What is the meaning of Genesis 6:4? The Nephilim were on the earth in those days • Scripture presents the Nephilim as real, physical beings who inhabited the pre-Flood world. • Numbers 13:33 echoes their existence generations later: “We seemed like grasshoppers… and so we were in their sight.” The wording confirms they were unusually large and powerful, not mythical. • Their presence sets the backdrop for Genesis 6, showing a world already corrupted in extraordinary ways (Genesis 6:11–12). —and afterward as well • The phrase extends their timeline beyond the Flood era’s opening days, hinting that some appearance of these formidable people also surfaced later in biblical history. • Post-Flood references—again Numbers 13:33 and Deuteronomy 3:11 (regarding Og)—illustrate that similar giants re-emerged, either through genetic survival on the ark (via Noah’s daughters-in-law) or through a renewed incursion of fallen angels. • This continuity underscores the persistence of rebellion against God even after His judgment. —when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men • “Sons of God” appears elsewhere for angelic beings (Job 1:6; 2:1); the straightforward reading here is of fallen angels intruding into human affairs. • Jude 6 parallels the idea: angels “did not stay within their own domain” and are now “kept in eternal chains.” 2 Peter 2:4–5 links that sin to the days of Noah. • The phrase describes a literal, illicit crossing of boundaries God set between heavenly and earthly realms, deepening humanity’s corruption (Genesis 6:5). And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old • The offspring were a hybrid race of unusual strength and prowess—“mighty men.” • Scripture elsewhere calls warriors like Nimrod “mighty on the earth” (Genesis 10:8–9), showing how this trait shaped early civilizations and their long-lasting legacies. • Their dominance contributed to escalating violence, which Genesis 6:13 identifies as a key reason for the Flood. men of renown • These figures achieved legendary status, celebrated in ancient lore and remembered for their deeds. • Such earthly fame contrasts with God’s verdict of wickedness (Genesis 6:5). What culture glorified, God condemned. • Psalm 49:11–13 reminds us that human renown fades, while divine judgment stands. summary Genesis 6:4 records a literal event: fallen angels (“sons of God”) took human wives, producing a race of giants (“Nephilim”) whose power and notoriety intensified the world’s corruption. Their presence before and after the Flood illustrates ongoing spiritual rebellion. God’s response—the Flood—shows His resolve to restrain evil and preserve a righteous lineage through Noah, pointing forward to the ultimate deliverance found in Christ. |
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