Genesis 6:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Do not be disheartened or troubled upon hearing this. Although some may face consequences aligned with their actions, I will establish My covenant with you. Since all people up to this point have fallen short and failed to adhere to My commands, I will ultimately make a covenant with you. The first man, despite receiving many blessings, succumbed to deception and broke My commandments; subsequently, his son also fell into the same pit of wrongdoing, which led him to a life-long curse and punishment. However, instead of learning from this discipline, his descendants multiplied their unrighteousness and were cut off from the lineage.

As all that exists on earth is set to be destroyed by the flood, and only the upright are meant to endure eternally, the Lord proclaims, “With you I will establish my covenant.” For he stands as the recipient of God's grace, the holder of the heavenly inheritance, and the sharer in the most divine blessings.

When Noah received the divine instruction to board the ark and safeguard the lineage of tranquility, the command was given: "Thou shalt enter the ark, saith God, and thy sons, and thy wife, and the wives of thy sons." In this command, God distinguished between the men and their spouses, allowing them to maintain purity, thus enabling them to evade the great flood and the calamity that engulfed the earth.

Was it not through fasting and the abstention from marital relations that delivered Noah and his sons, who consumed seeds and maintained purity from their wives, from being engulfed in the foreign waters? For listen to what the Scripture instructs Noah: "Thou shalt enter into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and the wives of thy sons," which signifies that they are to be apart, with the men separated from the women. The waters that were brought upon the earth brought death to fornication and immorality, thus they are commanded not to approach even an impure bed. To further substantiate this, the Scripture reiterates to those emerging from the ark, "You, and your wife, and your sons, and your sons’ wives, shall go out of the ark" (Genesis 8:16). There is no longer a sinful lineage; you now have authority over yourselves, and so let the righteous generation be fruitful once more.

The term Covenant ברית commonly refers to an agreement or mutual responsibility between individuals or communities. The word ברית is derived from ברא, meaning to establish or dismantle, or from ברה, which signifies to choose. The concept of cutting reflects the tradition of forming a covenant through the sacrifice of animals, as noted in Genesis 15:10; additionally, some interpretations highlight this term as relevant to God's selection of a person and the establishment of their goodness.

A covenant signifies a partnership grounded in mutual responsibilities among the parties involved. When the Lord established a covenant with Noah, He committed to safeguarding Noah and his household throughout the flood, as will be discussed further. In turn, Noah, by entering into this covenant with God, vowed to diligently construct the ark, resolving to persevere in this task regardless of the challenges presented by unrighteous individuals or the prolonged and demanding nature of the work itself. True to His covenant with Noah and His promise of protection during the deluge, the Lord instructed him, once the ark was complete, to enter it with his entire family, which included seven individuals: his wife, his three sons, and their spouses.