Who were the “Sons of God” in Genesis 6?
Q. Who were the “Sons of God” in Genesis 6?
A. Short answer: We reject the concept, according to the words of Jesus in Matthew 22:30, that strictly spiritual beings would have the ability to have physical relationships with human beings. They cannot “take wives” as in Genesis 6. A number of mythological doctrines have arisen that are simply not in agreement with canonical scripture, and with careful reading, can clearly be seen to be contrary to even the context of Genesis 6. We remind everyone that Jewish fables and the mixture of pagan concepts with the words of Yahweh God himself were common and polluted the true doctrine of Yahweh. Further we point to the fact that Christ died for humankind, not devil kind. To suppose that angelic being could have had intercourse with human women is totally contrary to everything God has said about the order of the universe, seeds producing things after its kind. To suppose a person’s grandfather generations back were an angel or demon rather than a human implies a race of hybrid angel-human beings which defies the concept of Jesus Christ coming to save humanity. He did NOT die to save half-angels, which sounds more akin to Greek mythology. These ideas are extremely polluted, nonspiritual, and wicked in their design.
The concept of angels (often referred to as “Watchers”) having relationships with human women is indeed elaborated upon in the Book of Enoch, which is a collection of ancient Jewish apocalyptic texts. The Book of Enoch is not considered canonical by most Christian traditions.
Here are some examples from the Book of Enoch that elaborate on the concept of angels and other narratives that are not found in the canonical scriptures:
- The Watchers and their Offspring:
- 1 Enoch 6:1-2: “And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: ‘Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.’”
- The Teachings of the Watchers:
- 1 Enoch 8:1: “And Azazel taught men to make swords, and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and made known to them the metals of the earth and the art of working them, and bracelets, and ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the eyelids, and all kinds of costly stones, and all colouring tinctures.”
- Judgment of the Watchers:
- 1 Enoch 10:4-6: “And again the Lord said to Raphael: ‘Bind Azazel hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light.’”
- The Vision of the Heavenly Throne:
- 1 Enoch 14:18-20: “And I saw the chambers of the luminaries and the treasuries of the stars and of the thunder and in the uttermost depths, where were a fiery bow and arrows and their quiver, and a fiery sword and all the lightnings.”
The Book of Enoch contains many narratives that are not found in the canonical scriptures and are considered apocryphal or pseudepigraphal1. While these texts provide fascinating insights into ancient Jewish thought and mythology, they are not regarded as authoritative or scriptural by most Jewish and Christian traditions.
| Verse | KJV Text | MT (Masoretic Text) | LXX (Septuagint) | Based on Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis 6:2 | “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the [sons of God] saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And Yahweh 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.” | בְּנֵי־הָאֱלֹהִים (benei ha’elohim) | υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ (huioi tou theou) | Righteous men (Note: Yahweh talks about striving with man/flesh, not with spirit beings) |
| 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. And Yahweh 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.” | בְּנֵי־הָאֱלֹהִים (benei ha’elohim) | υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ (huioi tou theou) | Righteous men |
| Job 1:6 | “Now there was a day when the [sons of God] came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan came also among them. And Yahweh said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And Yahweh said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” | בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים (benei ha’elohim) | υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ (huioi tou theou) | Righteous men (meeting on Earth, as Job was also mentioned to be on Earth among them) |
| Job 2:1 | “Again there was a day when the [sons of God] came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh. And Yahweh said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered Yahweh, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And Yahweh said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” | בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים (benei ha’elohim) | υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ (huioi tou theou) | Righteous men |
| Job 38:7 | “When the morning stars sang together, and all the [sons of God] shouted for joy? Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,” | בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים (benei elohim) | υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ (huioi tou theou) | Divine beings or angels |
| Psalm 29:1 | “[Give unto Yahweh, O ye mighty], give unto Yahweh glory and strength. Give unto Yahweh the glory due unto his name; worship Yahweh in the beauty of holiness. The voice of Yahweh is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: Yahweh is upon many waters.” | בְּנֵי אֵלִים (benei elim) | υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ (huioi tou theou) | Mighty ones or heavenly beings |
| Psalm 89:6 | “For who in the heaven can be compared unto Yahweh? who among the [sons of the mighty] can be likened unto Yahweh? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. O Yahweh God of hosts, who is a strong Yahweh like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?” | בְּנֵי אֵלִים (benei elim) | υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ (huioi tou theou) | Mighty men or leaders of Israel |
- The term pseudepigraphal
refers to a body of ancient texts that are written in the style and
form of biblical scripture but are not considered canonical or authentic
by mainstream religious traditions. The word “pseudepigraphal” comes
from the Greek words “pseudo” (false) and “epigraphe” (inscription),
meaning “falsely attributed.”
Pseudepigraphal works are often attributed to well-known biblical figures, such as prophets or apostles, but were actually written by unknown authors. These texts are typically composed to offer religious teachings, prophecies, or historical accounts that are not found in the canonical scriptures.
Some well-known pseudepigraphal texts include:
The Book of Enoch
The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs
The Assumption of Moses
The Apocalypse of Abraham
The Ascension of Isaiah
Pseudepigraphal works can provide valuable insights into the religious beliefs, practices, and cultural context of the periods in which they were written. However, they are generally not regarded as divinely inspired or authoritative within mainstream Jewish and Christian traditions. ↩︎
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