The Genesis Site - Genesis 6

The Story

Adam and Eve did have an interest in their relationship with the Creator. However, somehow they didn't realize which side their bread was buttered on. Because of trying some new thoughts, focused on their own profit, they were forced to leave their paradisical life. Children were born out there and mankinds first parents had to face how these children went their own way and killed each other. Because of one thoughtless deed ungodly, anti-social and cruel behaviour started spreading around the world.

Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."
There were giants 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.

According the names and years, listed in Genesis 5, there are about 1600 years between the creation and the flood. This gives some indication about the population on earth when the flood broke out. However, there are some things we cann't say for sure, of course. Some questions remain.
1. How many children were there in each family?
2. Were there as many girls as boys?
3. Did they all live as long as mentioned in Genesis 5?
4. Did they all marry and get children?
Suppose all people lived about 600-700 years. They all were marrying and girls and boys were equally divided. Suppose each family did have 20 children. This sounds like a lot of kids, but remember Genesis 5 regularly says: and he begat sons and daughters. This doesn't feel like just a handfull of children. And suppose there were only 10 generations between the creation and the flood. There might as well have been 15 generations in some families, because in Genesis 5 only the descendants of Seth are mentioned. Estimating the total population goes as follows:

First generation	.....	2
Second generation	.....	20
Third generation	.....	200
Fourth generation	.....	2.000
Fifth generation	.....	20.000
Sixth generation	.....	200.000
Seventh generation	.....	2.000.000
Eighth generation	.....	20.000.000
Ninth generation	.....	200.000.000
Tenth generation	.....	2.000.000.000

That's a whole bunch of people! Consider there were not only these 2.000.000.000 people of the tenth generation in the days of Noah, there were of course people alive of former generations too.
Another example: suppose there were 18 children in each family. The results are as follows:

First generation	.....	2
Second generation	.....	18
Third generation	.....	162
Fourth generation	.....	1.458
Fifth generation	.....	13.122
Sixth generation	.....	118.098
Seventh generation	.....	1.062.882
Eighth generation	.....	9.565.938
Ninth generation	.....	86.093.442
Tenth generation	.....	774.840.979

In this way we can go on, but one thing is clear. The population of the earth was immense. Genesis 6 gives some clues about how these people were living. But who were the sons of God? Were they angels? Were they coming out of space? Let's take a closer look.

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