Who are the sons of god? - A new suggestion

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1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The identity of the "sons of God" in Genesis 6 is the focus of many studies. Those who hold the position that this phrase refers to humans of a certain status or genealogical line are faced with a fundamental problem: why should sexual union between humans of different status or lineage result in the birth of giants? Through analysis of v. 3 and its placement in the narrative, this article proposes that the sons of God are in fact the giants mentioned in v. 4, whereas the "heroes" described at the end of the story are the results of these giants' coupling with the daughters of man. Interconnections, such as juxtaposition and wordplay with the Flood Narrative, reveal how this brief episode serves as a kind of introduction to the Flood Narrative.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-18
Number of pages18
JournalBiblica
Volume99
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2018

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Pontificio Istituto Biblico (Pontifical Biblical Institute). All rights reserved.

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