Gen 6:1 (NAS95) Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless, his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
Who were “the sons of God” and “the daughters of men?” Three basic views:
[1] Angels and humans. Sons of God: God-like heavenly beings (fallen angels) who intermarried with human women, the “daughters of men,” on earth. The Nephilim were giants, possibly the half-human, half-angel, hybrid offspring of these marriages.
Several Bible versions interpret (rather than translate) the text in this way.
Contemporary English Version: Gen 6:1 More and more people were born, until finally they spread all over the earth. Some of their daughters were so beautiful that supernatural beings came down and married the ones they wanted. … 4 The children of the supernatural beings who had married these women became famous heroes and warriors. They were called Nephilim and lived on the earth at that time and even later.
Good News Translation: Ge 6:1 When the human race had spread all over the world, and daughters were being born, 2 some of the heavenly beings saw that these young women were beautiful, so they took the ones they liked … 4 In those days, and even later, there were giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and the heavenly beings. They were the great heroes and famous men of long ago.
International Standard Version: Ge 6:1 Now after the population of human beings had increased throughout the earth, and daughters had been born to them, 2 some divine beings noticed how attractive human women were, so they took wives for themselves from a selection that pleased them… 4 The Nephilim were on the earth at that time (and also immediately afterward), when those divine beings were having sexual relations with those human women, who gave birth to children for them. These children became the heroes and legendary figures of ancient times.
Support: “Sons of God” in other texts (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7) may refer to angels. (Yet these were not sinful angels. Satan is distinct from the “sons of God.”)
The text in Jude 6-7 has been used to support this angel-human interpretation.
Jude 6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
This was the most accepted view for the first three centuries AD (for what it’s worth).
Actually, it goes back farther than that. The non-canonical Book of Enoch (c. 200 BC) is pseudepigraphic, falsely ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. It expands upon the idea that divine beings procreated with human women in Genesis 6. They begat a race of giants that devastated the earth and whose demonic spirits continue to produce sin, disease, and misery. These angels therefore caused the Flood as well.
English Bibles may have either the word “Nephilim” or the word “giants” in Genesis 6:4, perhaps with an explanatory note. Here is the reason. “Nephilim” is from the Hebrew naphal. The word literally means “fallen ones.” While many standard English Bibles transliterate it as “Nephilim,” it’s quite possible that the word refers to giants.
One strong reason for this is that the LXX, also known as the Septuagint or the Greek translation of the Old Testament, renders “Nephilim” with the Greek term gigantes (“giants,” like our word “gigantic.”). Since the LXX was produced by Jews, and Hebrew was their language, the LXX translators may have known that the term “Nephilim” referred to giants.
In addition, when “Nephilim” appears again in Numbers 13:33, it certainly seems to refer to very large, tall people, likely giants. Once again the LXX uses the Greek gigantes. So, the King James Version (KJV) and the New King James Version (NKJV) may be correct by using the word “giants” in Genesis 6:4 and Numbers 13:33. Other translations simply transliterate the term as “Nephilim.”
Of course, if these men were giants, that fact alone does not require that they were hybrid, half-angel offspring of angel-human marriages. If that had been the case, how could they have drowned in the Flood? And if they did all drown, how did they appear again later in the time of Moses (Numbers 13:33)?
So, the “Nephilim” / “giants” question is not germane to our primary study here.
Objections: Angels, at least in the heavenly realm, do not marry (Matt 22:40).
“Leaving their proper abode” does not require “taking on human form.” Jude 6-7 cannot be said necessarily to support the angel-human interpretation.
Would God permit fallen angels to marry women and corrupt the human race? Why?
“Sons of God” does not necessarily refer to angels. See views [2] and [3].
If it was angels who sinned, why does Genesis 6 put the blame on human beings?
If these “angel-men” brought all this evil and caused the Flood, why does Genesis 6:5 only mention the wickedness of man? Were all men these hybrid offspring?
How were Noah and his entire family of eight exempt from this corruption? And, of course, what about his parents and the parents of his daughters-in-law?
The “Nephilim” (lit., “fallen ones”) are not the offspring. They were already on the earth at this time, and they lived “also afterward” (Num 13:33).
How could hybrid half-angel offspring have drowned in the Flood? If they were the Nephilim and they did drown, how could they appear later in Moses’ day (Num 13:33)?
Heavenly-human relations was actually the stuff of Greek mythology. Studies indicate that, when the Book of Enoch was written, the Jews were writing books specifically in response to Greek mythology.
[2] Seth’s line and Cain’s line: Sons of God: the godly male descendants of Seth (Gen 5:3-32) who intermarried with the corrupt, godless female descendants of Cain (Gen 4:17-24). Result: evil increased and prevailed, and the Flood resulted.
This is the most widely accepted view of the text held today (for what it’s worth).
Support: “Sons of God” sometimes refers to human beings (more on this below). The word “angels” does not appear in this text at all.
Some say that the preceding context in Genesis supports this interpretation. If you remove the chapter division, this passage follows the two genealogies. Seth’s might be called the “sons of God;” Cain’s might be seen as the “daughters of men.”
Objections: This view requires a different definition of “men” in Genesis 6:1 (including all mankind) and the very next verse (limited to only the female descendants of Cain).
The text does not say “sons of Seth” and “daughters of Cain.” Why not?
This view requires that all of Seth’s male descendants were “sons of God.” Why then did only Noah find favor with God? And what about Seth’s female descendants? Were none of them godly? Did no godly male in Seth’s line marry a godly female? What part, if any, did the females in Seth’s family play in all of this?
Were all of Cain’s female descendants evil? What about Cain’s male descendants? Would they not have been ungodly, too? Did no godless female in Cain’s line marry any of Cain’s godless male descendants? What part, if any, did the males in Cain’s lineage play?
[3] Powerful men and their wives: Sons of God: strong, dominating, tyrannical men. Daughters of men: the women that these rulers chose they chose and by whom they populated the earth with their offspring.
Support: Though we may think that “sons of God” cannot refer to human beings, the Hebrew word for God (elohim) can also mean “mighty ones.” It rarely, though not often, refers to rulers, judges, or men in positions of power. “Sons of” can sometimes mean “those characterized by” rather than “descendants of.” Examples: “son of Belial” (“worthless”) in 1 Sam 25:17; “sons of the light and sons of the day” in 1 Thess 5:5).
In Psalm 82, the true God (elohim) judges sinful human rulers (again, elohim).
Ps 82:1 God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers. 2 How long will you judge unjustly And show partiality to the wicked? Selah. 3 Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. 5 They do not know nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I said, “You are gods, And all of you are sons of the Most High. 7 “Nevertheless you will die like men And fall like any one of the princes.” 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth! For it is You who possesses all the nations.
Other possible examples: Ex 21:6 … then his master shall bring him to elohim (the judges?); then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost …
Ex 22:8 “If the thief is not caught, then the owner … appear before the judges, to determine whether he laid his hands on his neighbor’s property. 9 … the case of both parties shall come before the judges; whom the judges condemn shall pay double …”
The incident is one of hubris, the proud overstepping of bounds. “The sons of God” were a lusty, powerful lot striving for fame and fertility. Perhaps they were mighty, dominating, selfish rulers who took wives according to their own sinful desires.
Objections: This view relies on a less-frequent use of elohim.
Conclusion: This is a difficult passage! No interpretation has received anything close to consensus. For that reason, so much has been written about this text. It is wise to draw conclusions humbly and thoughtfully, without dogmatism. In my study, option [1] (angels-humans) raises insurmountable objections, and I reject it. Options [2] (Seth and Cain) and [3] (powerful, sinful rulers) have much to commend them. The use of elohim to describe human rulers certainly makes [3] a real possibility.
Big-Picture Takeaways: Man is responsible for sin. One’s marriage can have a powerful influence for good or evil. The Flood demonstrates the righteous judgment of God against sin.
