When Adam and Eve learned how Cain had murdered Abel, they were very sad. God, taking pity on them, sent them another son. Whom they called Seth. This son grew up to be a good man. The children of Seth honored God and lived according to His commands. Because of their goodness, they were called children of God.
The children of Cain, however, grew up full of wickedness. They neither sought God, nor wished to serve Him. After a while the children of Cain began to marry the children of God. Then the sons and daughters born to these parents also became wicked. At last most of the men on earth turned evil, because of the children of Cain.
When God saw how men forgot and disobeyed Him, He was full of sorrow. He said, "I am sorry that I ever created the earth. Now men are unclean because of sin. I will destroy them all, and all other living creatures. I will wipe every living thing from the face of the earth."
Among the wicked people there lived a good man. Noe, who still loved God. So God said to him. "Men have turned away from Me, and have defiled themselves and the good earth that I created. They no longer seek Me nor obey My commands. I will destroy them. I will send rain for forty days. A great flood shall rise to wipe away every living creature from the face of the earth. But because you honor and obey Me, I shall spare you. Go, therefore, and build an ark of wood. When it is finished, take your wife, your sons, and their families, and enter the ark that you may be saved."
Noe did all that God had commanded. He built an ark of wood. It was three stories high. and was divided into little rooms. It took Noe over one hundred years to build it. Then, with his family, Noe entered the Ark. God also told him to carry enough food, and to take with him seven pairs of certain animals, and two pairs of the other animals. When all of them had entered, the door was closed and fastened.
What a fearful thing sin must be, that God should have wished to punish it in such a terrible manner!
- from My Bible History in Pictures, by Bishop Louis LaRavoire Morrow, D.D., 1934; it has the Imprimatur of Archbishop Michael J O'Doherty of Manila, Philippines