The Genesis Site - Sons of God

Genesis 6

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.

These words of Genesis 6 are confusing a lot of people. Certainly when they have ever spoken with somebody who was convinced Genesis 6 is dealing with angels or alien visitors. Because what else could be said about these "sons of God"? Isn't it quite clear they are some kind of non-earthly strangers?
Let's take a closer look to the words "sons of God". Or better, let's scrutinize the original Hebrew words that are used here in the Bible. "Sons of God" is the translation of "BeNÊJ haELOHIM". The first part of it are the "sons". The word "BEN" might be familiar. It can be recognized in for instance names as BEN-Jamin, BEN-Hadad or BEN-Gurion.
"ELOHIM" is the plural form of "EL", meaning strong, powerful, mighty. This word el is often used as a general name for God, gods or idols. Hence the translation "sons of God". But other good translations are "sons of mighty men", "sons of rulers" or even "powerful young men". These possibilities bring these sons down to common earthly people.

What were these sons doing? Creating a new or improved race? Of course not. They saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful. Another good translation is: when they were beautiful. And they took them for wives. They were not asking, they were just taking. The word "taking" here (lqch in Hebrew) does not only mean marry, but can also be translated as "get hold of", "capture", "conquer", "rob" or "take in captivity".
An old legend says these girls were taken the day they were marrying. Something of this "custom" may have survived the flood. Of Gilgamesh, the hero of Uruk (the biblical Erech, Genesis 10:10) is written how he took woman of other men in their wedding night. This was called "the right of the first night": landlords or rulers as the first one to use their "property". The term "when they were beautiful" gets another meaning now: the girls were shining like a bride.

The terms "sons of rulers" and "daughters of men" include some contradistinction. Elite classes against common people. (It looks like some things cannot change during thousends of years.)
This contradistinction is found back in the word "giant" too (Genesis 6:4). The Hebrew word is "Nephilim". Some Bible translations use this Hebrew word instead of the translation "giant". But "giant" doesn't only have to mean "long, tall man", but can also be explained as "tyrant", "superman" or "man of influence", "man of power". Some kind of ruling magnate. They were the mighty men, impressing, famous and notorious. The Hebrew word "shem" is used here, the same as in Genesis 11:4 - "Let us make us a name (shem)."

Jesus isn't talking about any strange powers either when He is refering to the times before the flood. In Matthew 24:37-39 we read:

As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man.

It is curious Jesus points to the marrying and giving in marriage of this remote times. But nothing indicates He means intervention of aliens or angels. He is just talking about disturbed human behaviour.
Another example is given by Luke. This gospelwriter says in 3:38:

... the son of Cainan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

So we see Adam is called a son of God too. Why couldn't his descendants also be called this way? Paul had to say something about this matter too (Acts 17:28-29). In his speech on the Areopagus, talking to the Athenians, he said: "In him [God] we live and move and have our being." Then he refered to a Greek poet:

... as even some of your poets have said: "For we are indeed his offspring."
Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the Deity is like gold ...

Paul didn't have trouble with the idea people are Gods children.

So, with all this in mind, the question can be asked again: what is going on Genesis 6? It seems there was some kind of upperclass, ruling (or terrorizing) and controling life. Big brother watching you. They used and abused whatever and whoever they liked. It seems quite likely girls were taken away from their parents to "serve" their masters. Perhaps other girls had to face they were raped when they were marrying. Their children were maybe taken away to their masters to be trained in their masters service.
I don't believe we are dealing here with angels or aliens, as some people claim. Because if so, mankind was their victim. But verse 5 unequivocal says that the "wickedness of man" was great. People of flesh and blood (verse 3: for he is flesh) were acting rebellious against their Creator. And it wasn't only the elite acting this way. The common people didn't fear God either. For at the end there was found only one righteous man: Noah.
Take a look at Genesis 4:23-24. Here we hear Lamech placing himself above God and making himself feared: don't even touch me or I will use my revenging power! Note that he is the only one in Genesis 1 till 6 (except Adam, of course, and Kain in 4:17) of whom is said something about his wives: his two wives!
So the final conclusion is that mankind was to blame for what was going on. Mankind was acting in a way that could not last for ever. 120 Years were given them to change their mind (Genesis 6:3). But they didn't use these years.

Used Strong numbers:
0410 - El, godly, powerful, mighty, great
0430 - Elohim, God, god, goddess, idols, superhuman
01121 - son
03588 - because, as, when
03947 - take away, buy, get hold of, capture, conquer, rob, take in captivity, marry
05303 - giants, Nephilim
08034 - renown, name, famous, infamous

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