Genesis 6:2

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Genesis 6:2 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose.
Genesis 6:2 — American Standard Version

Context — Genesis 6

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
2that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“That the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair, etc.] Or “good” f355, not in a moral but natural sense; goodly to look upon, of a beautiful aspect; and they looked upon, and only regarded their external beauty, and lusted after them: those “sons of God” were not angels either good or bad, as many have thought, since they are incorporeal beings, and cannot be affected with fleshly lusts, or marry and be given in marriage, or generate and be generated; nor the sons of judges, magistrates, and great personages, nor they themselves, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra; but this could be no crime in them, to look upon and take in marriage such…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“- 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 the general spread and growth of moral evil in the race of man, and the determination of the Lord to wipe it away from the face of the earth. Genesis 6:1-4 There are two stages of evil set forth in Genesis 6:1-4 - the one contained in the present four…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“The sons of God - Those who were called by the name of the Lord, and called upon that name, married the daughters of men - Those that were profane, and strangers to God. The posterity of Seth did not keep to themselves as they ought, but intermingled with the race of Cain: they took them wives of all that they chose - They chose only by the eye: They saw that they were fair - Which was all they looked at. Genesis 6:3”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“the sons: Gen 4:26; Exo 4:22, Exo 4:23; Deu 14:1; Psa 82:6, Psa 82:7; Isa 63:16; Mal 2:11; Joh 8:41; Joh 8:42; Rom 9:7, Rom 9:8; Co2 6:18 saw: Pe2 2:14 that they: Gen 3:6, Gen 39:6, Gen 39:7; Sa2 11:2; Job 31:1; Jo1 2:16 and they: Gen 24:3, Gen 27:46; Exo 34:16; Deu 7:3, Deu 7:4; Jos 23:12, Jos 23:13; Ezr 9:1, Ezr 9:2, Ezr 9:12; Neh 13:24-27; Mal 2:15; Co1 7:39; Co2 6:14-16 Genesis 6:3”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Sources and verification