In Genesis 6:1, we see humanity beginning to flourish again: “Human beings began to increase in number on the earth”. Once again, however, disaster strikes: the “sons of God” marry the “daughters of humans” (vv. 2–4).

This account is one of the great mysteries of the Bible. Who are the “sons of God”? What kind of marriages are these? Who are the Nephilim, and are they the offspring of these strange unions? These are questions we cannot be sure about. Occasionally, we come across details in the Bible that bewilder us, often because we are so far removed from the times and places these early authors lived in. The original hearers of their accounts may have understood better because they would have been more familiar with the cultures, languages, and
histories of the biblical world.

The women in the story are clearly human; it is the male side that needs explanation. Some biblical scholars suggest that these “sons of God” are angels who violated a God-given boundary by seeking sexual relations with humans. Others believe that they are Seth’s righteous descendants who married the wicked descendants of Cain, the “daughters of men”.

Whichever the case, the offence seems to be the violation of a limit set by God.

Note the similarities between these illicit marriages and the sin of Eve in the garden of Eden. In verse 2 (NLT; italics added), “the sons of God saw the beautiful women and took any they wanted as their wives”, just like Eve “saw” how good and pleasing the fruit looked and “took” some for herself to eat (3:6).

These “mixed marriages” greatly disappoint God, and henceforth He sets a limit of 120 years on the “days” of men (6:3). This is also similar to the limit God had set to prevent human access to the tree of life (3:22–24), except that there is now a specific time reference.

Scholars are unsure as to whether the 120 “days” or years refer to human lifespans (though some will live longer), or to the amount of time left before the flood-judgment is executed. Either way, the new situation shows the enormity of the problem of sin. Genesis 6:5 indicates that sin has become a massive problem (“how great the wickedness”), universal (“on the earth”), pervasive (“every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart”), absolute (“only evil”), and constant (“all the time”).

Another section of today’s reading that can be hard to understand is found in verses 6–7: “The Lord regretted . . . ‘I regret that I have made them.’” Does this mean that God felt He had made a mistake creating the world and human beings? The original Hebrew word used for “regret” can be translated into English in about 10 different ways in different contexts. Perhaps the most appropriate meaning here is that God was sorrowful over what had happened, and sought to bring the world back into balance from its disorderliness.¹

God has decided to “undo” creation by destroying the sinful human race and the world of animals (v. 7). But one man—Noah—pleases God (v. 8). What difference will this make?

¹ John H. Walton, Genesis NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2001), 308–311.