason given for YHWH's plan to terminate humanity is related to the impropriety of sexual relations between the 'sons of God' and the 'daughters of men'. The traditional and most widely held interpretation is that the 'sons of God' are angels (demons). This interpretation was held by ancient Jews and the early church (cf. 1 Pet. 3:19–20; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). The phrase 'sons of God' is elsewhere used of angels in the divine assembly (cf. Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7). The narrator contrasts 'man' and 'the daughters of man' with 'sons of God' in a way that suggests they were not human (Gen. 6:1–2).

The idea of fallen angels procreating with women may seem problematic. Scripture admits angels can eat (Gen. 18:1–2, 8; 19:1, 5), but their engagement in sexual relations seems beyond the point Jesus makes in Matthew 22:30: “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.”

In 1 Peter 3:18–22, Peter refers to 'spirits in prison' who disobeyed in Noah’s day (1 Pet. 3:19–20). Here, 'spirits' seems to refer to evil spirits (cf. Matt. 8:16; 12:45; Luke 4:36; 10:20; Acts 19:12–16). The connection between these spirits and Noah’s day suggests that Peter was referring to Genesis 6. These 'spirits in prison' are referred to also in 2 Peter and Jude.

In 2 Peter 2:4–10, Peter cites three examples of God’s judgment:

fallen angels chained and awaiting judgment (2 Pet. 2:4)
the flood in Noah’s day (2 Pet. 2:5; cf. Gen. 6:9–8:1)
the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (2 Pet. 2:6; cf. Gen. 19)

Since the second and third examples follow the Genesis narrative order, it would make sense if Peter's first example came from Genesis 6:1-8.

Genesis 6:5-8

ה וַיַּרְא יְהוָה, כִּי רַבָּה רָעַת הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ, וְכָל-יֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבֹת לִבּוֹ, רַק רַע כָּל-הַיּוֹם׃

5 And YHWH 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.

ו וַיִּנָּחֶם יְהוָה, כִּי-עָשָׂה אֶת-הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ; וַיִּתְעַצֵּב, אֶל-לִבּוֹ׃

6 And it made YHWH regret that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him to His heart.

ז וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה, אֶמְחֶה אֶת-הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר-בָּרָאתִי מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה, מֵאָדָם עַד-בְּהֵמָה, עַד-רֶמֶשׂ וְעַד-עוֹף הַשָּׁמָיִם: כִּי נִחַמְתִּי, כִּי עֲשִׂיתִם׃

7 And YHWH said: 'I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the earth; from man, to beast, to creeping thing, and to fowl of the air; for it makes me regret that I have made them.'

ח וְנֹחַ מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה׃ {פ}

8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of YHWH. {P}

Man's Evil Inclination

The second reason given for YHWH's plan to destroy humanity stems from humanity's perpetual evil inclination (Gen. 6:5). YHWH's disdain for man's evil is so profound, YHWH plans to erase from the earth every trace of terrestrial life, including birds.

But Noah … (Gen. 6:8). One man is an exception to the plan for world judgment, and through him, YHWH will save all humanity — through a Noaic remnant. The reference to Noah as an exception is found both here and at the turning point in the flood narrative, where it says, "Then God remembered Noah" (Gen. 8:1).

Noah, a 'righteous man' (Gen. 6:9) enters history as the antidote to the problem of humanity, 'an evil inclination' (יֵצֶר רַע) (Gen 6:5). After YHWH says twice that man's evil inclination made him regret וַיִּנָּחֶם … נִחַמְתִּי (Gen. 6:6, 7), the introduction of Noah is almost a palindrome based on the same Hebrew letters: nûn, ḥeṯ, mem: וְנֹחַ מָצָא חֵן (Gen. 6:8).