1There began to be many human beings on the earth. And daughters were born to them.2The sons of God saw that the daughters of human beings were beautiful. So they married any of them they chose.3Then the LORD said, ‘My Spirit will not struggle with human beings for ever. They will have only 120 years to live.’4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days. That was when the sons of God went to the daughters of human beings. Children were born to them. The Nephilim were famous heroes who lived long ago. Nephilim were also on the earth later on.5The LORD saw how bad the sins of everyone on earth had become. They only thought about evil things.6The LORD was very sad that he had made human beings on the earth. His heart was filled with pain.7So the LORD said, ‘I created human beings, but I will wipe them out. I will also destroy the animals, the birds in the sky, and the creatures that move along the ground. I am very sad that I have made human beings.’8But the LORD was very pleased with Noah.
Noah and the flood
9Here is the story of Noah and his family. Noah was a godly man. He was without blame among the people of his time. He walked faithfully with God.10Noah had three sons. Their names were Shem, Ham and Japheth.11The earth was very sinful in God’s eyes. It was full of people who did mean and harmful things.12God saw how sinful the earth had become. All its people were living very sinful lives.13So God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to everyone. They have filled the earth with their harmful acts. I am certainly going to destroy them and the earth.14So make yourself an ark out of cypress wood. Make rooms in it. Cover it with tar inside and out.15Here is how I want you to build it. The ark has to be 150 metres long. It has to be 25 metres wide and 15 metres high.16Make a roof for it. Leave below the roof an opening all the way round that is half a metre high. Put a door in one side of the ark. Make lower, middle and upper decks.17I am going to bring a flood on the earth. It will destroy all life under the sky. It will destroy every living creature that breathes. Everything on earth will die.18But I will make my covenant with you. You will go into the ark. Your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives will enter it with you.19Bring a male and a female of every living thing into the ark. They will be kept alive with you.20Two of every kind of bird will come to you. Two of every kind of animal will also come to you. And so will two of every kind of creature that moves along the ground. All of them will be kept alive with you.21Take every kind of food that you will need. Store it away as food for you and them.’22Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
1Yeryüzünde insanlar çoğalmaya başladı, kızlar doğdu.2İlahi varlıklar[1] insan kızlarının güzelliğini görünce beğendikleriyle evlendiler.3RAB, ‹‹Ruhum insanda sonsuza dek kalmayacak, çünkü o ölümlüdür›› dedi, ‹‹İnsanın ömrü yüz yirmi yıl olacak.››4İlahi varlıkların[2] insan kızlarıyla evlenip çocuk sahibi oldukları günlerde ve daha sonra yeryüzünde Nefiller[3] vardı. Bunlar eski çağ kahramanları, ünlü kişilerdi.5RAB baktı, yeryüzünde insanın yaptığı kötülük çok, aklı fikri hep kötülükte.6İnsanı yarattığına pişman oldu. Yüreği sızladı.7‹‹Yarattığım insanları, hayvanları, sürüngenleri, kuşları yeryüzünden silip atacağım›› dedi, ‹‹Çünkü onları yarattığıma pişman oldum.››8Ama Nuh RAB'bin gözünde lütuf buldu.9Nuh'un öyküsü şöyledir: Nuh doğru bir insandı. Çağdaşları arasında kusursuz biriydi. Tanrı yolunda yürüdü.10Üç oğlu vardı: Sam, Ham, Yafet.11Tanrı'nın gözünde yeryüzü bozulmuş, zorbalıkla dolmuştu.12Tanrı yeryüzüne baktı ve her şeyin ne denli bozulduğunu gördü. Çünkü insanlar yoldan çıkmıştı.13Tanrı Nuh'a, ‹‹İnsanlığa son vereceğim›› dedi, ‹‹Çünkü onlar yüzünden yeryüzü zorbalıkla doldu. Onlarla birlikte yeryüzünü de yok edeceğim.14Kendine gofer[4] ağacından bir gemi yap. İçini dışını ziftle, içeriye kamaralar yap.15Gemiyi şöyle yapacaksın: Uzunluğu üç yüz[5], genişliği elli[6], yüksekliği otuz arşın[7] olacak.16Pencere de yap, boyu yukarıya doğru bir arşını[8] bulsun. Kapıyı geminin yan tarafına koy. Alt, orta ve üst güverteler yap.17Yeryüzüne tufan göndereceğim. Göklerin altında soluk alan bütün canlıları yok edeceğim. Yeryüzündeki her canlı ölecek.18Ama seninle bir antlaşma yapacağım. Oğulların, karın, gelinlerinle birlikte gemiye bin.19Sağ kalabilmeleri için her canlı türünden bir erkek, bir dişi olmak üzere birer çifti gemiye al.20Çeşit çeşit kuşlar, hayvanlar, sürüngenler sağ kalmak için çifter çifter sana gelecekler.21Yanına hem kendin, hem onlar için yenebilecek ne varsa al, ilerde yemek üzere depola.››22Nuh Tanrı'nın bütün buyruklarını yerine getirdi.