HEBREW WORD STUDY – SONS OF GOD – BENEI ELOCHIM בני אלוחים Beth Nun Yod Aleph Lamed Vav Cheth Yod Mem
Genesis 6:2: “That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they [were] fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.”
I remember when I first heard that these sons of God were fallen angels who had sexual relationships with women who then bore hybrid children. I read it in a our textbook my first year in Bible College for my Old Testament Synthesis (fancy college term for overview) class. My teacher was a newly minted ThD from Dallas Seminary. I mean Dallas Seminary was mecca of evangelical Christians. In Bible College we practically prayed three times a day facing Dallas. I remember reading the text before going to class and being shocked that the Bible College would even allow us to read such fringe materials. I mean I was now a Bible College student, we were intellectuals who did not pander to such conspiracy theories. Angels mating with earthly women indeed. Why we all know angels are neither male nor female and they are spiritual beings. I figured our instructor had us read this material to expose us to the loony fringe theories out there.
Yet, the next day in class our teacher not only talked about this theory as plausible, but I think he actually believed it. These sons of God as they were called, took on human form and mated with earthly women to produce supermen or Nephilim who really mess up God’s creation such that God had to destroy the world with a flood to restore the balance. At least that was the first time I ever heard a plausible reason for the flood.
Just destroying the world because men were evil did not add up in my mind for the simple reason that men are evil today. I was assured God would destroy the word again but the next time with fire. Well, yeah, I mean God did promise not to destroy the world again with a flood, that is what the rainbow was all about. I listened good in Sunday School.
But angels mating with earthly women, I mean that was and still is too much for me to swallow. We will be going into further detail on this in our Weekly Torah Portion study on our Sabbath class with All Access Saturday morning, but for now I just want to wet your appetite.
I never gave this much thought after Bible college and seminary until there was a new wave of popular teaching found on Christian television, the internet and multiple books on the topic. It is practically accepted dogma among evangelicals that the sons of God were indeed fallen angels, possibly demons who had sexual relationships with women and that some even survived the flood which oddly enough was sent for the purpose to destroy them.
Honestly, sounds like God just could not get this creation thing right and then couldn’t even destroy them. Is God that irresponsible, that clumsy? Secondly, how do you get off saying angels took on human bodies of flesh, did not God create the human bodies of flesh and breath into them the breath of life? Who breathed life into fallen angels? Did he make angels male and female? What makes a human female more desirable than an angelic female. And while we are on the topic is not the theory a bit gender bias? Why do the feminist not chime in on this. I mean if there are female angels where they not tempted to corrupt men, why just women getting corrupted, how about mixed breeding with demigods from females angels?
Like I said I will discuss this in our All Access subscription site, but for this little study I want to focus on the words Nephilim and sons of Gods. Nephilim means giants, mighty one or giants intellectually, like many of our scientist and mathematicians today who have created our powerful computers through their codings and geneticist who are altering our very DNA. Many scholars believe the word Nephilim comes from the root word naphal which means fallen. No where does this word suggest a supernatural being or even an alien which is becoming more popular. The word could easily apply to a great leader, warrior, prince or even a king who has fallen from power or from his position and role. It could mean they fell from their greatness, or they caused the world to fall. Or their great statures cause the hearts of the people to fall. Nephilim could very well exist today in our universities and research labs.
Sons of God. Benei elochim may simply be princes, and noble men or judges. The Genesis Rabbah 26:5 says the benei elochim are descendants of Cain or Seth in the Zohar 1:3a. This is based on their translation of naphal as not so much fallen but as descending in the sense of generations and the benei elochim sons of God were merely descendants of powerful ancestors who achieve great political power or scientific power.
I will examine all this tomorrow on our All Access Torah Portion Study. Let me just say this, just because some who claim authority, secure a platform, write a book suggest a certain rendering to a Hebrew word it does not mean that is the correct rendering even if it comes from your favorite teacher. Even from Chaim Bentorah, so don’t be quick to jump into a popular teaching because it sounds cool.
Very interesting, and, again, Chaim removes scratchy discomfort of doctrines by revealing more of the secrets in the Word. This entry reminds me of Jesus’ words: as in the days of Noah, so it will be at the time son of Man is revealed. In those two passages, Luke 17:26 and Matthew 24:37, Yeshua only mentions the eating, drinking, and other daily life, but the moral climate around the days of Noah and the days of Lot are like they are now, which resonates with what today’s teaching says–giants, fallen ones, powerful socialists infiltrating and spreading their anti-God religion in our universities, artistic and scientific endeavors, and even in some churches. These are fallen far from the knowledge of God, and their institutions are fallen from the benevolent and noble purposes for which they were instituted, to promote a Godless society. Just a thought.
Itching ears…..aye
Jan that was a great insight 👍
Hi
I have been impressed with Jim Richards teaching on the nephyllim and the giants remains found all over the globe today – but this seems to cast considerable doubt on all that ? Neil
I would like to thank you for sharing your studies. I look forward to reading them and expect to learn something I didn’t know each time. Have you any revelation about Adam and the garden. I feel there is something missing, deeper understanding there to be found. One fatal decision ruined God’s beautiful plan? Certainly brought plan B into play. But what a difference between the plans! I would value your insight on this.
Thank you for this article. It is much needed. Shout it loud and long. People who say they know, declare this idea is true…angels married females. Absurd!
Amen to that
It really drives to the point
Professor Ben Torah
Is there so many mistake translations? Why? Do the translators not have proper language training on genetic languages? Then they should not be given responsibility for translating the Word of God.
This part of the Bible has many questions, and you are asking the right ones.
You must write more Bible study books.
Thank you so much for an accurate interpretation. I’m glad I am no longer believing based on ignorance.
Thank you for tackling this subject. I appreciate your insight very much. Bless you.
Wise words indeed sir!
Thank you again.
Thanks for boldly exposing this nonsense. I still don’t understand why so many Christians are such suckers for this foolish doctrine.
I love this one , in Gen 6 it says they left their first habitation, it also talks about this in Jude that these angles are bound in fetters and chains due to leaving their first habitation.
Paul said tell your women to have their heads covered because of the angles.
Some teach there is a second in flux of these angles coming in end times or why would Paul warn women of this. The covering should be with Christ.