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Neofiti Genesis

About this book

Human Wickedness

Chapter 6

1 And when people began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of the judges saw that the daughters of people were beautiful to look at, and they took wives for themselves from all whom they chose. 3 And the Lord said, “None of the generations that are to arise will be judged by the order of judgment of the generation of the flood. Is not the order of judgment of the generation of the flood sealed before him, that it be destroyed and wiped out from the midst of the world? Look, I put my spirit in people, because they are flesh and their deeds are evil. Look, I have given you a reprieve of a hundred and twenty years, in case they might repent, and they have not done so.”⁠ 4 The giants were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, after the sons of the judges went in to the daughters of people and they bore them children. These are the giants who from the beginning of the world were mighty men known by their names. 5 And it was revealed before the Lord that the wickedness of people was great on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their heart pondered nothing but evil all day long. 6 And there was regret before the Lord that he had created Adam on the earth, and he was troubled, and he was calmed in his heart. 7 And the Lord said, “I will wipe out Adam, whom I created, from the face of the earth, from people to cattle, to creeping things and to the birds of the heavens, because there is regret before me that I created them.” 8 And Noah, since there was no one righteous in his generation, found grace and favor before the Lord.

Noah and the Ark

9 These are the line and generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, perfect in good deeds in his generations. Noah served before the Lord in truth. 10 And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. 11 And the inhabitants of the earth corrupted their deeds before the Lord, and the earth was filled with violence and plunderers. 12 And the earth was revealed before the Lord, and look, it was corrupt, because all flesh had corrupted its way on the earth. 13 And the Lord said to Noah, “The outcry of all flesh has come up before me, because the earth is filled with violence and plunder because of them. And look, I am destroying them and the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of cedar wood. You shall make the ark with compartments, and coat it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is the plan by which you shall make it: three hundred cubits the length of the ark, fifty cubits its width, and thirty cubits the measure of its height. 16 You shall make a place for light in the ark, and you shall finish it to the measure of a cubit from the top. And the door of the ark you shall set in its side. You shall make it with a lower story, a second and a third. 17 And I, look, I am bringing the flood of waters on the earth to destroy all flesh in which there is the breath of life from under the heavens. Everything that is on the earth will be wiped out. 18 And I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall go into the ark, you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing, of all flesh, two of each you shall bring into the ark to keep alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of each shall come in to you to be kept alive. 21 And you, take for yourself some of every food that is eaten, and gather it to you, and it shall be food for you and for them.” 22 And Noah did everything that the Lord had commanded him; so he did.

Texts in conversation

Compare Romans 2:4 and Neofiti Genesis 6:3

New Testament · Targum

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Summary

In Romans, Paul describes God’s kindness intending to lead to repentance. This resembles a tradition in the Aramaic translation of Genesis in Targum Neofiti where the 120 years given to humans is seen as divine patience intended to bring repentance.

Passages

Romans 2:4

New Testament
2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed! 6 He will reward each one according to his works:
55–58 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Romans

Neofiti Genesis 6:3

Targum
1 And when people began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of the judges saw that the daughters of people were beautiful to look at, and they took wives for themselves from all whom they chose. 3 And the Lord said, “None of the generations that are to arise will be judged by the order of judgment of the generation of the flood. Is not the order of judgment of the generation of the flood sealed before him, that it be destroyed and wiped out from the midst of the world? Look, I put my spirit in people, because they are flesh and their deeds are evil. Look, I have given you a reprieve of a hundred and twenty years, in case they might repent, and they have not done so.” 4 The giants were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, after the sons of the judges went in to the daughters of people and they bore them children. These are the giants who from the beginning of the world were mighty men known by their names. 5 And it was revealed before the Lord that the wickedness of people was great on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their heart pondered nothing but evil all day long.
300–600 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Neofiti Genesis

References

"... 'Kindness ... leads to repentance': compare Psalm 50.16-23, 73.11, Ecclesiastes 8.11, Isaiah 57.11, Titus 3.4, Wisdom of Solomon 11.23 ... God's 'overlooking' of man's transgressions should lead him to turn from his iniquity and repent ..."
Joseph Shulam and Hilary Le Cornu, A Commentary on the Jewish Roots of Romans (Clarksville, MD: Messianic Jewish, 1998), 83.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Romans 2:4 and Neofiti Genesis 6:3

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