Matthew Henry Commentary Genesis 6:12-21

"And God saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is how thou shalt make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A light shalt thou make to the ark, and to a cubit shalt thou finish it upward; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. And I, behold, I do bring the flood of waters upon this earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is in the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons` wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them." — Genesis 6:12-21 (ASV)

God told Noah his purpose to destroy the wicked world by water. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him (Psalms 25:14). It is with all believers, enabling them to understand and apply the declarations and warnings of the written word. God chose to do it by a flood of waters that would drown the world. As he chooses the rod with which he corrects his children, so he chooses the sword with which he cuts off his enemies. God established his covenant with Noah. This is the first place in the Bible where the word “covenant” is found; it seems to mean:

1. The covenant of providence: that the course of nature will be continued to the end of time.
2. The covenant of grace: that God would be a God to Noah, and that from his seed God would take a people for himself.

God directed Noah to make an ark. This ark was like the hulk of a ship, fitted to float upon the waters. It was very large, half the size of St. Paul's Cathedral, and would hold more than eighteen of the largest ships used today. God could have secured Noah without putting him to any care, pains, or trouble; but he employed him in making what was to be the means to preserve him, for the trial of his faith and obedience.

Both the providence of God and the grace of God acknowledge and crown the obedient and diligent. God gave Noah particular orders on how to make the ark, which therefore was undoubtedly well-fitted for its purpose. God promised Noah that he and his family would be kept alive in the ark.

What we do in obedience to God, we and our families are likely to benefit from. The piety of parents brings good to their children in this life and furthers them on the way to eternal life, if they make good use of it.