“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:1-2, 4).
Introduction
Genesis 6:1-2, 4, above, is our text for this study. This survey is foundationally derived from my article, Genesis 6 Commentary and Genetics | FaithWriters, with a much deeper look into my initial theory on what may have actually occurred during this pivotal and much-debated time in history.
What Genesis 6:1-4 Is Not
One thought on this controversial passage is that the “sons of God” are the sons of the “godly” line of Seth and that the “daughters of men” are the daughters of the “ungodly” line of Cain. This interpretation is obviously wrong for the following reasons:
The “sons of God” (Hebrew – “bene Elohim“) are clearly angels when compared to the “law of first mention” in what is considered to be the oldest book of the Bible, Job. If the intention of the verse was to convey this interpretation, the Holy Spirit would have inspired Moses to write: “… when the sons of Seth came into the daughters of Cain.”
Additionally, “the daughters of men” is all-inclusive and would include the daughters of Seth. Also, how could natural human procreation – made a mandate from God to all humanity – produce the Nephilim/giants/men of renown?
Finally, Seth’s descendants were far from godly as all were destroyed in the deluge of the global flood except Noah and his family.
What Genesis 6:1-4 Is
The correct interpretation is that the “sons of God” were fallen angels.
As noted above, we find that the “sons of God” (Hebrew – “bene Elohim“) in Genesis 6:4 are angels when compared with the book of Job.
“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them” (Job 1:6).
“Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD” (Job 2:1).
“Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7). (emphasis mine)
In all three instances, the sons of God refer to angels.
The only humans to ever be called sons of God were Adam and Messiah Yeshua. Both were new creations, sinless and perfect. (Eve might be considered in this category, but she was created biologically from Adam himself.) All other human beings have been created biologically in sin and are not unique creations.
Angels fall into this category as well, as they were also unique creations and, as such, were referred to as “sons of God.”
Note: Christians today who are born again are called sons of God only because they are new creations in Christ.
The correct interpretation, therefore, is that the “sons of God” were fallen angels.
These sons of God “came into the daughters of men, and they bare children to them,” which resulted in the Nephilim/giants/men of renown. What exactly happened here?
Angelic Biology and Sexual Intercourse
The other popular interpretation that seems to align with what Genesis 6:4 is conveying is that of sexual relations between the fallen sons of God and human women that produced the Nephilim/giants/men of renown.
It has been conjectured – and I agree – that a major issue that Satan and the fallen angels had regarding mankind was that men and women were created in the image of God, and the angels were not.
When it comes to procreation, there is nothing in Scripture that even hints that the angels have the ability to reproduce among themselves, and every mention of angels in the Holy Bible refers to them in masculine terms.
Jesus, in answering a question from the Sadducees regarding the resurrection (in which they did not believe), “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:29). (emphasis mine)
In the above passage, Jesus said we will not marry in, or clearly after, the resurrection – and would obviously not procreate – like the “angels of God in heaven.”
Angelic and Human Reproduction?
But what about when angels take on human form, as they so often do in Scripture? Would they be provided with reproductive organs that would render the possibility that they could reproduce with human women? Why would this even be possible? Why would God allow angelic beings, who evidently cannot even reproduce between themselves, the ability to have reproductive genitals to procreate with human women when taking human form?
If God created different animal “kinds” (Genesis 1:21, 24-25) on the earth that cannot procreate amongst themselves, then why would we ever entertain the idea that spiritual angels who take on human form could ever reproduce with human women?
The Apostle Paul hit on this same theme:
“All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds” (1 Corinthians 15:39).
Paul contrasts the different “kinds” with the “flesh” of men, beasts, fishes, and birds, which cannot cross the created kind barrier through reproduction – and it is even more limited than that. If the earthly kinds cannot pass the reproduction barriers, then certainly neither can angels and humans.
Sexual intercourse between angels – fallen or not and taking on human form – and women producing hybrid offspring, biologically, would have to be virtually impossible.
God is a God of order, not confusion, and this incredibly unrealistic scenario would be the epitome of confusion. The whole concept, to me, seems more than absurd.
Angels and Human Biology
When it comes to angels taking on human form, I would like to pose a few questions.
Do angels, when taking on human form, receive the physiological anatomy that humans do? Would we expect them to acquire a brain, nervous system, lungs, respiratory system, heart, veins, arteries, circulatory system, stomach, liver, kidneys, digestive system, and such?
When the Lord and the two angels who came to Abraham before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah dined with him, and the two angels later with Lot (Genesis 18:8, 19:3), are we to really expect that the angels experienced the consumption of that food as humans do? Was that food digested in a stomach and intestines, with the waste eventually exiting the body through an anus? Shouldn’t the thought of angels – holy or fallen – having bowel movements cause consternation for us?
When the two angels were in Sodom and the men of the city wanted to have sexual relations with them (Genesis 19:5), are we to really believe that if, somehow, the men of the city were to overpower them that the two angels would even have rectums to violate?
And, please, spare me any notion that it might be different for fallen angels. When it comes to our topic, angels are angels, and humans are humans.
Unfortunately, the very concept of fallen angels having sexual intercourse with women and procreating half angel/half human hybrids seems to have its origin – apart from the text of Genesis 6:1-4 – in The Book of Enoch and other pseudepigraphal books.
The Book of Enoch is one of many pseudepigraphal – falsely attributed works and/or texts whose claimed authorship is unfounded – extra-Biblical writings. This mythically unsubstantiated book has numerous difficulties, including fancifully mystical tales that contradict the revealed Word of God. Whether or not there is any truth found in the book of Enoch is irrelevant, as Satan, along with man, will always mix truth with error.
As a Scripture-only proponent, I highly advise my brothers and sisters in Christ to shun any religious literature that attempts to masquerade itself as being on an equal footing with the Holy Scriptures other than the 66 books of the Holy Bible. Doing so will keep the student on the straight and narrow road without the very real possibility that these extra-Biblical texts will wreak havoc on their Biblical foundation and understanding and could eventually lead to a corruption of the Word of God within their Scriptural interpretations and views.
Please, Saint, avoid all extra-Biblical writings that masquerade as “Scripture.”
Addressing Jude 1:6-7 and a Remote Possibility
“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 1:6-7).
My interpretation of this passage of Scripture is straight-forward:
Just as “the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, [God] hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day,” when they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire, and they “are set forth an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire… even as Sodom and Gomorrah” were judged.
The phrase “giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh” is attributed specifically to Sodom and Gomorrah as their particular sin which resulted in their judgment, just as the sin of “the angels which kept not their first estate [and] left their habitation,” and subsequent rebellion in Genesis 6, resulted in their awaiting judgment “in everlasting chains under darkness.”
But even if one were to interpret Jude 1:6-7 as stating that just as those in Sodom and Gomorrah gave “themselves over to fornication and [went] after strange flesh” as being applicable to “the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation” – and honestly acknowledge that angels and humans are unable to reproduce as different created kinds of God – then the only remote possibility for this to have occurred would be possession; again, if it happened at all.
This would be accomplished by the fallen angels possessing human males to have sexual relations with the women, but the progeny would still be human in nature as the seed of the men would be the fertilization method for the eggs of the women.
Again, I find this remote possibility highly unlikely, but it does deserve to at least be considered. The fallen angels did observe that the daughters of men were “fair” or “beautiful,” but this could have been nothing more than a reasoning within themselves that the children that they would bare to them (more on this below) would be physically attractive.
In addition, Satan undoubtedly informed the fallen angels of what God had told him in the Garden of Eden concerning the seed of the woman and his seed.
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed” (Genesis 3:15a).
This surely played a role in their thinking of corrupting the seed of the woman!
Finally, it should be noted that, regarding the Nephilim/giants/men of renown, there is no hint whatsoever that they had any supernatural qualities to them, which one would expect had angels mated with women – the supernatural with the natural. Though they are most probably the basis for much of the legends of the ancient world, any supernatural characteristics of these “gods” were found within the myths themselves and the imaginations of men; they were not based on reality and what we know of them in the Holy Bible. Consider Goliath and his family, as well as the other families of giants that Israel encountered in the promised land.
“… they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:4b). (emphasis mine)
The Hebrew word for “men” is 582 אֱנוֹשׁ “enosh,” which means man, men, mankind, another, bloodthirsty, certain, divers, fellow, in the flower of their age. (emphasis mine)
The Nephilim, or “fallen ones” and/or “giants” are obviously men/mankind, yet were evidently corrupted and therefore ineligible for salvation as the “fallen ones.”
So, again, what may have really happened in Genesis 6?
The Theory of Genetic Manipulation and Genome Editing
My theory is very basic, really, and it involves the genetic manipulation and genome editing to alter the DNA of a fertilized egg or embryo. Whether this would have been accomplished by having the women fertilized naturally by human males (or by human males who were possessed by fallen angels) or by acquiring the spermatozoa of human males to fertilize the eggs in a laboratory-like setting is obviously unknown but seems like a logical and rational possibility considering all the defects in the alternative interpretation of angels mating with women.
Angels do excel in strength and wisdom compared to fallen man. And when one considers what men and women are doing today regarding genetics and the easily available technology of CRISPR – let alone what scientists are accomplishing in labs all over the world – the fallen angels would seemingly have no issue whatsoever with accomplishing this feat.
With this foundation laid, let us explore the original Hebrew and see what, if anything, the text can offer us in regard to our theory.
“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose” (Genesis 6:1-2). (emphasis mine)
Our main objective with this portion of Genesis 6:1-2 is with the definition and meaning of the word “wives” because this might help us better understand the intention of the fallen angels.
The Hebrew for “wives” is 802 אִשָּׁה “ishshah” and is most often translated woman, wife, female. (emphasis mine)
As can be seen, the translation of “women” is just as valid as the translation of “wives,” and, as we always note, the proper word translation will always be dependent upon context.
In our case, since we have ruled out the idea of sexual procreation between fallen angels and women, let’s see how the passage looks with the alternative translation.
“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them women of all which they chose” (Genesis 6:1-2). (emphasis mine)
Here are just a few of the translations that actually use “women” instead of “wives.”
“the Sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were beautiful and they took those women to them of all that they chose.” – Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“and the sons of God see that they, the daughters of men, [are] beautiful, and they take women for themselves of all whom they have chosen.” – Literal Standard Version
“and sons of God see the daughters of men that they are fair, and they take to themselves women of all whom they have chosen.” – Young’s Literal Translation
“the Sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were beautiful and they took those women to them of all that they chose.” – Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I personally believe that “women,” based upon context and what the fallen angels’ agenda clearly was, is the proper translation.
What about Genesis 6:4?
Text Analysis of Genesis 6:4
“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:4).
As we sometimes do, it can be very helpful to the Bible student to investigate the Text Analysis, which shows us the order of the words in the original language (in this case, Hebrew), and we can also scrutinize each individual word’s meanings and definitions to see if we can glean anything interesting from the original text.
Here is how the Text Analysis of Genesis 6:4 reads, along with my suggested punctuation:
The Nephilim were on the earth in days, those and also after that, when came in the sons of God to the daughters of men and they bore [children] to them. Those [were] the mighty men who [were] of old men of renown.
First of note is that the words “children” and “were” are not in the original but have been added for additional helpful clarification in the English.
I had two questions that were of interest to me that I sought answers for. Basically, what are the Hebrew definitions for “came in” and “and they bore,” and how can we possibly interpret them apart from the original concept of sexual relations between angels (which are always referred to in the Scriptures as masculine) and women?
The Hebrew for “came in” is the Hebrew word structure “yā·ḇō·’ ū” with the Hebrew word 935 בּוֹא “bo” and means to come, go in, go, abide, apply, attain, be, befall, besiege, bring forth, in. A primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) — abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, + besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken (in age), X surely, take (in), way. (emphasis mine)
Note my underlined emphases within these definitions. My theory is not that of sexual intercourse between angels and women that produces a progeny that is no longer fully human, but rather an incubation-type process that renders genetically modified, altered and/or engineered information into a naturally fertilized human embryo.
With definitions of “go in, apply, attain, besiege, bring forth, bring in, bring into, bring to pass, carry, certainly cause, cause to enter in, cause to enter into, fetch, get, invade, put, and set,” I do believe we have the ability to conjecture that this was a genetic manipulation that led to offspring that wasn’t fully human as God intended and no longer made in the image of God; not the popular notion of a hybrid offspring acquired from angels and humans mating, which, according to Scripture, biology, logic, and reason shouldn’t even be possible.
The Hebrew word structure for “and they bore” is “wə·yā·lə·ḏū” with the Hebrew word 3205 יָלַד “yalad” and means to bear, bring forth, beget, birthday, born, make to bring forth children, young, bring up, calve. A primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage — bear, beget, birth((-day)), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman). (emphasis mine)
We should be able to honestly recognize that these definitions could be equally applied to genetic manipulations and genetic editing from naturally conceived progeny and birthed in the natural way, with the women rendering to the sons of God those “children to them.”
Phrases such as “bring forth, make to bring forth children, born, bring up, causatively to beget, make to bring forth children, and declare pedigrees” do have this distinct possibility of genetic alteration for the purposes of thwarting God’s plans for redemption, salvation, and reconciliation by bringing into the world children whose DNA had been corrupted.
When we think about how God would have conveyed the actions of the fallen angels to genetically manipulate, modify, and/or engineer the DNA and all that was involved in the process – by using the Hebrew language – I submit that these would be the words to be used. There seems to be no better way of communicating these actions on the part of the fallen angels than using the language and word structures that we see in the text.
For centuries these verses have caused confusion and been much debated, as some, for obvious reasons, had concluded that there must have been sexual intercourse between fallen angels and human women that produced offspring, no matter how much this demented concept did not make sense to them. We should all be able to recognize how those in the past came to this conclusion, as confusing as it was to them.
But now – when we consider the human body’s biology with that of spiritual angels who take the form of human beings and take note of what is happening with genetics today – we should honestly acknowledge that genetics could very well be the key to what these Scriptures are communicating to the reader.
What the fallen angels succeeded in doing in the pre-flood world, mankind is doing today. This information came from somewhere, and it certainly would not be a stretch to believe that fallen angels have been the ultimate entities giving to man this knowledge and technology, whether through deceptive communication with the cosmic “alien” and “Ascended Masters” delusions or Eastern meditation techniques that result in contact with “spirit-guides.” In all of this, fallen angels are the powers behind these deceptions.
Regardless of how this is being achieved, we can be certain that unseen dark and evil spirits are behind these genetic endeavors to achieve the elite’s ambitions of transhumanism, longevity, and ultimately, in their deluded minds, eternal life!
A Synopsis of Our Theory
Here is a brief synopsis of our theory as presented within this study.
* There is zero biological or Scriptural evidence that angels and humans are capable of mating and procreating.
* The fallen angels devised a plan, left their first estate, came to earth, and took to themselves any of the beautiful women they desired to implement their scheme.
* If there were any “sexual relations” between angels and women – highly unlikely, but remotely possible – the only way for this to have been accomplished, if at all, was that fallen angels would have possessed human men, which would have resulted in the fertilization of the eggs of the women with the seed of men. Biologically and Scripturally, there could not have been a mixing of the DNA of angels (whatever that would be) and humans to produce demi-gods of half angel/half human hybrids.
* The fallen angels genetically corrupted the DNA by altering, modifying, editing, and/or engineering the embryos. We postulate that the fallen angels were genetically altering, modifying, editing, and/or engineering either with the embryo in the mother’s womb or through a fertilized egg outside the mother’s womb and re-implanting the genetically edited embryo back into the womb in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) process. Fallen angels, with their superior intelligence, would certainly possess the knowledge needed for such an endeavor.
* The women carried to term and birthed the genetically altered, modified, edited, and/or engineered Nephilim and gave the children to the fallen angels to raise in their fallen image. By utilizing the most beautiful women and, necessarily, the spermatozoa from elite candidates of men, the fallen angels helped to produce the most attractive and physically formidable, genetically altered Nephilim possible.
* Though no language at the time of Moses, up to the recent past, could ever convey what the fallen angels were accomplishing in their genetic undertakings, the Hebrew used in Genesis 6:1-4 – because of the wide array of definitions within the words themselves – affords the very real plausibility of being applicable to our supposition. These would be the words one should expect to see in such a futuristic narrative written in the ancient past.
Post-Flood Reemergence of the Giants
Quite interesting to note is that the giants reemerged after the flood. There are two possibilities in this situation.
[1] There was another rebellion by fallen angels that went into the daughters of men to corrupt the genome again.
[2] One of the eight members on board the ark was already a carrier of the corrupted gene(s).
Regarding the latter, many believe that if there was a carrier of the corrupted gene(s), it was probably Ham’s wife, as the descendants of Ham populated ancient Canaan, where the giants were reported before and after Israel conquered the land.
Final Thoughts on the Fallen Angels and the Nephilim
The genetic corruption of the DNA of the Nephilim by the fallen angels resulted in four important outcomes:
- The fallen angels showed their disdain for God and His intended creative and redemptive purposes.
- The fallen angels attempted to thwart the coming seed of the woman – the Messiah.
- The fallen angels attempted to so corrupt the DNA of men and women through the Nephilim that they would be ineligible for salvation as they would no longer be created in the image of God.
- The fallen angels acquired – to the best of their ability – a progeny to raise in their own fallen image.
When it comes to the spirit/soul complex that inhabited the genetically altered bodies of the Nephilim – and how this trickled down into subsequent populations and played out in regard to salvation – we have no choice but to leave this issue in the more than capable hands of our righteous Creator.
The Mark of The Beast Connection
Some have offered the possibility that there may be another eruption of fallen angels trying to corrupt the gene pool of humanity once again. For me, I really don’t think so because man has already attained the technology and knowledge needed to corrupt mankind on his own – no doubt with fallen angels working behind the scenes!
“That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
Fast forward approximately 4,500 years from Genesis 6, and indeed there is “nothing new under the sun.” Instead of fallen angels personally corrupting humanity’s gene pool, it seems mankind is to be the conduit for this nefarious scheme today; that of corrupting the genome in an effort to achieve physical prowess, perceived supernatural powers, and immortal life.
The ramifications of rejecting The Mark of The Beast will be starvation and death, though some will survive the Tribulation.
“And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Revelation 13:15-17).
And the ramification of taking The Mark of The Beast is to “be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb… the smoke of their torment [will] ascend up for ever and ever: and they [will] have no rest day nor night.”
“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:9-11).
Thanks be to God almighty that the Lord Jesus Christ has saved us, and after the rapture of the church, we shall always be with our Lord!
This is why it’s so vitally important, while we still have time, that each and every one of us is Answering the Call of The Great Commission, and giving an answer to every man and woman who so desperately needs Jesus and asks us, “Why Am I Here and What Is It All About?”
Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!
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