“And behold, I am bringing the flood, water upon 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 perish” (Genesis 6:17). “And behold, I am” – I am concurring with the words of the angels, who were saying: “What is man that You remember him?” (Psalms 8:5).46See Bereshit Rabba 8:6. The Midrash is expounding on the superfluous “and” in “and behold, I,” which suggests that God was in agreement with someone else regarding man’s destruction.
“The flood, water” – it was water at first, but after it continued to fall, it became a flood. “To destroy all flesh… everything that is on the earth will perish [yigva]” – will waste away.47Vayigva can also mean to expire peacefully. That is not its meaning here. “But I will keep My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark: You, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons' wives with you” (Genesis 6:18).
“But I will keep My covenant with you” – you require a covenant [from Me] so that the produce that you gather [into the ark] will not rot, will not become moldy and will not go bad. You require a covenant because of the mighty ones.48See Genesis 6:4: “There were giants on the earth in those days…those were the mighty men of old.” [They were so mighty that] one of them could place his foot on the [opening to the] depths and stop it up, or place his hand on the window [to the heavens] and block it up.
But if one would attempt to enter the ark, his legs would teeter. That is what is written: “The giants will tremble under the water and its dwellers” (Job 26:5). If an [unauthorized] lion would attempt to enter the ark, its teeth would become dulled.49And it would retreat. That is what is written: “The roar of the lion and the voice of the great cat, and the teeth of the lion cubs are broken” (Job 4:10).
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: You were a carpenter,50You succeeded in building the ark. but if it not for My covenant that was with you, you would be unable to enter the ark.51Because of the violent weather conditions, and because of men who threatened to kill him (see Bereshit Rabba 32:8). That is what is written: “But I will keep My covenant with you” – when? When you enter the ark.52This is the implication of the verse: “But I will keep My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark.”
“You, and your sons” – Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon and Rabbi Ḥanin said in the name of Rav Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak: When Noah entered the ark, it was prohibited to him to engage in procreation. That is what is written: “You shall come to the ark: You, and your sons” by yourself, “and your wife, and your sons' wives,” by themselves. When he emerged, He permitted it for him. That is what is written: “Go out of the ark: You and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives” (Genesis 8:16).
Rabbi Avun said: It is written: “They are in want and in famine, they are solitary [galmuda]” (Job 30:3) – if you see want come to the world, and famine come to the world, they are solitary [galmuda] – look upon your wife as though she is galmuda, as in the coastal cities, they call a menstruating woman galmuda.53Do not engage in marital relations as long as a catastrophic situation is taking place.
Rabbi Huna said: It is written: “Two sons were born to Joseph before the advent of the year of the famine” (Genesis 41:50).54Showing that during times of catastrophe, marital relations should be avoided.