Genesis 6:4

Genesis 6:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
• New King James Version (NKJV)There were giants 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.

Context of Genesis 6:4

2The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful. They chose for themselves any of them that they wanted to become their wives. 3The Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not give life to humans for ever. One day they will die. I will not let them live for more than 120 years. Then they will die.’ The Nephilites lived on the earth at that time, and for some time after that. During that time, the sons of God were having sex with the daughters of men, who gave birth to their children. The Nephilites were famous great men and fighters. 5The Lord saw that men and women on the earth had become very bad. They thought only of evil things all the time. 6The Lord was sorry that he had made humans and put them on the earth. He became very upset.

Genesis 6:4 word by word

הַנְּפִלִ֞ים הָי֣וּ בָאָרֶץ֮ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵם֒ וְגַ֣ם אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָבֹ֜אוּ בְּנֵ֤י הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־בְּנ֣וֹת הָֽאָדָ֔ם וְיָלְד֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם הֵ֧מָּה הַגִּבֹּרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר מֵעוֹלָ֖ם אַנְשֵׁ֥י הַשֵּֽׁם׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• There were giantsנְפִלִיםnephîyl nephil · NephilimH5303
• in the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• in those daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• and also afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• thatכֵּןkên · soH3651
• whenאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: type ofH1121
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• came inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• unto the daughtersבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• and they bareיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• to them, the sameהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• mighty menגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
• of oldעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: antiquityH5769
• menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• of renownשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034

Cross-references for Genesis 6:4

• Numbers 13:33We also saw descendants of the Nephilites there. And we felt like very small insects when we looked at them. And we seemed like very small insects to them too.’ (The descendants of Anak are also descendants of the Nephilites.)
• Deuteronomy 2:20(People also call this region the land of the Rephaites, who had once lived there. The Ammonites called them Zamzummites.
• Deuteronomy 3:11Og, king of Bashan, was the only descendant of the Rephaites who had still been alive. He had an iron bed that is still in the Ammonites' town, Rabbah. It was 4 metres long and 2 metres wide.
• 1 Samuel 17:4The Philistines had a strong, brave soldier. His name was Goliath and he came from a town called Gath. He was nearly three metres tall!
• 2 Samuel 21:15Now the Philistines had started to attack the Israelites again. David went with his soldiers to fight against the Philistines. He became very tired.
• Genesis 6:3The Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not give life to humans for ever. One day they will die. I will not let them live for more than 120 years. Then they will die.’
• Genesis 11:4They said, ‘Let us build a city to live in. We should also build a very tall tower. The tower will go up into the heavens. Then we will always be famous. If we do that, we will not have to separate and go to live in different places on the earth.’
• Numbers 16:2Together with 250 leaders of the Israelites, they all turned against Moses. Those were famous men that the people had chosen as their leaders.

Commentaries on Genesis 6:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4There were giants in the earth - נפלים nephilim, from נפל naphal, "he fell." Those who had apostatized or fallen from the true religion. The Septuagint translate the original word by , which literally signifies earth-born, and which we, following them, term giants, without having any reference to the meaning of the word, which we generally conceive to signify persons of enormous stature. But the word when properly understood makes a very just distinction…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-8Verses 1-8 - The Growth of Sin 3. דון dı̂yn “be down, strive, subdue, judge.” בשׁגם bāshagām “inasmuch, as also.” The rendering “in their error” requires the pointing בשׁגם beshāgām and the plural form of the following pronoun. It is also unknown to the Septuagint. 4. נפילים nepı̂lı̂ym “assailants, fellers, men of violence, tyrants.” Having traced the line of descent from Adam through Sheth, the seed of God, to Noah, the author proceeds to describe…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The Nephilim: This term might mean "fallen ones." The context suggests they were the children of the sons of God and God would destroy them in the great flood. Numbers 13:31–33 uses the same term for other giants who opposed God's people and would also be destroyed. Deuteronomy 2:11 connects the Anakite nephilim with another group called the Rephaim (Hebrew repa’im).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. giants--The term in Hebrew implies not so much the idea of great stature as of reckless ferocity, impious and daring characters, who spread devastation and carnage far and wide.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 6:4

• Giants
• Holy Spirit
• Ship

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Sons of God
• Anakim
• Corrupt
• Fill
• Flesh
• Giants
• Imagination
• Multiply

Commentaries on Genesis 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings