Did Angels Marry Women?

(Genesis 6:1-2)

Mike Johnson

“Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 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.” (Gen. 6:1-2)

This passage has been viewed as a challenging passage throughout the years and is often misunderstood.  Some people believe that the “sons of God” refer to angels, and feel the passage is teaching that fallen angels came to the earth and cohabited with the daughters of men, i.e., human beings.  This union, according to the position, produced the giants mentioned in verse four.  There are times in the Bible when the expression “sons of God” refers to angels (note Job 1:6, 2:1).  However, this does not seem to be the use of the phrase in Genesis 6.

With the position mentioned above, some say that the flood was the result of angels coming down to the earth and marrying women.  The result of this union, it is said, is that their children, who became very wicked, created the need for the flood.

This passage, as with others, is more easily understood with a consideration of the context.  In chapter four, the death of Abel and the descendants of Cain are recorded (vs. 16-24).  Chapter five tells of the descendants of Seth, who was the third son of Adam and Eve.  The two lines seem to have gone in different directions being very different as far as their character was concerned. We learn, for example, of murder among Cain’s descendants (4:23-24).  However, among Seth’s descendants, the people seemed to be different.  After Seth’s son was born, chapter four, verse 26 says, “then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.”  The problem came about when these two groups intermarried, which is described in Genesis 6:1-2.  Again, with the context in mind, the meaning is clear.  The sons of God refer to the Sethites, and they appear to have been followers of God.  The daughters of men refer to the descendants of Cain, and it seems they were generally unrighteous.  The descendants of Seth started choosing their wives based on physical beauty (from among the descendants of Cain) and did not consider character.  The result was the wickedness, which brought about the flood described in the verses which follow.  The immediate context seems to demand this interpretation.