So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. – Genesis 6:7-10

This passage continues to describe the impending judgment upon sinful man. The whole of creation is perverted and sinful in the sight of God because of the wickedness of man.

Just as Adam’s sin plunged the whole created order into disarray (Rom 5:12-21; 8:19-23) so also the perversion of Seth’s line causes the whole of creation to come under judgment. However, God‘s promise to Eve (Gen 3:15) and prophecy through Lamech (Gen 5:29) is fulfilled in the “grace” bestowed on Noah. It is fitting that Noah would be said to “walk with God” just like Enoch (5:22-24).

The use of the phrase “these are the generations” places a definitive break between these two related texts. As in previous cases (Genesis 2:1), the break goes to show the same truth from different perspectives. God’s favor and grace preceded Noah’s righteous standing and comes on the front end of this important Hebrew phrase.