Genesis 6:6 · Bible study
Genesis 6:6 Commentary: God's Grief and Repentance
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the meaning of God's regret and grief in Genesis 6:6. Understand anthropopathism, immutability, and God's response to human wickedness.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God responds to total human wickedness with sorrow and a decision to judge, language that uses human terms to convey divine reality.
- Key words: nāḥam (regret, comfort), ʿātsav (grieve, pain); both used anthropopathically of God.
- Main debate: Does God literally experience grief and regret, or is this purely figurative accommodation?
- Theological theme: Divine immutability and impassibility vs. God’s personal, emotional involvement with creation.
- Best use: Teaching the seriousness of sin, the depth of God’s feeling over evil, and the anchor of His unchanging character in judgment and mercy.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart.
KJV King James Version 1769
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And it repented Jehovah that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and Jehovah repenteth that He hath made man in the earth, and He grieveth Himself--unto His heart.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Jehovah repented that he had made Man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
It repented him that he had made man on the earth. And being touched inwardly with sorrow of heart,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y arrepintióse Jehová de haber hecho hombre en la tierra, y pesóle en su corazón.
E arrependeu-se o SENHOR de haver feito o ser humano na terra, e pesou-lhe em seu coração.
L’ Éternel se repentit d’ avoir fait l’ homme sur la terre, et il fut affligé en son cœur.
da reute es ihn, daß er die Menschen gemacht hatte auf Erden, und es bekümmerte ihn in seinem Herzen,
Toen berouwde het de HEERE, dat Hij den mens op de aarde gemaakt had, en het smartte Hem aan Zijn hart.
E l’Eterno si pentì d’aver fatto l’uomo sulla terra, e se ne addolorò in cuor suo.
Żałował Pan, że uczynił człowieka na ziemi, i bolał w sercu swem.
и раскаялся Господь, что создал человека на земле, и восскорбел в сердце Своем.
耶和華 就後悔 造 人 在地上，心中 憂傷。
And the Lord had sorrow because he had made man on the earth, and grief was in his heart.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 6:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The commentators included in this study, Calvin, Gill, Matthew Henry, Wesley, and others, agree that Genesis 6:6 speaks of God in human terms. Calvin calls it an “anthropopathy” that accommodates our limited understanding: God does not truly repent or grieve, because nothing surprises Him and He never changes. Gill notes that repentance cannot properly fall on God, who never alters His purposes; the phrase simply shows how God’s actions resemble a human who regrets making something defective. Matthew Henry and Wesley concur: these expressions do not reflect passion or uneasiness in God, but His just displeasure and hatred of sin. All affirm the key point: the language is figurative, designed to teach us how seriously God views sin, not to suggest a change in His eternal nature.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Figurative accommodation: Supported by Calvin, Gill, Matthew Henry, Wesley; appeals to Numbers 23:19 and 1 Samuel 15:29 as evidence that God does not literally repent.
- Real emotional expression: Advocated by some (Delitzsch in Lange's citation); argues that God truly experiences grief over sin, though without contradiction to His perfection or immutability.
- Relational change without essential change: A mediating view found in many modern commentaries: God’s stance toward humanity genuinely shifts as people change, yet His character and purposes remain constant.
What is clear: God’s response to human sin is one of deep, personal sorrow and righteous displeasure, conveyed in terms every reader can understand.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropopathic language | All commentators represented here affirm that the terms 'repented' and 'grieved' are accommodations to human understanding, not literal descriptions of change in God. | Some (Calvin, Gill, Wesley) stress the purely figurative nature; others (Delitzsch, cited by Lange) argue that the language conveys a real, though ineffable, movement within God’s being in response to sin. |
| Divine immutability | All affirm that God’s essential nature, purposes, and knowledge do not change (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29). | Calvin and the Reformed tradition emphasize that God’s decrees are unchanging and that language of 'repentance' is solely for our benefit; some in the Wesleyan and Lutheran traditions allow that God’s relationships and interactions with creatures can genuinely change without altering His essence. |
| Causes of God’s grief | God’s grief is a response to human sin, particularly its universal corruption (Gen 6:5). | The exact referent of 'sons of God' in vv. 2-4, angels, Sethites, or dynastic rulers, affects how the corruption is understood, but v. 6 itself focuses on the general state of humanity's heart. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Genesis 6:6 sits at the dramatic heart of the flood narrative. The preceding verses describe the spread of wickedness: the “sons of God” marry “daughters of men,” violence fills the earth (v. 11), and every thought of the human heart is evil continually (v. 5). Against that dark backdrop, God’s words in v. 6 reveal a Creator personally wounded by what His creation has become.
The Hebrew verb nāḥam (to be sorry, regret, or comfort oneself) appears in both judicial and emotional settings in the Old Testament. Here it is paired with the verb ʿātsav (to be pained, grieved), creating an unusually intense description of divine emotion, Yahweh is grieved “to His heart.” In the surrounding verses, God announces judgment (v. 7), yet within that same announcement is the ache of a Father whose children have gone astray.
Ancient Near Eastern flood stories also describe gods regretting their creation, but often from caprice or fear. By contrast, Genesis roots God’s regret in His reaction to moral evil. The biblical context stresses that God is not arbitrary: He sees the corruption, evaluates it, and responds with both judgment and sorrow. The narrative moves from God’s grief (v. 6) to His judgment (v. 7), then to the providential rescue of Noah (v. 8). This sequence shows that divine sorrow is not the last word, mercy follows judgment.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Genesis 6:6. The Hebrew text is stable across the major manuscript traditions, with the two verbs wayyiqqāḥem (and he regretted) and wayyitʿassev (and he was grieved) appearing consistently. The verse is universally recognized as part of the J (Yahwistic) source in the flood narrative.
Reception History
Across church history, Genesis 6:6 has been read through the lens of divine impassibility. Early church fathers such as Augustine carefully distinguished the language of God’s repentance from any change in His nature, treating it as a figure of speech to express His reaction to sin. Medieval interpreters (e.g., Thomas Aquinas) followed suit, arguing that Scripture speaks of God ‘as if’ He were human to teach us about His hatred of evil. The Reformers (Luther, Calvin) emphasized that God’s apparent regret is for our instruction, not a reflection of divine weakness. In more recent centuries, some theologians, particularly in the Wesleyan and process traditions, have treated the passage as evidence that God genuinely suffers or changes in relation to creatures. Most commentators, however, retain the historic priority: God’s essence is immutable, but His relational responses are real and personal. The verse continues to serve as a test case for debates about impassibility, theodicy, and the nature of divine emotion.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God sees and evaluates sin, Verse 5 says Yahweh “saw” the wickedness. This is not distant observation; it is a searching look that leads to deep personal reaction. Sin offends God at the level of His heart, not just His law.
- God speaks our language, The regret and grief are anthropopathic, God condescends to describe Himself in human emotions so we can grasp how repulsive sin is. As Calvin says, He “clothes himself with our affections” for our sake.
- Judgment and mercy are linked, God’s sorrow does not paralyze Him; He acts in judgment (v. 7). But immediately after, Noah finds grace. The flood comes, yet the ark of salvation is prepared. Grief leads to both destruction and deliverance.
Five-point outline
- Sin wounds the heart of God.
- Scripture uses human language to reveal divine reality.
- God’s immutability never changes His relationship to sin.
- Grief over sin is the proper posture of the righteous.
- Hope remains: God preserves a remnant through judgment.
Illustration hooks
- A master potter shapes a beautiful vessel, only to watch it crack and warp in the kiln. He is grieved, not because he made a mistake, but because the clay spoiled his design. God’s grief is like that: not regret over creating, but sorrow over what sin has done.
- When a parent sees a child repeatedly choose destructive paths, the emotion is not anger alone, it is heartbreak. “It grieved him in his heart” echoes that parental ache, scaled up to a holy God.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God knows everything, why does He seem to change His mind or feel regret?
- Does this verse mean God makes mistakes and then feels sorry about them?
- How can we trust a God who seems to be caught off guard by human sin?
Leading a Discussion
Genesis 6:6 forces us to think carefully about how God reveals Himself. Verse 6 uses strong, emotional language: “regretted,” “grieved in his heart.” But verse 5 and the wider Bible insist that God is unchanging (Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29). How do we hold these truths together? This passage is a gift: it shows that God’s holiness and love are not cold or distant, but that He personally, deeply cares about the evil in His world. As you discuss, keep in mind that the same God who grieves over sin also provides a way of rescue.
Discussion questions
- Read Genesis 6:5-7. What picture of humanity do you see in verse 5? How does that set up the emotions of verse 6?
- Why do you think the Bible uses such strong human-like language for God here? What does this tell us about how God wants us to understand Him?
- How does Numbers 23:19 (“God is not a man, that he should repent”) change how you read Genesis 6:6? Are these verses in conflict?
- In 1 Samuel 15:11 and 35, God says He grieves over making Saul king. What similarities do you see with Genesis 6:6? What might this pattern teach us about God’s relationship to human choices?
- Some Christians say God does not experience emotions or change. Others say He truly feels sorrow, but in a perfect, sinless way. What is each position trying to protect about God’s character?
- How does it affect your view of sin to know that it “grieves God to the heart”? Does that make sin seem more serious or more personal?
- In verse 8, Noah finds grace right after the flood judgment is announced. How does the sequence of grief → judgment → grace shape your hope in difficult times?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 32:14 | So Yahweh turned away from the evil which he said he would do to his people. |
| Numbers 23:19 | God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good? |
| Deuteronomy 5:29 | Oh that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them and with their children forever! |
| Deuteronomy 32:29 | Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! |
| Deuteronomy 32:36 | For Yahweh will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone, that there is no one remaining, shut up or left at large. |
| I Samuel 15:11 | “It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.” Samuel was angry; and he cried to Yahweh all night. |
| I Samuel 15:29 | Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.” |
| I Samuel 15:35 | Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death, but Samuel mourned for Saul. Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies the sons of God as the godly line of Seth, not angels, and the daughters of men as women from both Cainite and Sethite families. The sin is intermarriage based on physical attraction rather than spiritual character. He also notes that the 120 years refers to the remaining time for the human race, not an individual lifespan.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists that the repentance and grief attributed to God are not literal but are accommodations to human understanding. God remains unchanging and undisturbed; the language serves to show how utterly sin corrupts what God originally made good, so that fallen humanity no longer reflects His own work.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary identifies Genesis 6:6 as part of the J source, noting its use of anthropomorphic language to describe God’s regret. This vivid narrative style contrasts with the more formal P tradition, highlighting a distinct theological portrayal where divine emotion drives the decision for judgment.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva notes stress that when Scripture says God "repented," it speaks in human terms we can grasp, not because God actually changes his mind. His unchangeable nature remains, but the language conveys his deep displeasure and grief over human sin, which moved him to judge.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that divine repentance must be understood as human-like language, not a real change in God. Since God never alters his purposes, the phrase only expresses his intense hatred of sin and his settled resolve to destroy the wicked, like a potter breaking a flawed vessel.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch argue that the "sons of God" in Genesis 6 refers to the godly line of Seth, not to angels. They reject the angel view because the expression "sons of God" applies to pious men who bear God's image, and the preceding context already mentions godly individuals like Enoch. The antithesis with "daughters of men" describes two distinct groups within humanity, not angels and mortals.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange strongly defends the Sethite interpretation of the "sons of God" as pious descendants of Seth, not angels. He argues their intermarriage with Cainite women was driven by sensual lust, breaking the spiritual separation between the two lines and unleashing universal corruption that made the flood inevitable.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry stresses that God's repentance and grief are figures of speech, not signs of change or distress in the eternal God. They express His holy displeasure against sin, like a father grieved by a rebellious child he had treated kindly.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses that phrases like God repenting or grieving are human ways of speaking, not descriptions of actual change or distress in God. They express God’s holy displeasure against sin. The change is entirely in man’s condition, not in God’s eternal mind or purpose.