John Calvin Commentary Genesis 6:4

"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." — Genesis 6:4 (ASV)

There were giants in the earth. Among the innumerable kinds of corruptions with which the earth was filled, Moses especially records one here; namely, that giants practiced great violence and tyranny. I do not, however, suppose that he speaks of all the men of this age, but of certain individuals who, being stronger than the rest and relying on their own might and power, exalted themselves unlawfully and excessively.

As to the Hebrew noun, נפלים (nefilim), its origin is known to be from the verb נפל (naphal), which means to fall; but grammarians do not agree concerning its etymology. Some think that they were so called because they exceeded the common stature; others, because the countenance of men fell at the sight of them, on account of the enormous size of their body; or, because all fell prostrate through terror of their magnitude.

To me, the opinion of those who say that an analogy is taken from a torrent, or a violent tempest, seems more truthful; for as a storm and torrent, violently falling, lay waste and destroy the fields, so these robbers brought destruction and desolation into the world. Moses does not indeed say that they were of extraordinary stature, but only that they were robust.

Elsewhere, I acknowledge, the same word denotes vastness of stature, which was formidable to those who explored the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:33). But Moses does not distinguish those of whom he speaks here from other men so much by the size of their bodies as by their robberies and their lust of dominion.

In the context, the particle וגם (vegam), which is interposed, is emphatic. Jerome, after whom certain other interpreters have blundered, has rendered this passage in the worst possible manner. For it is literally rendered thus: ‘And even after the sons of God had gone in to the daughters of men;’ as if he had said, Moreover, or, ‘And at this time.’

For, in the first place, Moses relates that there were giants; then he adds that there were also others from among that promiscuous offspring, which was produced when the sons of God mingled themselves with the daughters of men. It would not have been wonderful if such outrage had prevailed among the posterity of Cain; but the universal pollution is more clearly evident from this: that the holy seed was defiled by the same corruption. That such a great contagion should have spread through the few families which should have constituted the sanctuary of God is no slight aggravation of the evil. The giants, then, had a prior origin; but afterwards, those who were born of promiscuous marriages imitated their example.

The same became mighty men which were of old. The word ‘age’ is commonly understood to mean antiquity: as if Moses had said that those who first exercised tyranny or power in the world, together with an excessive licentiousness and an unbridled lust of dominion, had originated from this race.

Yet there are those who expound the expression ‘from the age’ to mean in the presence of the world: for the Hebrew word עולם (olam), also has this meaning. Some think that this was spoken proverbially, because the age immediately after the deluge had produced none like them.

The first interpretation is simpler; the sum of the whole, however, is that they were ferocious tyrants who separated themselves from the common rank. Their first fault was pride; because, relying on their own strength, they arrogated to themselves more than was due. Pride produced contempt of God, because, being inflated by arrogance, they began to shake off every yoke.

At the same time, they were also disdainful and cruel towards men, because it is not possible that those who would not bear to yield obedience to God could have acted with moderation towards men. Moses adds they were men of renown; by which he intimates that they boasted of their wickedness and were what are called honorable robbers.

Nor is it to be doubted that they had something more excellent than the common people, which procured for them favor and glory in the world. Nevertheless, under the magnificent title of heroes, they cruelly exercised dominion and acquired power and fame for themselves by injuring and oppressing their brethren.

And this was the first nobility of the world. Lest anyone should delight too greatly in a long and dingy line of ancestry, this, I repeat, was the nobility which raised itself on high by pouring contempt and disgrace on others.

Celebrity of name is not in itself condemned, since it is necessary that those whom the Lord has adorned with special gifts should be preeminent among others; and it is advantageous that there should be a distinction of ranks in the world.

But as ambition is always vicious, and especially so when joined with a tyrannical ferocity that causes the more powerful to insult the weak, the evil becomes intolerable. It is, however, much worse when wicked men gain honor by their crimes, and when, the more audacious anyone is in doing injury, the more insolently he boasts of the empty smoke of titles.

Moreover, as Satan is an ingenious contriver of falsehoods by which he would corrupt the truth of God and in this manner render it suspected, the poets have invented many fables concerning the giants; who are called by them the sons of the Earth, for this reason, as it appears to me, because they rushed forward to acquire dominions without any precedent from their ancestors.