Genesis 6:4

2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.

3 So the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days shall be 120 years.”

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown.

5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time.

6 And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown.
KJV
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
WEB
The Nephilim were on 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.
ASV
The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them: the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.
DARBY
In those days were the giants on the earth, and also afterwards, when the sons of God had come in to the daughters of men, and they had borne [children] to them; these were the heroes, who of old were men of renown.
BLB
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of mankind, and they bore [children] to them. Those [were] the mighty men who [were] from of old, men of the name.
ÅB
I de dager var kjempene på jorden og likeså siden, da Guds sønner gikk inn til menneskenes døtre, og de fødte dem barn; det er de veldige fra fordums tid, de navnkundige.
OTB
Kjempene var på jorden i de dager, og også senere, da Guds sønner gikk inn til menneskenes døtre og fikk barn med dem. Dette var de mektige menn av gammel tid, menn av ry.
B1930
I de dager var kjempene på jorden og likeså siden, da Guds sønner gikk inn til menneskenes døtre, og de fødte dem barn; det er de veldige fra fordums tid, de navnkundige.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Numbers 13:33

    We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak that come from the Nephilim! We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight, and we must have seemed the same to them!”

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 17:4

    Then a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was six cubits and a span in height,

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 21:15–22

    Once again the Philistines waged war against Israel, and David and his servants went down and fought against the Philistines; but David became exhausted.

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 3:11

    (For only Og king of Bashan had remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. His bed of iron, nine cubits long and four cubits wide, is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 2:20–21

    (That too was regarded as the land of the Rephaim, who used to live there, though the Ammonites called them Zamzummites.

    Read in context