Genesis 6:2

Genesis 6:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
• New International Version (NIV)the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.
• English Standard Version (ESV)the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.
• New King James Version (NKJV)that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

Context of Genesis 6:2

1Then the people began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them. The sons of God saw the beautiful women and took any they wanted as their wives. 3Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.” 4In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.

Genesis 6:2 word by word

וַיִּרְא֤וּ בְנֵי־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־בְּנ֣וֹת הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֥י טֹבֹ֖ת הֵ֑נָּה וַיִּקְח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ נָשִׁ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּחָֽרוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• That the sonsבֵּןbên · son: type ofH1121
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• the daughtersבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• that theyהֵנָּהhênnâh · they(fem.)H2007
• fairטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• and they tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: marryH3947
• them wivesאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• of all which they choseבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977

Cross-references for Genesis 6:2

• Genesis 4:26When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enosh. At that time people first began to worship the Lord by name.
• Exodus 4:22Then you will tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.
• Deuteronomy 14:1“Since you are the people of the Lord your God, never cut yourselves or shave the hair above your foreheads in mourning for the dead.
• Psalms 82:6I say, ‘You are gods; you are all children of the Most High.
• Isaiah 63:16Surely you are still our Father! Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us, Lord, you would still be our Father. You are our Redeemer from ages past.
• Malachi 2:11Judah has been unfaithful, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. The men of Judah have defiled the Lord’s beloved sanctuary by marrying women who worship idols.
• John 8:41No, you are imitating your real father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.”
• John 8:42Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me.
• Romans 9:7Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.
• 2 Corinthians 6:18And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
• 2 Peter 2:14They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse.
• Genesis 3:6The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.
• Genesis 39:6So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat! Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man,
• 2 Samuel 11:2Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.
• Job 31:1“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman.
• 1 John 2:16For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

Commentaries on Genesis 6:2

• 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. 1-2The sons of God have generally been understood as fallen angels (or demons). The main interpretation of the phrase seems to refer to demons. The same Hebrew phrase is in Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Psalms 29:1; 89:7. This idea appears often in ancient Jewish and Christian writings (for example, 1 Enoch 6:1–7:6; Justin Martyr, Apology 2.5). The New Testament also seems to support this view in some passages (see 1 Peter 3:18–20; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6–7). Some…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-222. the sons of God saw the daughters of men--By the former is meant the family of Seth, who were professedly religious; by the latter, the descendants of apostate Cain. Mixed marriages between parties of opposite principles and practice were necessarily sources of extensive corruption. The women, religious themselves, would as wives and mothers exert an influence fatal to the existence of religion in their household, and consequently the people of that…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

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

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