And after that men began to be multiplied upon the earth, and daughters were born to them,
וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּֽי־הֵחֵ֣ל הֽ͏ָאָדָ֔ם לָרֹ֖ב עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הֽ͏ָאֲדָמָ֑ה וּבָנ֖וֹת יֻלְּד֥וּ לָהֶֽם׃
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Let us pay attention to the direct words of Moses, who, inspired by the Holy Spirit, intends to convey knowledge to us with clarity. He states, "When men began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them." The addition of "and daughters were born to them" is purposeful, aimed at illustrating the significant increase in the human population. When there is such a vast number of roots, it naturally follows that many branches will emerge.
As humanity expanded significantly, it is reported that 'the sons of God' became ensnared by an irrational desire for women, taking as wives those they desired. Certain biblical accounts mention this phenomenon, referring to the angels of God noticing the beauty of the daughters of men. Some people attribute these carnal tendencies to fallen angels who “did not keep their charge,” as it is noted in scripture (Jude 1:6). While I agree that these beings are subject to spiritual afflictions, it would be unwise and illogical to place faith in their intrinsic nature regarding this issue. Our aim is to uncover truth in scripture, avoiding misinterpretations stemming from the weaknesses of the demonic realm.
The cravings we encounter often stem from our inherent inclinations—our base passions tend to prioritize the deeds of the flesh. The pleasures we pursue do not diverge from natural laws, and eating, drinking, and physical intimacy are indeed expressions of carnal desires. Likewise, the pursuit of wealth and recognition emanates from the fleshly nature; virtually every worldly passion can be traced back to this, as articulated by the wise disciple: “All that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). Such sorrowful and perilous desires can easily entrap us, leading us to engage in the works of the flesh. To claim that spiritual beings, free from physical constraints, fall prey to carnal inclinations would seem almost nonsensical. What intrinsic motivation could they possess to seek after the same desires driving us to such passions?
While we do not absolve the demonic entities from culpability—being inherently wicked and drawn towards depravity—they may indeed suffer from other unnatural desires. When Divine Scripture narrates that they mingled with women and that these women bore what are described as giants or formidable beings, it raises a curious inquiry. It stands to reason that a human can only be born from a woman, not from spirits that exist apart from flesh. Many attempt to philosophize or joke about this, drawing improbable conclusions that obscure the truth. They claim that the iniquity observed among people is the work of demons misappropriating the seed. However, such notions lack merit; if it is not stated in Divine Scripture, how can we deem them credible?
Rather, we read that “They saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful, and took them wives of all whom they chose.” Other translations affirm this understanding, with Aquila rendering it as “the sons of the gods, having seen the daughters of men.” Simmah translates it as “sons of the lords” instead. The titles of 'sons of the gods' and rulers refer to those descended from Seth and Enos, distinguished by their inherent holiness and devotion to God, triumphing over opposition with divine assistance, marking them as the most sacred lineage. This lineage remained separate from those descended from Cain and Lamech, whose legacy included murder, as Lamech himself confesses, “I have killed a man for wounding me, and a young man for my hurt” (Genesis 4:23).
While this holy generation maintained its integrity apart from the corrupt, the radiance of godly virtue shone forth, making them worthy in God's sight. However, upon succumbing to lust and the allure of physical beauty, they strayed into apostasy, choosing brides from the daughters of men—specifically those descended from Cain. While initially noble and referred to as divine, they ultimately returned to shameful, profane behaviors.
After addressing Noah's righteousness, Moses shifts focus to the rise of wicked desires among the people of Noah's time, noting: And it came to pass, that when the sons of men began to be many.... and daughters were born to them. Here, Moses refers to the lineage of Cain as numerous, and by mentioning the birth of daughters, he aims to illustrate that, as previously indicated, the descendants of Cain were diminishing.
In heaven, there are two guardians who alone command the fire’s obedience. Discretion can be led astray by indulgence, while wisdom, when unanchored by the Word, can easily descend into pride, leading to downfall. This truth is illustrated by the angels, who abandoned the splendor of God for the allure of temporary desires and thereby were cast down from heaven to the earth.
Among the incorporeal beings, it is solely the angels that have deteriorated, though not all of them. Only those who, captivated by earthly matters, have become attached to lowly pursuits and separated themselves from unity with the Most High and God.
In the third century of the second millennium, a brief period followed the passing of the virtuous Seth. His lineage, once dedicated to holiness and righteousness, fell into deep corruption and strayed from the path established over 1200 years since the creation of the world, embracing a life marked by lawlessness and sin.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS