Who were the sons of God and daughters of men?
Genesis 6:1 - 4
ESV - 1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them. 2 The sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.
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Asked July 01 2013
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Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Genesis 6:1-4 refers to the sons of God and the daughters of men. There have been several suggestions as to who the sons of God were and why the children they had with daughters of men grew into a ...
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Trish Riddell
Sorry, I don't agree here. I have researched this topic (and prayed about it) after seeing an mp4 on it last year that didn't sit right in my spirit. This thinking completely negates the wonder and miracle of the virgin conception. "Sons of God" were Gods chosen people; "daughters of man" were the daughters of the neighbouring countries that they were forbidden to marry. Simple as that. (We see all throughout the Old Testament, every time intermarriage happened, that's when Gods chosen people turned from God to worship the idols and gods of their neighbours. That's why God ended up forbidding intermarriage). If you actually research the word "nephilim", you will see it means "to fall" and there's also a futuristic aspect to the word: "about to fall". They're apostates - falling from, rebelling against - God's ways. They are mentioned only twice: Genesis (6:4), just before the FLOOD and in Numbers (13:33) just before the defeat of Canaan. Yes, the angels did also "fall" but weren't called nephilim. And that was long before humankind arrived on earth. We need to be so careful in this day and age to be wise to teachings that deter from the miracles of God and the Truth of God. In this case, if you follow it through it denies the miracle that is the conception of Jesus himself. May God bless you all with peace, wisdom and truth.
Chris Eleam
The Bible tells us: “When men started to grow in numbers . . . and daughters were born to them, then the sons of the true God began to notice the daughters of men, that they were good-looking; and they went taking wives for themselves, namely, all whom they chose.” (Genesis 6:1, 2) Who were those “sons of the true God”? They were spirit creatures, not humans. (Job 1:6; 2:1) How do we know? For one thing, marriage between humans had been taking place for some 1,500 years and warranted no special mention. So by drawing attention to the sexual union of “the sons of the true God” who materialized and took “the daughters of men,” the account clearly refers to something unprecedented, abnormal. This abnormality is confirmed by the kind of offspring that resulted from these unions. Called Nephilim, they were hybrids who grew up to be giants. They were also vicious bullies. In fact, “Nephilim” means “Fellers,” or “those who cause others to fall down.” These brutes are described as “the mighty ones who were of old, the men of fame.”—Genesis 6:4, footnote. The Nephilim and their fathers took wickedness to new lows. “The earth came to be ruined in the sight of the true God and . . . became filled with violence,” notes Genesis 6:11. Yes, humans adopted the violent, depraved ways of the newcomers in their midst. How did the Nephilim and their fathers exert such a powerful evil influence on humans? By appealing to mankind’s sinful inclination and desires. The result? “All flesh . . . ruined its way on the earth.” Finally, Jehovah destroyed that world in a global Deluge, sparing only righteous Noah and his family. (Genesis 6:5, 12-22) The materialized angels, however, returned to the spirit realm in disgrace. As debased demons, they continued to oppose God and his righteous family of loyal angels. It appears that from that time on, God forbade these wicked spirits to materialize. (Jude 6) Nevertheless, they have remained a potent force in human affairs.
Bruce Lyon
Notice: Ge 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. Ge 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. The sons of God here are angels. Ge 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. The sons of God mentioned in this verse are fallen angel who left their first estate and joined themselves to human women and produced genetically altered human being who were the Giants of that day. Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. This is why the earth was filled with violence, etc., prior to the flood and Satan tried to genetically alter human being so that they would no longer be as all the normal descendants of Adam are. Satan will do anything to destroy humanity to keep anyone from co-inheriting and co-ruling in the coming new age when he will be bound by a chain and cast into a bottomless pit.
Mi Shad Ow
it is not unscrirptural but unhistorical to teach that giants came from the uninon of ordinary men and women. The great question has been: where did giants get thier start? Gen. 6:4 makes it clear - from a union of the sons of God and daughers of men. If the sons of God were ordinary men in the same that the daughters of men were ordinary women, then we must conclude 4 things (1) That ungodly women have the power to produce such monster if married to godly men. Or, (2) that godly men have the power to produce giants when married to ungodly women (3) that a mixture of godlines and wickenes produces giants (4) that extreme wickedness on the part of either parent will produce giant offspring. All 4 conclussons are wrong however, as proved every day by the maarriages of unconverted persons with the converted and the producing of off spring through the union of a wicked parent and a godly one. Since it cannot possibly be that the sons of God who married the daughters of men and produced giants by them, were the sons of Seth or godly men marrying ungodlly women, then it must be that the sons of Gen. 6 were fallen angels. That this is true is clear from many scriptures. The expression sons of God is found only 5 times in the O.T. and every time it is used of angels Gen. 6:1-4, Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7. It is indisputable that the passages in Job refer to angels. Dan. 3:25, 28 calls an angel the son of God. Is it not possible then, that the sons of God of Gen. 6 could be angels? In Jude 6 the word kept in the greek is tereo same as perserved in v 1 estate Greek. "their own principality". They did not remain in their own realm and native state, but left them so as to enter the human realm and marry the daughters of men in an attempt to do away with the pure Adamite stock and thus keep the seed of the woman from coming into the world to defeat them Gen. 6:1-4, 2 Pet. 2:4. It is stated in Jude 7 that the angels, like Sodom and Gomorrah, lived contrary to nature and commited fornication. Also in Gen. 18 The Lord appeared to Abraham with to angles discribed as men. These men went down to Sodom Gen.19:1. As the story progesses the men of Sodom told Lot to send them the men "angles" out of his house so they could have sex with them Gen. 19:5
JD Abshire
In Genesis 6:2 the phrase "and they took" according to Strong's is the Hebrew word lä·kakh which suggests taken by force, seized. All of which they chose is bä·khar meaning elected, picked out, selected. I.E. they took whomever they wanted apparently at will. No doubt this is a problem text but it is very possible that fallen angels, "the sons of God", spirits, demons could have possessed/embodied fallen men who in turn fathered this race of giants.
Brady Dietz
First off the confusion comes from the belief that immortal beings can have or are even tempted to have sex.. immortal beings do not have mortal flesh therefore they are not tempted to sin.. nor have they ever had sex with anyone.. the bible does not state that the title "sons of God" only refers to immortal beings nor does it say that angels only refer to immortal beings.. these are assumptions.. immortal beings can not die. If they were to sin they would die.. the sons of God are the spirit apointed bretheren who slept with the heathen women.. the truth is nothing crazy it has just been mis understood.
Jim Tumlinson
It is interesting to see the different views. I saw something one day as I was reading and I'll share my thoughts. In Gen 1:27 God created man and woman and told them to be fruitful etc. Now look in Gen 2:7 God created Adam and then Eve from Adam My thought was that God created mankind and then Adam and Eve and Adam and Eve were His chosen people. So the sons of God are from the lineage of Adam and Eve and the daughters of men are the daughters of the man and woman created in Gen 1:27. Also the Hebrew for sons of God meant mighty men not angels. We as Christians are sons of God so it kind of stands to reason anyone from the lineage of Adam and Eve at that time were considered the sons of God, we must admit God does have His favorites at least in my observation? Also it is my understanding angels are neuter and cannot reproduce. Though this is not in agreement to the norm of what Micheal Houdman cited and what I have been taught, I have found that as we read the bible for ourselves we find some real truths. I'm not saying this is what really happened but it seems more clear to me this way than the others do.
Bob Johnson
Fact: Jesus said Angels do not marry. Assumption: They cannot marry and procreate. Assumption: That they "do not marry" means that they never did marry, or that fallen Angels did not marry. Fact: "Nephilim" means something like Giant. Assumption: They are grotesque hugely abnormal beings and cannot be just larger than normal humans that are aggressively violent. Football players of today in ancient times would probably be called giants. Fact: Nephilim were called "sons of God". Assumption: "sons of God" always means angels. Fact: Ge 6:4 says "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown." Assumption: Nephelim are the giants. Fact: The text doesn't actually say that. It only says that there were Nephilim around at the same time that the Son's of God took human females. Fact: The union of "sons of God" and human females bore "men of renown". Assumption: The "men of renown" are Nephilim There are too many assumptions flying around that don't necessarily fit the facts, even tho it might be possible that some of the assumptions may be close to the reality. The point is that we don't know for sure. And we don't need to know for sure. The point is that whoever these being were, they were not pleasing to God and they were evil. Therefore they are one of the main reasons for the Flood. The takeaway is that God does judge people or beings that are evil whenever He, as a Sovereign God, wants to do so.
Kessina Onorive
The Sons of God are those who believed in God and know how to use the word. John 1:10-12 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. The daughters of Men are those who have not received him.
Aurel Gheorghe
First of all let’s see in the Bible who these Sons of God are. In Luke 3:38 we read: 'the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.' Adam is called the son of God. Furthermore, in 1 John 3:1 we read: 'Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God' (KJV). So, the Bible is saying that the sons of God are not angels, strange beasts, or demons, but people committed to the Lord. After Cain killed Abel, Adam and Eve had another son named Seth. And Seth, it says, feared the Lord. Seth and his descendants were children of God. Cain was carnal, did not fear the Lord and did not have everlasting life. As long as the sons of God remained separate, the truth of God was preserved - but when the sons of God (children of Seth) began to intermarry with the daughters of Cain - then that distinction, that holiness was lost. That's why in Genesis 6:3 God said - My Spirit will not abide with man. He's got 120 years before the flood. And so the sons of God were the descendants of Seth that were true to the Lord. They still offered sacrifice to God. The daughters of men were the daughters of Cain's descendants who did not serve the Lord.
Anonymous
If everyone on Noah's Ark was part of his righteous family then there were no 'daughters of man'. How come the nephilim came back on the scene in Numbers 13.33?
Joseph Adesina
I want to point attention to Adam Clarke comments on use of those words useful for the discussion - "It may be necessary to remark here that our translators have rendered seven different Hebrew words by the one term giants, viz., nephilim, gibborim, enachim, rephaim, emim, and zamzummim; by which appellatives are probably meant in general persons of great knowledge, piety, courage, wickedness, etc., and not men of enormous stature, as is generally conjectured". We cannot easily dismiss the words of Jesus that angels do not marry and considering the fact that we still have the presence of fallen angels, why don't we have such occurrence again. The reason for the destruction of the antediluvian world was stated as the wickedness of men being great in the earth and the imagination being evil continually and the earth being corrupt and filled with violence Gen 6:5,11. Gen 4:26 hinted on the revival of religion with the possibility of godly people emerging. Why could the phrase took them wives not also mean a lasting marriage? As we try to run away from one difficulty we of course run into another. It poses a greater challenge to take the sons of God at this instance as angels. So the sons of God are men of piety and the giants don't have to be a special class of beings as Adam Clarke suggested.
John Appelt
The phrase ‘the sons of God’ (Hebrew ‘bene ha Elohim’) in Genesis 6:2 has three basic interpretations: DESCENDANTS OF SETH. The Sethite view according to Merrill Unger is “naive and perfectly orthodox.” ‘Sons of God’ is not used for Old Testament believers and the ‘daughters of men’ cannot be restricted to just the daughters of Cain’s line. ANGELS. Steven J. Cole wrote in “Sin’s Full Course (Genesis 6:1-8),” “I reject this view. I think it creates mind-boggling theological problems which have no biblical warrant.” ‘Sons of God’ can be angels, found only in Job 1:6, 2:1 and 38:7. However, they are not fallen angels, but good angels. Angels are not called ‘sons of God’ anywhere in the Pentateuch and it is an odd way to introduce them as such. They are always ‘angels’ or ‘cherubim,’ Genesis 3:24. The passage is not so clear that they are angels – they could just as well be men. ‘Elohim’ can be ‘gods’ in the generic sense, or magistrates Psalm 82:1, 6, or judges Exodus 21:6, 22:8, 9. References to Israel and believers, Romans 8:14, are not of help in defining who the sons of God are in Genesis. Angels are spirit beings, Luke 24:39, Hebrews 1:7, 14. Demons can possess and empower a person, but cannot indwell a person. The only time a spirit being was able to exist in human form is when God became a man. If angels could interact with men, this would be as miraculous as the incarnation. Furthermore, angels are sexless and do not procreate, Matthew 22:30. The angel interpretation creates a unique mythology. Myths are actually stories of venerated ancestors not angels. God limited Satan in what he could do, Job 1:12, 2:6. Demons cannot do any more than Satan. Furthermore, if God allowed angels to cohabit with humans, He would have been participating in sin. I Peter 3:19, 20, II Peter 2:4-6, and Jude 5-7 are supposedly evidences of angels cohabitating. Wayne Grudem in his commentary of “I Peter” wrote that readers of his epistle did not have the ‘angelic’ interpretation. Several times in Genesis 6, the wickedness of man is mentioned and this, not angels, is the reason for the destruction of man. RULERS. The ‘sons of God’ were nobles, aristocrats and kings, Psalm 82:1, 6, 138:1, Exodus 21:6, 22:8, 9, and the ‘daughters of men’ were those in the common class of citizens. Sons of God taking women is the language describing marriage, not fornication or rape, Genesis 6:2. In “Divine Kingship and Genesis 6:1-4,” Meredith Kline suggested that the sons of the gods were “divine” kings like those found in ancient epics such as the Gilgamesh Epic, common in many city-states and nations into modern times with annual festivals of enthronement of kings. The context in Genesis best fits the interpretation of the rulers. Genesis 4:11-24: The lineage of Cain and the organization of cities. Genesis 4:25-5:32: The lineage of Seth Genesis 6:1-4: The resumption of the thread interrupted at 4:24.
Leslie Coutinho
Genesis 6:4: There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. As the Lord God said unto Lucifer, who went to the woman in the garden as a serpent, I put enmity between thee and the woman, and “thy seed” who were the fallen angels, and the seed of the “woman” her children. (Gen 3:14-15) These fallen angels who then saw the daughter of men, took the form of men, and took them as wives, of all they chose. (Gen 6:2) They bore children to them who became mighty men called the Nephilim in Hebrew translated as giants large and huge beings. For then God spared not these angels “sons of God” that sinned and were then cast down to hell and were delivered into chains of darkness to be reserved unto the judgment day. (2 Peter 2:4-5) These angel beings can take the form of men and do as men, as we had in the time of Abraham, three angels who came down from heaven ate and drank in their presence outside his tent door under the tree, and the angel that wrestled with Jacob. (Gen 18:8/32:24) These fallen angels' spirit beings who were there “and also after that” the floods (could) have entered the unclean beast on the earth which were put in Noah’s ark. (Gen 7:2) For then these mighty men who were giants were also there after the floods at the time of David. (1 Sam 17:4/2 Sam 21:18-22) As at the time of our Lord Jesus when He entered the Gadarenes, a certain man had devils in him, for he cast them into the swine who were the unclean beast (Lev 11:7) feeding on the mountains who then ran down to a steep place into the lake and were choked and delivered going into the chains of darkness for the judgment day. (Luke 8:26,33) These spirit beings today lead men to hold the truth in unrighteousness, for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen. (Rom 1:18-20) Being lusted in their hearts to dishonor their bodies between themselves (Rom 1:24) as in the time of Lot in Sodom when the two angels came the men of the city young and old came and compassed the house of Lot. (Gen 19:4) For this cause, God gave them up unto vile affections man and woman leaving their natural use burned in their lust one towards another of their same kind. (Rom 1:26-27) 2 Peter 2:4: For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.
David Stevenson
Because God want to preserve the righteous line. There were no angels involved. Giants may refer to the the animals, and not the people.
Danny Hickman
Supporter
There's only one reason to leap to the conclusion that Genesis 6:1-4 is referring to something other than mortal men coupling with women and producing giant people, and that is because of how the statement is phrased. The fathers of these giant offspring are called "sons of God," and the females are referred to as "daughters of men." "The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful." The way this is said insinuates that they were of different species. One is said to be of God and the other of men. The offspring are abnormal in size, so presto, the leap is made; this has to be referring to relationships between women of the earth and beings from another realm. The only suspects left when you rule out people of any brand, are the angels who are constantly talked about in scripture. Aliens from other planets aren't in this movie, so we can rule them out. It has to be Satan's crew. Only, that's not how the sequence of events is described. It isn't said that when these "angels" got with the women of the earth God saw that it was evil. Genesis 6:5 says, 'The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.' It makes no mention of God determining anything concerning angels; it only speaks of man's depravity. So God was sorry that He had made man on the earth... Nothing is said about any other being other than man. The reference "sons of God and daughters of men" has wrought this misconstruction, I believe. I don't believe mankind had help from any other species in God being grieved in His heart for putting us here. We did it all on our own! I don't believe the angels were partly responsible for God destroying the inhabitants of the earth with a flood. Here's how it reads: Genesis 6:4 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. Is my reading comprehension challenged, or did we just read where these "people" are being exalted? They don't sound like biological mistakes to me. The word 'nephilim' is a reference to 'giants.' They were "on the earth in those days." What does that mean? Where did they come from? Who produced them? "They were the mighty men of old." What does that mean? Why are we being told about these abnormal "people" just before being told about the flood that killed almost everybody? That's the real question. There are still to this day, people who are abnormally large in size, giant in comparison to everybody else. Evidently, the giant gene survived Noah's flood. (Shaquille O'Neal comes to mind). "The sons of God took wives for themselves." As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Rom 8:14). Because you are sons (of God), God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts..(Gal 4:6) You are all sons of God (Gal 3:26). Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God (Matt 5:9). The creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God (Rom 8:19). These references to being "sons of God" are referring to humans.. There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them (Job 1:6). Where does it say that these "sons of God" weren't humans, but were angels like Satan? Could Satan come among people coming to worship God? (Don't answer that..LOL) Satan, when asked by God, "From where do you come," answers, "From roaming about on the earth." This makes us assume the meeting is occurring away from the earth; this must be occurring in another realm.. That's the same kind of leap that we take in Genesis 6. Nowhere in Job 1 does it say the sons of God were angels, or that they were physically in the presence of the Lord. Believers still go to present themselves before the Lord on certain days. Is Satan ever there?
JESTEEN Y ALEN KUMAR
To understand this, we will take the incident that happened in the life of Job. Satan had consent from God to devastate the faith of Job, but Job did not fall down even though he lost everything including his health. Relating the situations, we can assume that enemies of the Lord had taken permission from God to tempt the sons of God by make available fair ladies to them. In other words, Satan asked God to give fair daughters to Cain family claiming your sons will definitely abandon you by uniting with Cain's family. I think God approved. The sons of God instantly fell down and committed sin before God by picking wives for them. By this voucher, the sons of God had given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to commit blasphemy. (Please read 2 Sam 12:14; David sinned against the Lord and enemies of the Lord arise to blaspheme.) So God decided to hold back man for 120 years. If sons of God are angels, there is no need to curse the men for the sin committed by the daughters of men and sons of God. So it is clear that the sinners are humans not angels. The sons of God are descendants of Adam through Seth. We will study the attitude & behavior of the both line (Cain & Seth.) First we look in to the line of Cain: 1) We know Cain slew his own brother. Killing is strictly prohibited and we read (Genesis 4:16) that Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah; he moved away. 2) Lamech, sixth from Cain, had taken two wives for himself. This is also not according to the will of God. He also boasted that he slaughtered a young man, so killing is ongoing in this line. 3) Please read Gen 4:20-22, draw attention to the behavior of the three persons: they want to exaggerate their names, they need fame, they are upholding themselves as father. In contrast, John the Baptist said (John 3:30) “He must increase, but I must decrease”. In the above three points we realize that not even a single good testimony was found in the line of Cain, so we can finish this line as “absent in front of God.” But in contrast to the above line, we see another cluster from Seth to Noah and we looked in their lives then we will found the following good testimony about them: 1) During the time of Enoch, people started to worship Jehovah. (Genesis 4:26) “At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord”, it means they are expressing that they belong to God. 2) Enoch was walked with God and he was not; for God took him. (Genesis 5:24) walking with God means he pleased God by his conduct. Also he had a good testimony in (Hebrew 11:5) for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. It is clear that Enoch made God happy also God used Enoch as a prophet; Jude describes this, please read (Jude 14 &15). 3) We see another good testimony in (Genesis 6:9) “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God”. What a beautiful testimony by God towards Noah. From the above observation it is clear that, Cain line had no single testimony by God. There was no Worship, there was no prophet, there was none had made God happy, but they are selfish in nature they are interested to make fame for themselves. According to Luke 20:35, there is no marriage for angels. So Sons of God are descendants of Adam through Seth, they are indeed humans but daughters of men are the family from Cain. Hebrew 12:16 here Esau called as fornicator because selling his birthright for meal. He don’t know the value of birthright (right to inherit double portion) but he sold for one meal. Hence he is called fornicator, but not because he did adultery. In the same manner angels also left their own habitation (they don’t know the value) so they also compared to fornicators. When the children of Israel worshiped false god, Lord rebuked them by saying adulterous generation. Hence the sons of God mean people of God who is always trying give pleasure to God.
John Wheeler
See Luke chapter 3. 23-38. Notice that Luke traces Jesus's genealogy from Joseph all the way back to Adam. Jesus son of God (.23) and Adam son of God (.38). The sons of God are sons of Adam who took wives for themselves from the daughters of the people who began to multiply on the face of the ground.
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