LISTEN
New American Standard Bible:
The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.
New Living Translation:
And the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things.
New King James Version:
And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
New International Version:
The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
Amplified Bible:
The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma [a soothing, satisfying scent] and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intent (strong inclination, desire) of man’s heart is wicked from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.
Context:
In Genesis eight, Noah presents an offering to God after he and his family were saved from the great flood.
Observations:
God took pleasure in the offering of Noah (he smelled it, and its aroma was soothing to him) and made a covenant that he would never again curse the earth because of man.
We also learn from this verse that the intent of man’s heart from very young is wickedness.
Application:
We have wicked desires by our sin-nature, but through the power of Jesus, we can be transformed. However, our sin still stains the earth. But praise be to God, he has made a covenant – and God will not break his own covenant – to never curse us in the same way again.
