Septuagint Translation of Genesis 6:2¶
Question¶
Does the Septuagint (LXX) translate "sons of God" in Genesis 6:2 as "angels of God"? And if so, what does this mean for interpretation?
Summary Answer¶
The claim that "the Septuagint translates Genesis 6:2 as 'angels of God'" is misleading. The standard critical text of the LXX translates Genesis 6:2 as "sons of God" (υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ), NOT "angels of God." Remarkably, the same LXX translators who translated Job 1:6, 2:1, and 38:7 as "angels of God" chose to translate Genesis 6:2 differently - indicating they saw a contextual distinction. The "angels" reading found in some manuscripts (e.g., Codex Alexandrinus) is a later variant, likely scribal harmonization with Job.
Key Verses¶
Genesis 6:2 (Hebrew): בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים (bene ha'elohim) = "sons of God" Genesis 6:2 (LXX): οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ (hoi huioi tou theou) = "sons of God"
Job 1:6 (Hebrew): בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים (bene ha'elohim) = "sons of God" Job 1:6 (LXX): οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ θεοῦ (hoi angeloi tou theou) = "angels of God"
Deuteronomy 14:1: "Ye are the children of the LORD your God..." Moses uses "sons/children of God" language for humans (Israel).
Analysis¶
1. The Standard LXX Text Says "Sons of God"¶
The critical edition of the Septuagint (Rahlfs-Hanhart) reads:
Genesis 6:2: οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ = "the sons of God"
This is not disputed. The standard LXX text does NOT say "angels of God" in Genesis 6.
2. The LXX Translators Made a Deliberate Distinction¶
The same Hebrew phrase (בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים) was translated differently based on context:
| Passage | Context | LXX Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis 6:2 | Earthly scene, marriage | "sons of God" |
| Genesis 6:4 | Earthly scene, marriage | "sons of God" |
| Job 1:6 | Heavenly throne room with Satan | "angels of God" |
| Job 2:1 | Heavenly throne room with Satan | "angels of God" |
| Job 38:7 | Creation, before humans existed | "my angels" |
This distinction is significant. The LXX translators knew Greek words for both "sons" (υἱοί) and "angels" (ἄγγελοι). They chose "sons" for Genesis 6 and "angels" for Job. This reflects an interpretive judgment based on context.
3. The "Angels" Reading Is a Later Variant¶
The reading "angels of God" (ἄγγελοι τοῦ θεοῦ) in Genesis 6:2 appears in: - Codex Alexandrinus (5th century AD)
But NOT in: - Codex Vaticanus (4th century AD) - reads "sons" - Standard critical text (Rahlfs-Hanhart) - reads "sons"
The "angels" reading is likely a scribal harmonization with Job - a later scribe "correcting" what seemed like an inconsistency.
4. Other Ancient Translations Support "Sons" or "Humans"¶
| Translation | Date | Genesis 6:2 Rendering |
|---|---|---|
| Peshitta (Syriac) | 2nd cent. AD | "sons of God" |
| Vulgate (Latin) | 4th cent. AD | "filii Dei" = "sons of God" |
| Targum Onkelos | 2nd cent. AD | "sons of nobles" (human) |
| Symmachus (Greek) | 2nd cent. AD | "sons of the kings" (human) |
Notably, Targum Onkelos and Symmachus explicitly interpreted "sons of God" as humans (nobles, kings), not angels.
5. Translations Are Not Authoritative¶
A translation reflects what the translators believed, not what the text actually means. Even if all ancient translations said "angels" (which they do not), this would only tell us what ancient interpreters thought - not what Moses wrote.
Doctrinal questions must be answered from Scripture itself, not from translations of Scripture.
Word Studies¶
| Term | Hebrew/Greek | Strong's | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sons of God | בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים | H1121 + H430 | Same Hebrew in all 5 OT occurrences |
| Sons (Greek) | υἱοί | G5207 | Used in LXX Genesis 6:2 |
| Angels (Greek) | ἄγγελοι | G32 | Used in LXX Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7 |
| Angel (Hebrew) | מַלְאָךְ | H4397 | Moses's word for angels (28+ times) |
Key finding: Moses never used "bene elohim" for angels - he used "malak." The LXX translators recognized this distinction.
Connection to Related Studies¶
| Study | Key Finding |
|---|---|
| genesis-6-sons-of-god | "Sons of God" likely godly Sethite line; Gen 6:3 calls them "flesh" |
| moses-angel-terminology | Moses uses "malak" for angels 28+ times, never "bene elohim" |
| nephilim-origin | Nephilim existed before the unions (timing problem for hybrid view) |
The Claim vs. The Reality¶
The Claim¶
"The Septuagint translates Genesis 6:2 as 'angels of God,' supporting the angel view."
The Reality¶
- The standard LXX says "sons of God" - not "angels"
- The LXX translators deliberately distinguished Genesis 6 from Job
- The "angels" reading is a 5th-century variant - likely scribal harmonization
- Other ancient translations support the human view - Targum Onkelos, Symmachus
- Translations are not authoritative - they reflect interpreter opinion, not inspired text
Conclusion¶
The Septuagint evidence, when examined carefully, actually weakens the angel view argument rather than supporting it:
- The standard LXX text says "sons," not "angels" in Genesis 6
- The LXX translators saw a contextual difference between Genesis 6 (earthly marriage) and Job (heavenly throne room)
- The "angels" variant is late and secondary - likely scribal harmonization
- Ancient Jewish translators (Targum Onkelos, Symmachus) explicitly chose human interpretations
- Moses never used "bene elohim" for angels - he used "malak" consistently
The fact that the same translators who rendered Job as "angels" chose NOT to render Genesis 6 as "angels" is itself evidence that ancient interpreters saw a difference between these contexts.
Sources¶
LXX Text Verification: - Blue Letter Bible LXX Genesis 6:2 - Greek text: ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ τὰς θυγατέρας τῶν ἀνθρώπων... - Confirms: υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ (huioi tou theou) = "sons of God"
- Blue Letter Bible LXX Job 1:6
- Greek text: οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ θεοῦ παραστῆναι ἐνώπιον τοῦ κυρίου
- Confirms: ἄγγελοι τοῦ θεοῦ (angeloi tou theou) = "angels of God"
Critical Edition: - Rahlfs-Hanhart, Septuaginta (Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2006) - standard scholarly edition
Study completed: 2025-12-29 Prerequisite studies: genesis-6-sons-of-god, moses-angel-terminology Files: 01-topics.md, 02-verses.md, 03-analysis.md, 04-word-studies.md
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