Good morning, and thank you for coming back to a second day of reading the Bible. This could become a habit! 🙂

Today’s passage is Genesis 5-7, and it leads us into one central story (rather than the 3-4 powerful narratives that piled on in yesterday’s reading). Chapter 5 brings us from the first humans to the story of Noah and the great flood. I wouldn’t get hung up on the literal ages of people here—these are not medical records!—but I’d love to know your thoughts on what lasting significance there could be for these passages that are nothing more than recitations of names. And perhaps those who are more familiar with the Jewish tradition than I will share a bit of the mythology that’s grown up around Enoch because of what’s described in 5:24.

Most ancient civilizations have a flood story, and the Hebrew version starts in Genesis 6-7. God reveals the same thought you might have now or in a few more days: “Did I take on too much? I’m really not sure I want to do this.” Because humans are, well, human, God decides to undo the creation of humanity with a great flood—except that the family of Noah found favor in God’s eyes. So God plans for them to be the righteous remnant out of which God will do a new thing (a recurring theme we’ll see throughout the Bible). As with Adam and Eve, after human disobedience and despite divine anger, God chooses not to destroy but rather to preserve life. That sounds like good news to me, though it comes in the midst of wrenching devastation. What catches your attention?

A final note about the Bible translation I’ve linked below. This is the Anglicized Edition of the New Revised Standard Version, which I chose because it gives some helpful section headings throughout the text. I’ve left the verse numbers in so you can compare with other translations. Of course use whatever Bible you want to, and share the insights with all of us!

Read Genesis 5-7.

Please join in discussion of this passage at the Daily Bible Facebook group, or comment below. Tomorrow’s passage is Genesis 8-10. Thanks for reading!