“Genesis 6–11; Moses 8,” Scripture Helps: Old Testament (2025)
Scripture Helps
Genesis 6–11; Moses 8
The people in the days of Noah were violent and wicked. One hundred twenty years before the Flood, God called Noah to preach repentance. He warned the people that they would be destroyed if they did not repent. The people rejected these warnings, and the Lord sent the Flood. Noah followed the commandment to build an ark, and God preserved Noah and his family. The Lord renewed through Noah the covenant He made with Enoch. The people of Babel built a tower. The Lord confounded their language and scattered them throughout the land.
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Background and Context
What is the significance of the promise of 120 years?
The book of Moses clarifies that 120 years was the amount of time God allotted for Noah to preach repentance before He sent the Flood. Peter referred to this period as the time when “the longsuffering of God waited.” In His mercy, the Lord gave the people numerous opportunities to repent over the span of many years.
Building the Ark (Noah’s Preaching Scorned), by Harry Anderson
What does it mean that there were “giants in the earth”?
See “Moses 7:15. What does it mean that there were giants in the land?”
What are we to understand from the phrase “it repented the Lord”?
In the King James Version of the Bible, Genesis 6:6 reads, “And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” Moses 8:25 and the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 6:6 revise this verse to say, “And it repented Noah, and his heart was pained that the Lord had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”
The Hebrew word translated as “repent” in Genesis 6:6 can indicate regret, sorrow, compassion, or “a decision to change a course of action.” A different Hebrew word is used when indicating remorse for sin and is the one more often translated as “repent” in the Old Testament.
Was Noah perfect?
In Hebrew, the word translated as “perfect” means “complete, whole, having integrity.” Addressing how Noah and others were described as perfect, President Russell M. Nelson taught:
“Scriptures have described Noah, Seth, and Job as perfect men. …
“This does not mean that these people never made mistakes or never had need of correction. The process of perfection includes challenges to overcome and steps to repentance that may be very painful. …
“Mortal perfection can be achieved as we try to perform every duty, keep every law, and strive to be as perfect in our sphere as our Heavenly Father is in his. If we do the best we can, the Lord will bless us according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts.”
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that Noah is also known as Gabriel, who “stands next in authority to Adam in the Priesthood; he was called of God to this office.” As the angel Gabriel, Noah appeared to Mary and told her that she would be the mother of the Son of God. The Lord had previously sent Gabriel to tell Zacharias that he and his wife, Elisabeth, would have a son, John the Baptist, who would prepare the way for the Savior.
Genesis 6:7–13, 17; Moses 8:17, 22–30
What are some possible reasons God sent the Flood?
Because the world was continually filled with violence and wickedness, it could no longer fulfill God’s purpose. President John Taylor explained that “by taking away [the wicked’s] earthly existence [God] prevented them from entailing their sins upon their posterity and degenerating [or corrupting] them.” Elder Neal A. Maxwell also taught that “corruption had reached [such] an agency-destroying point that spirits could not, in justice, be sent here.”
The prophet Nephi taught that God “doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world.” Considering the Flood with an eternal perspective can help us see how the Lord works to bring about His purposes.
In his vision recorded in Moses 7, Enoch witnessed the Lord weeping over His children who refused to follow Him. The Lord then explained that those who would perish in the Flood would go to the spirit world. There they would have the opportunity to be taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and repent of their sins. Enoch then saw that Jesus Christ would come to earth and perform the Atonement, and Enoch rejoiced in the Lord’s plan of salvation for all His children.
What is significant about the coating of pitch on the ark?
God told Noah to “pitch” the ark, meaning to cover it with pitch, a tar-like substance, to seal it and make it waterproof. The Hebrew word translated as “pitch” is also the root word for “atone.” It has been suggested that “the atonement of Jesus Christ provides us with a protective covering; it shields us from the power of the adversary, just as the pitch protected the ark from the life-threatening waters.”
How big was the ark?
The scriptures measure the ark in cubits. A cubit was based on the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. One cubit is generally estimated to be between 46 and 56 centimeters (18–22 inches). Using 46 centimeters (18 inches) as one cubit, the ark was about 138 meters long (450 feet), 23 meters wide (75 feet), and 14 meters high (46 feet).
Preserved by Covenant, by Eva Koleva Timothy
What was symbolic about the Flood?
The Apostle Peter symbolically connected the Flood to baptism. Just as the deliverance of Noah’s family from the Flood represented a new beginning for the earth, so baptism by water represents being born again to a new life in Christ.
What did the Lord teach about the shedding of blood?
The Prophet Joseph Smith’s inspired translation clarifies these verses, emphasizing that God would hold Noah and his posterity accountable for how they treated the life of animals. He commanded that animals be killed only for food to sustain human life: “And surely, blood shall not be shed, only for meat, to save your lives; and the blood of every beast will I require at your hands.” The Lord also commanded Noah’s family to preserve the life of other human beings, declaring, “Man shall not shed the blood of man.”
In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord reiterated that He has provided the animals of the earth “for the use of man for food and for raiment.” He also explained that He is not pleased when we kill animals needlessly, stating: “Wo be unto man that sheddeth blood or that wasteth flesh and hath no need.”
What can we learn from the token of the rainbow?
Why did Noah curse Canaan?
The scriptures don’t clearly explain why Ham’s son Canaan was cursed for his father’s offense against Noah. It’s also not clear what Ham’s offense was, but it appears that he may have dishonored his father or perhaps disrespected something sacred. Because we do not have all of the relevant details of the story, we do not know exactly what happened or its meaning.
In cursing Canaan, Noah proclaimed that Canaan would be a servant to Shem and Japheth. Joseph Smith’s inspired translation of the Bible adds that “a veil of darkness” would cover Canaan “that he shall be known among all men.” The meaning of this “veil of darkness” is unclear.
Some have incorrectly used the cursing of Canaan to justify slavery and discrimination—particularly toward people of Black African descent. The Lord has taught, “It is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another.” Additionally, the Book of Mormon teaches that the Lord invites all to come unto him and “partake of his goodness,” for “all are alike unto God.”
Who was Nimrod?
The Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 10:9 clarifies that Nimrod was a mighty hunter “in the land” rather than “before the Lord.” He was the founder of a great kingdom that included Babel (later called Babylon). Nimrod is also referenced in the Book of Mormon.
What was wrong about building the Tower of Babel?
Early Jewish and Christian traditions suggest that the Tower of Babel was a counterfeit temple. True temples are built to gather people to God’s presence through covenants. In contrast, the people of Babel built a tower to reach God’s presence, but their actions did not align with His will. The result was that the Lord confounded their language and scattered them.
Genesis says that the tower was built of bricks that were baked with fire. Such bricks were much stronger than sun-dried bricks that had been used in previous generations, so the tower could be built taller. The “slime,” or bitumen, was a substance like asphalt or tar that was used as mortar for the bricks. Some have suggested that the slime was also meant to make the tower waterproof in case God decided to flood the earth again.
Tower of Babel, by David Green
How quickly did the Lord confound the language of the people of Babel?
In the account of the Tower of Babel recorded in the Book of Mormon, Jared asked his brother to call upon the Lord and pray that their language not be confounded. The Lord granted this request. Jared then asked his brother to pray that the language of their friends would stay the same as theirs. This request was also granted. These events indicate that the confounding of language may have happened over time and not in an instant.
What is significant about the genealogy of Shem?
In Genesis 11, the genealogy of Shem is listed after the description of the Lord scattering the people of Babel. It can be instructive to contrast the people of Babel with Shem and some of his descendants.
The people of Babel sought to make a name for themselves by building a city and a tower “whose top may reach unto heaven.” Shem means “name” or “reputation.” A notable descendent listed in Shem’s genealogy was Abraham. In contrast to the people of Babel, who sought to make a name for themselves, God promised that He would make Abraham’s name great. God also promised Abraham that Jesus Christ would be born through his lineage. It is only through the name of Jesus Christ that we can be saved and reach God’s presence. We take His name upon ourselves through the ordinances of His gospel.
Another reason the people of Babel built a city and a tower was to prevent themselves from being scattered. Despite their intentions, the Lord did scatter them throughout the earth. In contrast, the Abrahamic covenant includes the blessing of families being gathered together and sealed for eternity. Abraham was promised that through him and his seed, all families of the earth would be blessed.
Learn More
Noah
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“Noah’s Ark,” Liahona, Feb. 2022, 46
Tower of Babel
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“The Tower of Babel,” Ensign, Feb. 2018, 66–67
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“I Have a Question,” Ensign, Feb. 1994, 60–61
Media
Music
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“Jesus Is the Way,” Hymns—For Home and Church
Images
The Lord Fulfilleth All His Words, by Clark Kelley Price
Jehovah Keeps a Promise, by Sam Lawlor
Family Prayer, by Kendal Ray Johnson
Confusion of Tongues, by Gustave Doré
The Jaredites Leaving Babel, by Albin Veselka