Genesis 6: Why Does the Bible Make A difference Between Daughters of Men and Sons of God?
Genesis 6 is one of the most debated passages in the Bible. Many claim it teaches that angelic beings married human women and produced hybrid giants. But is that really what Scripture says? When we allow the Bible to define its own terms, the picture becomes clear: Genesis 6 is about faithful and unfaithful humanity, not angelic myths or pagan fables.
Men
Genesis 6:1 begins, “men began to multiply on the face of the earth.” Some suggest these are only Cain’s descendants, but nothing in the text requires that. Instead, it refers to mankind as a whole, showing the rapid spread of non-covenant or sinful people across the earth. Genesis 6:9 and 6:18 distinguish Noah and his household as covenant people—those called “sons of God.” Biblical righteousness is not tied to genealogy (Cain vs. Seth) but to faith (covenant with God).
Daughters of Men
The phrase “daughters of men” (Genesis 6:1) simply refers to women associated with ungodly communities. In Scripture, “daughters of” is often used this way—“daughters of the uncircumcised” (2 Samuel 1:20), “daughters of the Canaanites” (Genesis 24:3). Moses, writing Genesis for Israel, was showing the danger of godly people mingling with the ungodly. This theme begins in Genesis and echoes throughout the Bible:
Deuteronomy 7:3-4 warns against marriage with pagan peoples, lest hearts be turned to idolatry.
Ezra 9:2 laments that the “holy seed” mingled with the people of the lands.
Nehemiah 10:30, Joshua 23:12-13, and 1 Kings 11:2 all repeat this warning.
Paul applies the same principle to the church: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
Genesis 6 is therefore a historical reminder: when the godly intermarry with the ungodly, corruption spreads, and judgment follows.
Sons of God
The term “sons of God” never refers to angels in Moses’ writings. Hebrews 1:5 affirms that no angel was ever called God’s son. Instead, Scripture applies this title to God’s covenant people:
“Israel is my son, even my firstborn” (Exodus 4:22).
“Ye are the children of the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1).
The sons of God in Genesis 6 are godly men, living in covenant with Him. To assign this holy title to fallen angels is to distort both Moses’ teaching and the redemptive meaning of the phrase—a title later given to Christ Himself and to all believers.
Nephilim
Genesis 6:4 says, “There were giants [Nephilim] in the earth in those days... mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” The Hebrew word Nephilim does not imply supernatural hybrids, but “mighty warriors” or “men of reputation” (see Strong’s H1368). These were fallen, violent men whose fame was rooted in corruption and strength or skill at warfare, not hybrid creatures.
Noah
In contrast to the corruption of his day, “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). He and his family represented the remaining faithful—the true sons and daughters of God. Because of his righteousness, Noah was spared as God’s judgment fell on the ungodly (Genesis 7:1, Hebrews 11:7).
Conclusion
Genesis 6 is not about angels marrying women. It is about the battle between the faithful and the faithless. By following the consistent voice of Scripture, we see that the so-called angelic sons of God theory is not biblical, but a myth borrowed from pagan stories and Jewish traditions. The true lesson is the timeless warning: do not compromise faith by joining with the ungodly, for separation from sin is the mark of the sons and daughters of God. That is why Moses makes a distinction between the "daughters of men" and the "sons of God" or more clearly a distinction between godly men (sons of God) in covenant with God, marrying women from families (daughters of men) not in covenant with God (ungodly people).
For this reason, the inspired account of Genesis 6 needs to be taught correctly and cannot be redirected towards a mythological narrative.
