In Genesis 6:2, who were the “sons of God,” and how could they produce offspring with human women?

1. Context and Overview

Genesis 6:2 states: “the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.” This verse introduces one of the most debated passages in the Old Testament, raising the question of who these “sons of God” were and how they could produce offspring with human women. The immediate context of Genesis 6 details the increasing wickedness of humanity leading up to the judgment of the global Flood.

2. Hebrew Terminology: “Bene Elohim”

The phrase translated “sons of God” in Genesis 6:2 is “bene Elohim” in Hebrew. In many other places in Scripture, particularly in Job 1:6 and 2:1, “bene Elohim” refers to angelic beings. This usage has led many interpreters to conclude that Genesis 6 is referring to certain angels who took on fleshly form or influenced humanity in a unique way.

3. The Angelic Interpretation

1. Biblical Support

- Job 1:6, 2:1, and 38:7 use similar Hebrew wording for “angelic beings.”

- Jude 6 references angels who “did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling,” which has often been linked to Genesis 6.

- 2 Peter 2:4 describes angels who sinned and were cast into “chains of darkness.”

2. Early Jewish and Christian Writings

Many ancient Jewish texts (such as portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls) and early Christian writings understood these “sons of God” to be fallen angels. Church fathers like Justin Martyr and Tertullian often repeated this interpretation.

3. How They Produced Offspring

If these “sons of God” are indeed angelic beings, the mechanism by which they bore children with human women is not fully explained in Scripture. Genesis 6 simply presents it as a reality. Angels appeared in human form elsewhere (e.g., Genesis 19:1–3), suggesting a capacity to operate physically. While the precise details remain mysterious, the text implies a unique crossing of boundaries that resulted in the Nephilim (Genesis 6:4).

4. The Sethite Interpretation

1. Basic Premise

A second major view identifies the “sons of God” as the righteous lineage descending from Adam through Seth. In this reading, the “daughters of men” are from the ungodly line of Cain. Their intermarriage led to widespread corruption.

2. Supporting Arguments

- Genesis 4 and 5 distinguish the lines of Cain and Seth.

- The phrase could be interpreted as “godly sons” of Seth.

3. Criticisms

- It can be difficult to align this view with passages like Job 1:6 or Jude 6, where “sons of God” or angels are explicitly referenced.

- It does not readily explain the existence of giants or extraordinary offspring.

5. Alternative “Royalty” View

1. Basic Idea

A less common interpretation holds that powerful rulers or despotic kings—sometimes seen as “sons of the gods”—took women at will, establishing dynastic lines.

2. Strengths and Weaknesses

- Such language of kings being called “sons” of deities is found in some ancient Near Eastern documents.

- However, it does not address the textual parallels in Job or the supernatural overtones that fit an angelic interpretation.

6. The Offspring: The Nephilim

1. Giant or “Fallen Ones”?

Genesis 6:4 notes: “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well...” The word “Nephilim” may derive from a root meaning “to fall” (naphal), sometimes translated as “Giants” or “Fallen Ones.” Whichever origin is adopted, the presence of these formidable beings is linked strongly to the union described in Genesis 6:2.

2. Connection to Post-Flood Giants

Numbers 13:33 mentions the Nephilim again, though it is possible that term is used there in part for comparison (“We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight”), indicating impressively large warriors. Whether these were direct descendants or merely reminiscent of the pre-Flood Nephilim is debated.

7. Archaeological and Historical Considerations

1. Extrabiblical Literature

- While not part of the canonical Scriptures, some references from ancient Jewish writings (e.g., 1 Enoch) shed light on early Jewish interpretations. They ascribe the origin of giants to rebellious angels sometimes called “Watchers.”

2. Support for the Biblical Timeline

Archaeological findings in Mesopotamia reveal accounts of a catastrophic flood, sometimes paralleling details in Genesis. Although these texts do not explicitly describe angelic beings conceiving children, they do highlight the unique nature of primordial events.

8. Theological Implications

1. Corruption of Humanity

Genesis 6:2–4 forms part of the larger narrative emphasizing a grave moral decline that provoked judgment upon all flesh. Whether by angelic infiltration or the crossing of godly and ungodly lineage, the text underscores humanity’s increasing depravity.

2. God’s Holiness and Judgment

Genesis 6 sets up God’s response: “So the LORD said, ‘My Spirit will not contend with man forever’” (Genesis 6:3). The subsequent Flood narrative (Genesis 6–8) demonstrates divine judgment and sets the stage for a new beginning with Noah’s family.

9. Reconciling the Supernatural Element

Some wonder how angels could physically interact with humans. Scriptural examples (Genesis 19:1–11; Hebrews 13:2) show that angels are capable of appearing in tangible, human-like forms. The fuller details remain beyond our complete understanding, yet the biblical text consistently depicts supernatural realities intersecting with the natural world.

10. Concluding Considerations

Whether one leans toward the angelic perspective (the more traditional Jewish and early Christian view) or retains the Sethite or royal interpretation, Genesis 6:2 conveys a time of unprecedented moral corruption. The text ties this corruption to powerful beings—“sons of God”—doing what was forbidden, resulting in unnatural offspring.

Biblically, the theme emphasizes humanity’s desperate need of divine intervention, pointing forward to the ultimate plan of redemption. Within the scriptural narrative, only God’s grace rescues from the pervasive impact of sin, culminating in the message that leads to salvation and points to the reality that all creation finds its origin—and final accountability—in Him.