What does Genesis 6:4 mean?

Understanding Genesis 6:4

Genesis 6:4 is one of the most enigmatic verses in the Bible. It introduces the Nephilim — beings whose identity has been debated for over two thousand years. The verse sits at the hinge point between the genealogies of Genesis 5 and the story of the Flood, suggesting that whatever the Nephilim represent, they are connected to the corruption that provoked God's judgment.

Who are the 'sons of God'?

Three major interpretations exist:

1. Fallen angels (the supernatural view)

This is the oldest interpretation, found in 1 Enoch (2nd century BC), the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, and most early church fathers (Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian). On this reading, 'sons of God' (bene elohim) refers to angelic beings who abandoned their proper domain, took human wives, and produced hybrid offspring — the Nephilim.

Supporting evidence: In the Old Testament, 'sons of God' (bene elohim) consistently refers to angelic beings (Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7). Jude 6-7 speaks of 'angels who did not keep their own position' and compares their sin to Sodom's sexual immorality. 2 Peter 2:4-5 connects fallen angels directly to the pre-Flood era.

2. The Sethite view (the human lineage view)

Popularized by Augustine (5th century), this interpretation identifies the 'sons of God' as the godly line of Seth and the 'daughters of men' as the ungodly line of Cain. Their intermarriage represents the corruption of the faithful remnant through union with the wicked.

This avoids the theological difficulty of angel-human sexual union, which Jesus seems to rule out in Matthew 22:30 ('in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven'). However, critics note that Jesus is describing angels' normal state, not what rebellious angels might do.

3. The royal tyrant view

Some scholars argue that 'sons of God' refers to ancient kings or rulers who claimed divine status and used their power to take women by force (the Hebrew 'took wives' can imply seizure). The Nephilim were their mighty warrior-offspring. This fits the ancient Near Eastern context where kings were called 'sons of god.'

Who are the Nephilim?

The word 'Nephilim' likely derives from the Hebrew naphal ('to fall'), suggesting 'fallen ones.' Numbers 13:33 mentions Nephilim again — the giant inhabitants of Canaan whom the Israelite spies encountered. This connection has fueled the 'giants' tradition, though Numbers 13:33 may be the spies exaggerating to discourage invasion.

Genesis 6:4 calls them 'heroes of old, men of renown' — language suggesting legendary warriors of immense strength and reputation. Whether their origin is supernatural or human, they represent a distortion of the created order.

Why does this matter?

Genesis 6:1-4 is not a standalone curiosity. It is the theological setup for the Flood. The point is that the boundary between heaven and earth, between the divine realm and the human realm, was violated. Creation's order was corrupted. The Flood was God's response to a world so thoroughly ruined that 'every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time' (Genesis 6:5).

Whichever interpretation you hold, the narrative function is clear: the Nephilim represent the climax of pre-Flood corruption — the point at which God's patience reached its limit and judgment became necessary.