Sons of God and Daughters of Man in Genesis 6:1-4

Genesis 6:1-4 is considered to be one of the more difficult passages in the book of Genesis. One of main issues interpreters have struggled with for centuries is the identity of the “sons of God” and “daughters of man” mentioned in verses 2 and 4. Historically, three interpretations regarding the identity of the sons of God have gained significant support: (1) they are angels, (2) they are human rulers/judges, (3) they are the descendants of Seth. A look at the immediate context of Gen 6:1-4 suggests that the sons of God are most naturally understood as male descendants from the line of Seth, while the daughters of men are female descendants from the line of Cain.

Note that Genesis 6 is preceded by two genealogies. The first is found in Genesis 4. While the bulk of the genealogy is found in verses 17-24, it really begins in v 1:

Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have acquired a man with the LORD.”

The first genealogy thus begins with man. It is the line of man. It follows directly upon the fall of man and contains at least two murderers, namely Cain and Lamech, as well as four people who were known for significant achievements, namely Cain, Jabal, Jubal and Tubal-Cain. Particular emphasis is placed on Lamech, the seventh from Adam, who has two wives and boasts about his excessive and unjustified violence.

Compare this to the second genealogy in Genesis 5. Though most commentators see this genealogy as beginning with Adam in verse 3, this is not really true. In reality the genealogy begins in verse 1 with none other than God himself! As the similar wording in verses 1 and 3 suggests, Adam is God’s son, just as Seth is Adam’s son. This means that the second genealogy is the line of God and that the descendants that are mentioned here are the sons of God. Notice that there is no mention of the fall in this line – it skips from creation right to the birth of Seth. This does not appear to be accidental. While the first genealogy is strongly associated with the fall of man, the second genealogy is not. Particular emphasis is placed on Enoch, the seventh from Adam, who walks with God and is taken away by him as well as on Lamech, whose speech in 5:29 stands in stark contrast to that of his counterpart in chapter 4. Thus the second genealogy presents those who are faithful to God and hope for relief from the curse of Genesis 3. This is in line with New Testament texts like John 1:12 or Romans 8:14 which refers to believers as “sons of God.”

Once the context is taken into account, the terminology used in Genesis 6:1-4 makes sense. The sons of God are male descendants from the line of God in chapter 5. According to Gen 6:2 and 4 these descendants of God married the daughters of man, i.e. female descendants from the line of man in chapter 4. Thus we have a mixing of the two lines. That this is problematic is indicated not only by God’s reaction in 6:3 but also by the allusion to the fall in 6:2:

The sons of God saw that they were good; and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose.

Genesis 6:2 thus describes a new fall that is followed by divine judgment. Yet all is not lost, for there is another son of God who remains faithful and becomes the savior of mankind. Those who belong to his family do not perish in the judgment of the flood, but are saved so that they may live in the earth made new.

Why Abel was a Sabbath Keeper

Genesis 4 tells the well-known story of Cain and Abel. Following the introduction of the two protagonists in verses 1-2 the actual story of the murder begins in verse 3 with a phrase that is usually translated “in the process of time” or “in the course of time.” Literally, however, the Hebrew reads: “at the end of days.” This wording is quite significant in this particular context. Note the following:

• The wording suggests that something is coming to an end. This is indeed the case, since just a few verses later Abel will lose his life. His days come to an end. This death of the first human being marks the end of an era. Death has now officially become part of human existence. The days of life are over, so to speak.
• The wording suggests that this is a time of testing, judgment and salvation. In Daniel 1 Daniel and his companions are tested “at the end of the days” (Dan 1:18) and found to be ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers of Babylon (Dan 1:20). Likewise, the twelve spies as well as all Israel were tested “at the end of forty days” (Num 13:25). Because of their unbelief, God did not permit them to enter the Promised Land – except for the two faithful spies. This foreshadowed the end of the age when the angels will come forth and separate the wicked from among the righteous (Matt 13:49). While the wicked will perish, the righteous will enter the heavenly Canaan.
• The wording suggests that this is a “Sabbath time.” According to the creation account, the Sabbath is the last day of the week and thus happens “at the end of days.” On this day God rested from all his works and man was to do the same (Gen 2:1-3; Exod 20:8-11). The Sabbath thus proclaims the truth of salvation by faith: we rest from our works and trust that God will provide for us. This is significant in light of the offerings which Cain and Abel brought. While Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground which symbolized his own work as a tiller of the soil (salvation by works), Abel also brought an animal sacrifice which pointed to Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf (salvation by faith). Abel was thus a true Sabbath keeper, while Cain was not.
• The wording connects the story to the first coming of Jesus, which happened “in the last days” (Heb 1:2). The connection is strengthened by the fact that the life and death of the righteous shepherd Abel foreshadows the life and death of the righteous shepherd Christ who also dies innocently at the hands of his brothers. Significantly, Christ died “at the end of days” just before the beginning of the Sabbath. Like Abel, Christ was thus a true Sabbath keeper for he rested from his works. Both Abel and Christ kept the law, while Cain changed and thereby broke the law. This is significant in light of the next point.
• The wording connects the story to the second coming of Jesus and the end of the world (the final “end of days”). According to prophecy, there will again be just two groups of people “at the end of days”: those who worship the beast which promotes a false religion based on salvation by works and those who follow the lamb and are saved by faith in Christ’s sacrifice (Rev 13 and 14). Not surprisingly, the Sabbath will once again play a significant role at this time. While the first group follows the beast which has changed the law (Dan 7:25) and keeps a false Sabbath that is an expression of their false way of salvation, those who belong to the second group “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Rev 14:12) – they keep the true Sabbath and thereby confess their faith in the sacrifice of the lamb. And just as the Sabbath breaker Cain sought to kill his Sabbath keeping brother Abel, so the followers of the beast will seek to kill their brothers who follow the lamb.