2
that the sonsוַ בְנֵיof Elohimהָאֱלֹהִיםsawיִּרְאוּthatכִּיthe daughtersאֶת בְּנוֹתof human beingsהָאָדָםwereהֵנָּהbeautiful;טֹבֹתand they tookוַיִּקְחוּfor themselvesלָהֶםwivesנָשִׁיםfrom allמִכֹּלwhomאֲשֶׁרthey chose.בָּחָרוּ
Genesis 6:2
Study it in the app“that the sons of Elohim saw that the daughters of human beings were beautiful; and they took for themselves wives from all whom they chose.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 6:2, word by word
- that the sonsבְנֵיvene
descendant
A descendant or member of a people: "sons of Israel".
Where else “vene” appears- of Elohimאֱלֹהִיםelohim
heavenly beings
Heavenly beings, higher than humans.
Where else “elohim” appears- sawיִּרְאוּyiru
realize
To realize: "he saw that it was good".
Where else “yiru” appears- the daughtersבְּנוֹתbenot
daughter
A girl or woman born of her parents, who belongs to her father's house.
Where else “benot” appears- of human beingsאָדָםadam
human being
All humankind, men and women, as creatures God formed.
Where else “adam” appears- beautifulטֹבֹתtovot
good
What is as it should be and gives delight: sound, useful, beautiful or valuable.
Where else “tovot” appears- and they tookיִּקְחוּyikchu
take a wife
"Take a wife": to marry.
Where else “yikchu” appears- wivesנָשִׁיםnashim
wife
Literally "his woman": the one married to him.
Where else “nashim” appears- they choseבָּחָרוּbacharu
choose
To take one thing and leave the others, because it is preferred.
Where else “bacharu” appears
Translation note
The expression “sons of Elohim” also appears in Job 1:6 and 2:1, where they present themselves before YHWH, and in Job 38:7, where they shout together with “the morning stars.” Genesis does not explain here who they are.
The context
1And it happened, when human beings began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them,
2 · This verse (above)
3And YHWH said, “My spirit will not remain in the human being forever, for he also is flesh; and his days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
To study Genesis 6 in a group
1. What it says
What did YHWH see on the earth, and what did Elohim tell Noah to do (vv. 5, 13-14)?
2. What it means
Why does the text say Noah found favor in the eyes of YHWH (vv. 8-9)?
3. How I live it
What good thing can you keep doing steadily even if those around you do not understand it, as Noah did (v. 22)?