What is the meaning of "I will destroy with the earth" in Genesis 6:13?
Does it mean that God destroys the earth during the flood?
Genesis 6:13
NKJV - 13 And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
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Asked January 14 2017
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Anonymous
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Tim Maas
Supporter
There is apparently some disagreement among Bible commentators on this issue, but, in my opinion, God is using the words "the earth" in this verse as a metaphor for the corrupt and violent world environment that the people on earth had brought about as a result of their sin, rather than speaking of destroying the physical earth (such as vegetation, for example) itself (although man-made structures might have been destroyed). My understanding of the Hebrew word translated as "with" in the verse cited in the question is that it is used elsewhere in the Bible to mean "from", which would make the meaning here clearer.
Kenneth Heck
Supporter
There have been a number of varying translations of this part of the verse. Here are a few that differ from the KJV. NJB "...and I will efface them from the earth." NAB "...So I will destroy them and all life on earth." NIV "...I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth." I believe Tim Maas is correct in substituting "from" for "with," meaning that everything within the earth will die (Gen 6:13). Note that the word "from" is used in Gen 7:23 rather than "with." Those translations indicating that the earth is also destroyed don't take into account that the earth does recover from the flood. In my opinion we should not think that biblical scholarship has no room for further progress, especially as we approach Christ's second coming in these last days.
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