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THE GROWTH OF SIN.—Gen. 6:1–8

A Few Vocabulary Words First

6:3. דּוֹן be down, strive, subdue, judge. remain, abide, i.e., dwell in a certain location (Ge 6:3+)^[1]

בָּשַׁגָּם inasmuch, as also. The rendering in their error requires the pointing בְּשָׁגָּם, and the plural form of the following pronoun. It is also unknown to the Septuagint.

6:4. נְפִילִים assailants, fellers, men of violence, tyrants.

The violent hybrid sons who were the children of materialized angels and the daughters of men before the Flood. The Bible account describing Jehovah’s displeasure with men in the days of Noah before the Flood relates that “the sons of the true God” took for themselves wives from among the attractive daughters of men. It then mentions the presence of “Nephilim.” See more in the verse below.

Genesis 6:1–4 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
6 Now it came about when men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, ²that the sons^[48] of God^[49] saw that the daughters of men were beautiful;^[50] and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. ³Then Jehovah said, “My Spirit shall not remain^[51] with man forever, for he^[52] also is flesh; therefore, his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” ⁴The Nephilim^[53] were on the earth in those days,^[54] and also afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

See notes on verses below.

Genesis 6:1. That hybridizing two different species intermarriage of the materialized “sons of the true God” and the “daughters of men” was shocking! God could not let this continue indefinitely! The Nephilim were the primary reason for what we are told in Genesis 6:11, 13. “Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.” That was what God determined. For another one hundred and twenty years more, God would be patient with fallen man, as he had been doing. When the time ran out, he would bring a monumental change! His long-held self-restraint would be no more. The intermarriage of materialized spirit angels with women of flesh would be brought to an abrupt end by a global flood covering the entire earth, even the mountaintops!

Genesis 6:2 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
²that the sons^[48] of God^[49] saw that the daughters of men were beautiful;^[50] and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.

^[48] Septuagint angels
^[49] This refers to angelic sons of God. See Job 1:6; 38:7; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6
^[50] Lit good

Genesis 6:2. Who were the “sons of God” that fathered the Nephilim? Some have suggested that they were worshipers of God, as opposed to the other wicked men. This could hardly be the case if we follow the context. The account says that their marriage to “the daughters of man” caused the wickedness to increase substantially. Noah and his family of a wife, three sons, and their wives were the only ones walking with God at that time.―Genesis 6:9; 8:15, 16; 1Pe 3:20.

Therefore, if we were to suggest that these “sons of God” were merely men, this would beg the question, why would their offspring be referred to as “the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown,” more so than the other wicked men, or especially Noah and his family? Moreover, the question arises as to what would be so special, if they were just men, for the account to mention their marriage to “the daughters of man” as though that were special in some way? Men had been marrying women and having children for some 1,500 years at this point.

The understanding that these “sons of God” were disobedient angels, an interpretation that has been around since the beginning is the best choice. The same expression “sons of God” is found in Job 1:6 and Job 38:7 and is applied to angels. This interpretation is supported by the apostle Peter as well, for he writes, “he [Jesus] went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared.” (1 Pet. 3:19-20) Moreover, Jude adds weight to this position as well, when he writes, “the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 6)

These rebel angels had the power at one time to materialize in human form, just like the ones that remain faithful to Jehovah God, as they delivered messages for Him. (Gen. 18:1, 2, 8, 20-22; 19:1-11; Josh. 5:13-15) The “proper dwelling” that Jude speaks of is heaven, to which these angels abandoned, to take on human form, and have relations that were contrary to nature with the “the daughters of man.” (Dan. 7:9-10) The Bible intimates that these rebel angels were stripped of their power to take on human form, as you never hear of it taking place again after the flood, only spirit possession after that. These disobedient angels are now “spirits in prison,” who had been thrown into “eternal chains under gloomy darkness,” which is more of a condition of limited powers, not so much a place, like a maximum-security prison.―1 Peter 3:19; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6.

Some scholars have argued that the Nephilim are simply wicked men like Cain, but worse, nothing more. They base their argument on the statement of “and also afterward” in verse 4, as they say, the Nephilim “were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of man and they bore children to them.” In other words, the Nephilim were on the earth before the “sons of God had relations with “the daughters of man.”

This position does not outweigh the correct interpretation that the “sons of God”, who were rebel angels, took on human form, had relations with the “daughters of man,” and produced a mighty offspring of half-man, half-angelic. Some translations have moved the phrase “and also afterward” closer to the beginning of verse 4, which would identify the Nephilim with the “mighty men.” For example: “In those days, as well as afterward, there were giants [Heb., hannephilim] on the earth, who were born to the sons of the gods whenever they had intercourse with the daughters of men; these were the heroes [Heb., haggibborim] who were men of note in days of old.”―Genesis 6:4, AT, NIV, and TEV.

The Greek Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament made between 280 and 150 B.C.E., also agrees that both the “Nephilim” and “mighty men” are one and the same, using the word gigantes (giants) to translate both expressions. If we look at the context, we will see that in verses 1 through 3, the “sons of God” were taking wives for themselves and that God had tired of this rebellious behavior and said of man, “his days shall be 120 years.” Thus, we see in verse 4 that the Nephilim were in the earth “in those days.” “In those days” was obviously referring to when God made the statement. Therefore, it showed that this ongoing situation continued “also afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of man, and they bore children to them.”

Genesis 6:3 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

³Then Jehovah said, “My Spirit shall not remain^[51] with man forever, for he^[52] also is flesh; therefore, his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

^[51] Or contend

^[52] He is a reference to man

Genesis 6:3 BDC: Does this text contradict what Moses said about the length of human life in Psalm 90:10?

Genesis 6:3. My Spirit, in contradistinction to the spirit of disobedience which obtained entrance into the soul of man by the fall. Shall not strive with man forever. To strive (דון) is to keep down, rule, judge, or strive with a man by moral force. From this passage we learn that Jehovah by his Spirit strives with man up to a certain point. In this little negative sentence streams out the bright light of God’s free and tender mercy to the apostate race of man. He sends his Spirit to irradiate the darkened mind, expostulate with the conscience, prompt and strengthen holy resolve, and bring back the heart, confidence, and affection to God. He effects the blessed result of repentance towards God in some, who are thus proved to be born of God. But it is a solemn thought that he will not strive perpetually with others. There is a certain point beyond which he will not go, for sufficient reasons known fully to himself, partly to us. Two of these we are to notice for our instruction: First, he will not touch the free agency of his rational creatures. He can put no force on the volitions of men. An involuntary or compulsory faith, hope, love, obedience, is a contradiction; anything that could bear the name can have no moral validity whatsoever. Secondly, after giving ample warning, instruction, and invitation, he will, as a just judgment on the unbelieving and the impenitent, withdraw his Spirit and let them alone. The antediluvian world was fast approaching to this point of final perversity and abandonment.

Also is flesh, in contradistinction to spirit, the breath of life which the Almighty breathed into his nostrils. These two parts of man’s complex being were originally in true and happy adjustment, the corporeal being the fit organ and complement of the spiritual as it is in him. But now by the fall the flesh has gained the upper hand, and the spirit is in the bondage of corruption. The fact that he is flesh and spirit has therefore come out into sad prominence. The doctrine of the carnal mind in the Epistle to the Romans (8) is merely the outgrowth of the thought expressed in this passage.

His days shall be one hundred and twenty years. “His days” are the days of man, not the individual, but the race, with whom Jehovah still strives. Hence, they refer to the duration, not of an individual’s life, but of the existence of the human race. From this we learn that the narrative here reverts to a point of time before the birth of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, recorded in the close of the preceding passage, as there were only a hundred years from their birth to the deluge. This is according to the now well-known method of Scripture when it has two lines of events to carry on. The former narrative refers to the godly portion of mankind; this to the ungodly remnant.

Not forever will Jehovah strive with man; but his longsuffering will still continue for one hundred and twenty years. Meanwhile he does not leave himself or his clemency without a witness. He sent Noah with the message of warning, who preached by his voice, by his walking with God, and by his long labor and perseverance in building the ark. The doomed race, however, filled up the measure of their iniquity, and when the set number of years was accomplished, the overwhelming flood came.

Genesis 6:4 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
⁴The Nephilim^[53] were on the earth in those days,^[54] and also afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

^[53] The Nephilim were giant offspring resulting from the sexual relations between sons of God (i.e., angels) and the daughters of men (i.e., human women).

^[54] Thus, in verse 4, we see that the Nephilim was in the earth “in those days.” “In those days” was obviously referring to when God made the statement in conjunction with the context of 6:3, which reads “his [man’s] days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” So, the understanding of 6:4 is that “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days [at the time the rebel angels began to have sexual relations with women and giving birth to the Nephilim], and also afterward [the 120 years up unto the time of the flood.]” All of the Nephilim were destroyed in the flood of Genesis 7.

Genesis 6:4. Some scholars have argued that the Nephilim are simply wicked men like Cain, but worse, nothing more. They base their argument on the statement of “and also afterward” in verse 4, as they say, the Nephilim “were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of man and they bore children to them.” In other words, the Nephilim were on the earth before the “sons of God had relations with “the daughters of man.”

Nephilim the Same as the Gibborim

This position does not outweigh the correct interpretation that the “sons of God,” who were rebel angels, took on human form, had relations with the “daughters of man,” and produced a mighty offspring of half-man, half-angelic. Some translations have moved the phrase “and also afterward” closer to the beginning of verse 4, which would identify the Nephilim with the “mighty men.” For example: “In those days, as well as afterward, there were giants [Heb., hannephilim] on the earth, who were born to the sons of the gods whenever they had intercourse with the daughters of men; these were the heroes [Heb., haggibborim] who were men of note in days of old.”―Genesis 6:4, AT and TEV.

הַנְּפִלִים def.art.-n.m.p. (658) the Nephilim (fallen ones)
הָיוּ Qal pf. 3 c.p. (הָיָה 224) were
בָאָרֶץ prep.-def.art.-n.f.s. (75) on the earth
בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם prep.-def.art.-n.m.p. (398)-def.art.-demons.adj. m.p. (241) in those days
וְגַם conj.-adv. (168) and also
אַחֲרֵי־כֵן prep.-adv. (485) afterward
אֲשֶׁר יָבֹאוּ rel. (81)-Qal impf. 3 m.p. (בּוֹא 97; GK 107e) when … came
בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים n.m.p. cstr. (119; GK 128v)-def.art.-n.m.p. (43) the sons of God
אֶל־בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם prep.-n.f.p. cstr. (123)-def.art.-n.m.s. (9) in to the daughters of men
וְיָלְדוּ conj.-Qal pf. 3 c.p. (יָלַד 408; GK 112e) and bore
לָהֶם prep.-3 m.p. sf. to them
הֵמָּה demons.adj. m.p. (241) these were
הַגִּבֹּרִים def.art.-n.m.p. (150) mighty men
אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם rel. (81)-prep.-n.m.s. (761) that were of old
אַנְשֵׁי n.m.p. cstr. (60; GK 128t) the men of
הַשֵּׁם def.art.-n.m.s. (1027) renown—John Joseph Owens, Analytical Key to the Old Testament, vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1989), 23.

Genesis 6:4 English Standard Version

⁴ 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 [gibborim] who were of old, the men of renown.

Genesis 6:4 Lexham English Bible

⁴ The Nephilim were upon the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God went into the daughters of humankind, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty warriors [gibborim] that were from ancient times, men of renown.

Genesis 6:4 Christian Standard Bible

⁴ The Nephilim were on the earth both in those days and afterward, when the sons of God came to the daughters of mankind, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men [gibborim] of old, the famous men.

Genesis 6:4 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

⁴The Nephilim^[53] were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men [gibborim] who were of old, men of renown.

The Greek Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament made between 280 and 150 B.C.E., also agrees that both the “Nephilim” and “mighty men” are one and the same, using the word gigantes (giants) to translate both expressions. If we look at the context, we will see that in verses 1 through 3, the “sons of God” were taking wives for themselves and that God had tired of this rebellious behavior and said of man, “his days shall be 120 years.” Thus, in verse 4, we see that the Nephilim was in the earth “in those days.” “In those days” was obviously referring to when God made the statement. Therefore, it showed that this ongoing situation continued, “also afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of man and they bore children to them.”

Old Testament Scholar Kenneth Gangel writes,

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. This statement has been taken either as describing the result of the union (but notice the Nephilim were on earth not only before the flood but also afterwards; Num. 13:33) or as the time when this type of marriage was taking place. It was a time when well-known heroes chose whoever they wanted to marry without considering the spiritual conditions of their marriage partner. It was improper, mixed marriage that was the catalyst for creating such an ungodly society that God was forced to act in judgment. – Kenneth Gangel, Holman Old Testament Commentary – Genesis: 6. B&H Publishing Group.

This is a common misconception. Thus, let’s walk through it one more time. In verse 4, we see that the Nephilim was in the earth “in those days.” “In those days” was obviously referring to when God made the statement in conjunction with the context of 6:3, which reads “his [man’s] days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” So, the understanding of 6:4 is that “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days [at the time the rebel angels began to have sexual relations with women and giving birth to the Nephilim], and also afterward [the 120 years up unto the time of the flood.]” All of the Nephilim were destroyed in the flood of Genesis 7.

Humanity was Put On Notice

6:1: Humanity was growing exponentially as men were having sexual relations with the women.
6:2: The sons of the true God, that is, angels, began to take the daughters of men as wives. Thus, we know that angels have the power to materialize as humans. We saw this with Abraham. This perversion brought about great wickedness.
6:3: The patience of God was getting close to its limits with mankind, and so they would be judged in 120 years from the time of this statement, and the flood will destroy all wicked humans and the Nephilim.
6:4: “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days [at the time the rebel angels began to have sexual relations with women and giving birth to the Nephilim], and also afterward [the 120 years up unto the time of the flood.]”
2 Peter 2:5: All of the ungodly were destroyed in Noah’s flood.
FACT: Was Noah a Nephilim, his sons were they Nephimlim, or Noah’s wife and the wives of the sons? No. And those are only the people who survived the flood.
FACT: After the flood, the rebel angels no longer had the power to materialize as humans. There is not one Bible verse after the flood that has rebel angels materializing and having sexual relations to produce the Nephilim.
FACT: The reason for the flood was not because of the wickedness of man but because of rebel angels and the Nephilim. If it was because man, a few thousand, had grown wicked, we have had that thousands of times worse after the flood.
FACT: God used the flood to rid humanity of the demonic angels and the Nephilim. After the flood, he took the rebel angels’ powers so they could no longer materialize.
Fact: God brought about a global flood to destroy that violent ancient world that had been inundated with materialized rebel angels (demons) and the Nephilim, half-angel half-human. The materialized rebel angels dematerialized and went back to heaven. The Nephilim were destroyed along with all wicked people. On the contrary, Noah and his family walked with God, were declared righteous, and were the only ones who survived the flood at that time.—Genesis 6:9; 7:12, 13, 23; 2 Peter 2:5.

Who were the “sons of God” that fathered the Nephilim? See Genesis 6:2 above.

Genesis 6:5–8 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
⁵Then Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart^[55] was only evil continually. ⁶And Jehovah regretted^[56] that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. ⁷Jehovah said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the heavens;^[57] for I regret that I have made them.” ⁸But Noah found favor in the eyes of Jehovah.

See footnotes on Verses Below.

Genesis 6:5–8. In these verses, we are to conceive the hundred and twenty years of respite to be at an end. The iniquity of the race is now full, and the determination of Jehovah is therefore announced, with a statement of the grounds on which it rests, and a glance at the individual to be excepted from the general destruction.

Genesis 6:5 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
⁵Then Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart^[55] was only evil continually.

^[55] American Translation: “the whole bent of his thinking was anything but evil.” In other words, all imperfect humans are mentally bent toward evil.

Genesis 6:5. Then Jehovah saw. The course of the primeval world was a great experiment going on before the eye of God, and of all intelligent observers, and manifesting the thorough depravity and full-grown degeneracy of the fallen race, when left to the bent of its perverted inclinations. Every imagination (יֵצֶר). Here the object of thought is distinguished from the thought itself. This is a distinction not generally or constantly recognized by the mental philosopher, though of essential importance in the theory of the mind. The thought itself is a real phase or attitude of mind; the form, idea, species, object of thought may have matter, real content, or it may not. Only evil every day. This is an unlimited condemnation of the state and process of the carnal man. The reason is obvious. Homage to God, to truth, to right, to love, does not reign in his heart; and the imaginations or purposes that are not regulated by this, however excellent and praiseworthy in other respects, are destitute of the first, the essential principle of moral good. This is now made palpable to the eye of observation by the almost universal predominance of the ungodly spirit. This accordingly forms the ground of the divine procedure.

Genesis 6:6 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
⁶And Jehovah regretted^[56] that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

^[56] See note below

Genesis 6:6. And Jehovah regretted that he had made man. The Hebrew word (נִחוּם nichum or נִחֻם nichum) has the sense of feel regret over. It can be translated as “be sorry,” “grieved,” “repent,” “regret,” “be comforted, “compassion,” “comfort,” “reconsider,” and “change one’s mind.” It can pertain to a change of attitude or intention. God is perfect and therefore does not make mistakes in his dealings with his creation. However, he can have a change of attitude or intention regarding how humans react to his warnings. God can go from the Creator of humans to that of a destroyer of them because of their unrepentant wickedness and failure to heed his warnings. On the other hand, if they repent and turn from their wicked ways, the Father can be compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love. He will “reconsider” the calamity that he may have intended. (Genesis 6:6; Exodus 32:14; Joel 2:13) This is not really God changing his mind per se but rather his altering circumstances once persons with free will brought those altered circumstances about so God could carry out his will and purposes. Second, draw comfort in the fact that we can be sure that God will never change his standards of love and justice regardless of what created beings do with their free will. Nevertheless, just as any of us might change our mind about someone who has altered the way they treat us, God does change in the way that he deals with humans to the evolving circumstances, situations, and conditions. Sometimes, God has changed his commands, laws, and instructions according to his people’s situation and needs. We should not be astonished by this because God has foreknowledge and is well aware of conditions that will come where he will have to change or alter circumstances. The English word “regret” means ‘to feel sorry and sad about something previously done or said that now appears wrong, mistaken, or hurtful to others.’ The Hebrew word (nacham here translated as “regretted” relates to a change of attitude or intention. The Hebrew could not be used to suggest that God felt that he had made a mistake in creating man.

Genesis 6:7 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
⁷Jehovah said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the heavens;^[57] for I regret that I have made them.”

^[57] Or sky

Genesis 6:7. I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land. The resolve is made to sweep away the existing race of man. Heretofore, individuals had departed this life. Adam himself had long since paid the debt of nature. These solemn testimonies to the universal doom had not made any salutary or lasting impression on the survivors. But now a general and violent destruction is to overtake the whole race,—a standing monument of the divine wrath against sin, to all future generations of the only family saved.

from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the heavens. These classes of animated nature mingled up with man are involved in the same ruin. This is of a piece with the curse laid upon the serpent, which was the unconscious organ of the tempter. It is an instance of a law which runs through the whole course of nature, as we observe that it is the method of the divine government to allow for the time the suffering inflicted on an inferior animal, or even on a fellow-creature, by selfish passion. It has an appearance to some minds of harshness and unfairness. But we must remember that these animated creatures are not moral, and, therefore, the violent termination of their organic life is not a punishment; that the pain incidental to this, being apart from guilt, is in itself a beneficial provision for the conservation of life; and that it was not intended that the life of animals should be perpetual. The return of the land to a state of desolation by the destruction of animal and vegetable life, however, has its lesson for man, for whom ultimately all of this beauty and fertility were designed and from whom it is now withdrawn, along with all the glories it foreshadows, as part of the punishment of his guilt. The tenant has become unworthy of the tabernacle, and accordingly, he is dispossessed, and it is taken down and removed.

Genesis 6:8 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
⁸But Noah found favor in the eyes of Jehovah.

Genesis 6:8. But Noah found favor in the eyes of Jehovah. Noah was nothing like the wicked people of his day! Like Enoch, Abraham, and Job, Noah was a righteous man who walked with God. He proved himself faultless among his contemporaries. Noah walked with the true God.” (Genesis 6:8-9) How did Noah walk with God? Walk: (הָלַךְ halak) in integrity (תֹּם tom), a state of blamelessness being free of guilt. (Prov. 2:7) In the Bible, the expression “to walk” is figurative and illustrative and can mean to follow a certain course of action, as “Noah walked with God.” (Gen. 6:9; 5:22) Those who walk with God follow the life course outlined by God’s Word and will find his favor, that is, be pleasing to him. Pursuing such a life course makes you different from most unbelievers. The Greek New Testament uses the same illustrative expression, contrasting two different courses of action sought by one before and after becoming a servant of God. (Eph. 2:2, 10; 4:17; 5:2) Similarly, “running” is also used to symbolize a course of action. (1 Pet. 4:4) God tells us that the prophets in Judah “ran” though he did not send them, yet they took the prophetic course and prophesied falsely. (Jer. 23:21) Paul gives us a visual picture of the Christian course in terms of “running.” He compares it to a race that a person must run while also obeying the rules of the race if they are to win the prize. (1 Cor. 9:24; Gal. 2:2; 5:7.) After reporting on the completion of the ark, the Scriptures say: “And Noah did according to all that God had commanded him. He did just so.”—Genesis 6:22.

By James G. Murphy and Edward D. Andrews

^[1] James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

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