I have been studying the book of Genesis and I was wondering about Genesis 6:1-6. I read somewhere that the “sons of God” were to be interpreted as being angels. I remembered that in Luke 3:38, Adam was also referred to as a “son of God”, so I am questioning the angel interpretation. What do you think? ~ Christy Shomber
The King James Version of the Bible, and other translations that faithfully represent the original language, use the phrases “sons of God” and “daughters of men” in the opening verses of Genesis 6.
“1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 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. 3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 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. 5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart” (Genesis 6:1-6, KJV).
The Living Bible, a paraphrase rather than a Bible translation, however, depicts a radical departure from the Bible translations as well as from the original language in these verses. Representation of the “sons of God” in Genesis 6 as angels, etc. may be attributable to The Living Bible or someone who has been influenced by this paraphrase. Notice the Living Bible rendering below:
“1 Now a population explosion took place upon the earth. It was at this time that beings from the spirit world looked upon the beautiful earth women and took any they desired to be their wives. 3 Then Jehovah said, ‘My Spirit must not forever be disgraced in man, wholly evil as he is. I will give him 120 years to mend his ways.’ 4 In those days, and even afterwards, when the evil beings from the spirit world were sexually involved with human women, their children became giants, of whom so many legends are told” (Genesis 6:1-4, TLB).
There is no justification for replacing “sons of God” with “beings for the spirit world” or angels. The Living Bible has placed human commentary in the place of the inspired Word of God. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, though, does concur with the Living Bible rendering of Genesis 6.
Yet, the original language words for “son” and “sons” in both testaments mean what our English word “son” means, and they are used in the same ways in which we use the word. The context is the determining factor as to how the words “son” or “sons” are used.
There are some of passages where the phrase “sons of God” refers to angels (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7), determined by the context in which the phrase appears. However, usually the phrase “sons of God” refers to righteous mortals (John 1:12; Romans 8:14, 19; Philippians 2:15; 1 John 3:1-2). Again, the context is the deciding factor to understanding to whom the words “sons of God” apply.
Of the 48 times the phrase “son of God” appears in the Bible, all but Luke 3:38 is capitalized (“Son of God”), referring to Jesus Christ. Luke 3:38 uses the phrase “son of God” in the same way as the phrase “sons of God” is employed to refer to humans, except in the Book of Job.
There is no reason for construing from Genesis 6:1-6 that the phrase “sons of God” is used in any sense but the normal or literal meaning of the words that appear there (i.e., righteous mortals is meant). The phrase “sons of God” contrasted with the “daughters of men” simply represents the unending and typical result of righteous and unrighteous persons intermarrying, whereby the influence of the unrighteous overpowers the influence of the righteous (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). A similar scenario to Genesis 6 appears relative to the Israelites entering Canaan.
“Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly” (Deuteronomy 7:3-4).
The Presbyterian, Albert Barnes, in his Barnes Notes, also notes the distinction between righteous persons in Genesis 6 versus spirit beings or angels in the Book of Job. The Methodist, Adam Clarke, in his Clarke’s Commentaries, likewise affirms that the “sons of God” means righteous men and “…not angels, as some have dreamed…” The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary discusses the pros and cons of Genesis 6:1-6, “sons of God,” referring to mortals and angels, concluding that the phrase can only denote humans. The Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament observes that the apocryphal or uninspired Book of Enoch speaks of angel marriages, but after examining all the possible interpretations of “sons of God” in Genesis 6 concludes that the phrase refers to mortals. Matthew Henry’s Commentary also matter-of-factly interprets Genesis 6 respecting “the sons of God” to mean righteous humans, whereas James Burton Coffman in his commentary repudiates the angels interpretation and lists several reasons why “sons of God” must refer to humans.
In addition to all the above, Jesus himself indicated that angels are sexless and do not participate in marital relations (Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25). Marshalling commentators on either side of an interpretation of itself does not determine truth. However, the preponderance of the evidence and consideration of the scholarship relative to the passage demands only one understanding. Genesis 6:1-6 refers to mortals and the departure of mankind from God before the Noahic flood.
