Gen 6:3 | TNotes | STEP | 6:3 will not put up with: Many think that this is an announcement of God’s decision to withdraw the restraining influence of his Spirit from human society and allow human wickedness to run its full course. Others think it means that God would withdraw his life-giving breath from humans at an earlier age ( ruakh , the Hebrew term for “spirit,” can also mean “breath”; see 6:17 ; 7:22 ; see also Ps 104:29-30 ). • normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years (literally his days will be 120 years ): It is possible that this was a new restriction on the number of years individuals would generally be allowed to live (so the NLT). However, for generations after the flood, humans lived well beyond 120 years (see, e.g., Gen 11:10-26 ). An alternative interpretation sees this as a 120-year grace period before the arrival of the flood (see Jon 3:4 ; Matt 24:37-38 ; 1 Pet 3:20 ; 2 Pet 2:5 ).

a6:3►

b6:17►

c7:22►

dPs 104:29-30►

eGen 11:10-26►

fJon 3:4►

gMatt 24:37-38►

h1 Pet 3:20►

i2 Pet 2:5►

‏ Genesis 6:3

6:3 ^a will not put up with: Many think that this is an announcement of God’s decision to withdraw the restraining influence of his Spirit from human society and allow human wickedness to run its full course. Others think it means that God would withdraw his life-giving breath from humans at an earlier age (ruakh, the Hebrew term for “spirit,” can also mean “breath”; see 6:17 ^b; 7:22 ^c; see also Ps 104:29-30 ^d).

• normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years (literally his days will be 120 years): It is possible that this was a new restriction on the number of years individuals would generally be allowed to live (so the NLT). However, for generations after the flood, humans lived well beyond 120 years (see, e.g., Gen 11:10-26 ^e). An alternative interpretation sees this as a 120-year grace period before the arrival of the flood (see Jon 3:4 ^f; Matt 24:37-38 ^g; 1 Pet 3:20 ^h; 2 Pet 2:5 ⁱ).