Genesis 6:4 describes giants called the Nephilim living on the earth in the days before the flood, and it says they were the mighty heroes and famous men of that ancient age. The verse is narrated by Moses to the people of Israel as part of the early history of the world, so it is a report about the past rather than a command or a promise. It sets the stage for the flood that follows.
The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when God’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had children with them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
Genesis 6:4 (WEB)
What Genesis 6:4 Means
The phrase “the Nephilim were in the earth in those days” tells us that a group of unusually large or powerful people lived in that period. The word “also after that” shows the verse is describing something that happened more than once, not a single event. “God’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had children with them” is the part readers debate most, because the identity of “God’s sons” is not fully explained in the immediate text. The verse ends by calling these people “mighty men” and “men of renown,” which signals that they were known for strength and reputation, not necessarily for goodness.
What the verse does not do is give a full explanation of who these beings were or settle every detail of the story. It also does not offer a lesson about marriage or spiritual warfare on its own. It simply records a strange chapter of human history that prepares the reader for the judgment God is about to bring.
The Context of Genesis 6:4
Genesis is traditionally attributed to Moses and was written to the Israelite community as they prepared to enter the land of Canaan. It opens with creation and moves through the early generations of humanity, showing again and again how sin spreads and how God responds. Chapter 6 comes right after the family tree of Adam through Noah’s line, and it marks a turning point where human wickedness grows so widespread that God decides to act.
Read in that setting, verse 4 is less a freestanding curiosity and more a bridge. The verses just before it describe the mixing of human and divine categories in a way the author clearly sees as troubling. The verses just after it, verses 5 through 7, describe God’s grief over human evil and his decision to send the flood. Seeing the Nephilim as part of a growing corruption helps explain why the verse is placed where it is.
Key Phrases in Genesis 6:4
Genesis 6:5
The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil.
(WEB)
This verse comes immediately after Genesis 6:4 and explains why God responds to the human situation. It shows that the wickedness of humanity had become widespread, and it helps the reader see that the mighty men of verse 4 were part of a larger pattern of corruption.
Job 1:6
Now on the day when God’s sons came to present themselves before the LORD, Satan also came among them.
(WEB)
This verse uses the same phrase “sons of God” to describe heavenly beings presenting themselves before the Lord. Reading it alongside Genesis 6:4 helps clarify how the Hebrew Scriptures often understood this expression and offers a useful comparison for the debated identity of “God’s sons.”
A Short Prayer From Genesis 6:4
Lord, you see the difference between what the world celebrates and what you value. Give me a heart that is more concerned with faithfulness than with reputation, and keep me from chasing the kind of fame that leaves you out. When I am tempted to measure myself by strength, success, or the admiration of others, remind me of your holiness and your patience with a broken world. Shape my desires so that my life points people toward you. Amen.
