GENESIS 6 (NAS)

1. "Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,
   
2. that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
   
3. Then the Lord said, 'My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.'
4. The Nephilim were 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.
5. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
7. The Lord said, 'I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.'
8. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord."

The end of Chapter 5 has as its conclusion a statement that introduces events in Chapter 6. Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth are introduced in the last verse of Chapter 5, but they do not appear again until Chapter 6, Verses 8-10. This particular transition from the end of one chapter to the beginning of another has been seen before. The author introduces the subject of the next chapter in the last verse but then the first few verses of the next chapter are an interlude or a review of what has gone on previously, before the main subject is introduced. In the last verse of Chapter 4, Seth is introduced, but he is not seen again until Chapter 5, Verse 6. Chapter 5, Verses 1-5 are an interlude, referring back to the creation and genealogy of Adam. In Chapter 6, a like situation occurs. Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth are introduced in Chapter 5, Verse 32, but Chapter 6, Verses 1-7 are an interlude, either referring back to events prior to Noah's birth or events that may have occurred before and after his birth. The narrative is not specific as to the time frame in which the events occurred.

PART I

CHAPTER 6, VERSE 1

The (NAS) translates Verse 1 as, "Now it came about ..," and the (NIV) as, "When men began to multiply ..." The (NKJV) translates as, "Now it came to pass ..," adopting a similar reading to the (KJV) that states, "And it came to pass ..."

None of the translations indicate a specific time period in which the event, "when men began to multiply" (NAS), begins to take place. Was it prior to the birth of Noah or was it after? The question is not answered specifically in the text. The wording is similar to a story which is introduced by, "Once upon a time," or "In a place and time long ago." However, the event did have a historical context and, as such, must have had a point in time at which a time frame could be assigned. The time frame is indicated as an ambiguity because it might have been difficult to see when the events actually began to take place. Mankind began to multiply on the earth as early as the birth of Cain and Able, so it may be that the commencement of the activity began that early, with the apostasy of Cain and his choosing of a sister for a wife. In the early days of humanity, in the lifetime of Adam, the numbers of people were very small and the increase in population was slight, the choice of wives originally made from among sisters, with the selection being very limited, until the numbers of extended relatives became larger. What has been seen in Chapter 4 is a description of the society of Cain that was producing many people, building cities and creating social and technological innovations. In Chapter 5 a genealogical progression is seen, leading to many people in the godly line. What is being described is the progression of society from limited numbers, which needed to intermarry in order to find spouses, to a point where, even though still somewhat limited in numbers, those numbers were of sufficient quantity to bring about a population explosion. Men, which previously had been few, and women, who had previously been few, now suddenly become larger in number. It now becomes possible for men to select wives, not just from within the confines of the family, but from outside the family as well. There are not just a few women to choose from, but there are many, from numerous families and even from various cities.

There is a play on words in a comparison with Chapters 5 and 6. In Chapter 5, the generations of Adam are presented; literally the sons or descendants of Adam, who was the first man or first human. In Chapter 6, these descendants are the adam, meaning human beings or mankind in general. The descendants are sons and daughters as noted in 5:4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 26, 30. From the first man, Adam, his descendants flow through Chapter 5 and enter Chapter 6 as adam; human beings procreating and increasing in numbers, producing many children, including daughters who are of an interest to a specific group. The unusual comparison continues until Chapter 5, Verse 32, when Noah is introduced who fathered three sons but no daughters. Chapter 6, Verse 1 introduces adam; men, who father daughters but their sons are not mentioned.

PART II
CHAPTER 6, VERSE 2

It is at Verse 2 that the controversy begins. The "sons of God" see the "daughters of men" and take note that those daughters are beautiful. They take wives from among those daughters mentioned in Verse 1.

The "sons of God" are capable of comprehending the beauty of the human women and expressing desire for them as wives. They took any women that they chose, perhaps in a monogamous relationship, but more likely in a polygamous relationship as revealed by Lamech in Chapter 4, Verse 19.

The very interesting comment made in Verse 2 is that the "sons of God" "took wives for themselves, whomever they chose," (NAS). Seemingly, the daughters had no choice in the matter and the "sons of God" had the authority and ability to obtain any women as a wife that they wished. The narrative would lend credibility to the idea that the women were in a position of subservience to men, or at the least under the control of their fathers. The evidence is that the "sons of God" chose the women, but not necessarily that the women chose the "sons of God". In 4:19, Lamech is noted as having taken two wives, a strange aberration from the original intent of the Lord, noted by the author, in 2:24, where he wrote, "a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh," (NAS). There is no indication that the unions of Lamech with Adah and Zillah were not preceded by marriages because they are noted as being wives in 4:23. However, the importance of the citation is that he took the women, not that they willingly consented. What might be seen is that very early in society, men established control and domination over women, fulfilling the words of the Lord in the curse placed on the woman in 3:16, "Yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you," (NAS).

PART III
CHAPTER 6, VERSE 3

Suddenly, the Lord pronounces a judgment in the form of a pledge, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever ..," 6:3 (NAS). The reason is stated as, "because he also is flesh," 6:3 (NAS). No explanation is given in the verse as to why man is also flesh, but the only possible reason could have been presented in Chapter 6, Verses 1 and 2. In some manner, the choosing of the beautiful "daughters of men" by the "sons of God" caused the Lord to judge all of mankind as only flesh. The meaning of the word flesh, "basar", being that man is body with no apparent connection to any other sphere. The flesh and world of the profane is indicated, with no reference to any reality of the spiritual in the character of man.

After the observation and comment by the Lord, a judgment is stated in 6:3, "nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." (NAS). Man is stated to be only flesh, however, in spite of the fact his days of life will be 120 years. Whether this 120 year period is the newly assigned average lifetime of mankind or a period of time extended into the future from the point of the judgment at the end of such time man would die, is not stated in the verse.

PART IV
CHAPTER 6, VERSE 4

A very interesting, and confusing, element is introduced in Verse 4 in the form of the Nephilim. They are noted as being present "in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them." (NAS) The Nephilim are not identified as to origin. They were in the earth "in those days," (NAS), meaning the time when the "sons of God" came into the "daughters of men", and then "Also afterward," (NAS), perhaps meaning after the time when the "sons of God" came into the "daughters of men". However, there is no apparent connection between the Nephilim and the "sons of God" and "daughters of men". The "sons of God" came in to the "daughters of men" and the daughters bore children. The Nephilim were also in existence at the time. There were also mighty men of renown, the origin of which is unclear. They could possibly be the children of the "sons of God" and "daughters of men" or they could be the Nephilim. The word Nephilim is often translated as "giants" from the reference in Numbers 13:33. The word is from a root, meaning "to fall" and is not necessarily related to any description of their physical size. The question that must be asked is the relationship of the word "afterward" to the event regarding the union of the "sons of God" and "daughters of men"? Does the term "afterward" indicate that the union was a one time event, or an event of a short time duration, or did it continue throughout the pre-flood era? The other question is when did the union of the "sons of God" and "daughters of men" actually begin and can that time be identified? The narrative is not clear as to the time frame and origin of the union.

PART V
CHAPTER 6, VERSE 5

In some manner, the results of the actions of the "sons of God", the "daughters of men" and the Nephilim, as seen in 6:1-4, bring about another observation by the Lord. Man is wicked, the wickedness is great and every intent of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil at all times, 6:5. The great condemnation is in the extent of the wickedness and the deep rooted nature of its origin. The wickedness sprang from the heart, the place in which it was felt that the deepest emotions and motivations of man have their origin. In addition it is noted that the basic intent of all thought was to create new and better ways to engage in wicked behavior. In a sense, man existed only to engage in wicked behavior. The observation and judgment is specific regarding the subject, adam, that being man in the general sense, including all male and all female members of the human race.

PART VI
CHAPTER 6, VERSE 6

As a result of the actions of men and the state in which He observed their behavior, the Lord was "grieved" and "sorry" that He had created, "adam", meaning all of mankind. In what manner the Lord could be "grieved" and "sorry" is not the subject of this writing.

PART VII
CHAPTER 6, VERSE 7

As a result of His grief and sorrow, the Lord made a decision to destroy all of mankind, even to the point that all created creatures would be included in the destruction, including animals, creeping things and birds. The judgment was to be final and all-inclusive. Just as with Adam and Eve in 3:14, 17, 18, the entire creation becomes involved in the judgment process.

PART VIII
CHAPTER 6, VERSE 8

In the manner that all humanity had caught the attention of the Lord and caused a judgment to be pronounced, Noah caught the eye of the Lord and judgment was withheld. All of humanity found disfavor with God, but Noah only found favor.

COMMENT

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