Genesis 6:4

Before I post my article on who the Nephilim of Genesis 6:4 were, I think it would be good to review what various Bibles say in their translations (I’m even including the horrid “The Message” here because I have parallel with it and the NIV, and I found the “translation” to be interesting).  

I’m going to separate them between the translations which seem to say they were offspring of the “sons of God” and “daughters of men,” and those who seem to say differently or are not clear.

Firstly, here are the ones which appear to say they were the offspring:

Septuagint:  Now the giants were upon the earth in those days; and after that when the sons of God were wont to go in to the daughters of men, they bore children to them, those were the giants of old, the men of renown.

King James Version: There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men of which were of old, men of renown.

New Living Translation: In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.

The Message: This was back in the days (and also later) when there were giants in the land.  The giants came from the union of the sons of God and the daughters of men. These were the mighty men of ancient lore, the famous ones.

Here are the translations which aren’t really clear in my mind as to whether the Nephilim were the offspring (the question for me is whether “those/they/these” refers to the Nephilim or the offspring):

Tanakh: It was then, and later too, that the Nephilim appeared on the earth—when the divine beings cohabited with the daughters of men, who bore them offspring. They were the heroes of old, the men of renown.

Hebrew Interlinear: The-Nephilim they-were on-the-earth in-the-days the-those and-also after then when they-went sons-of the-God to daughters-of the-man and-they-bore to-then they the-heroes which of-old men-of the-name.

Jay Green’s Literal Translation: The giants were in the earth in those days, and even afterwards when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore to them—they were heroes which existed from ancient time, the men of name.

New KJV:  There were giants in the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

Darby: In those days were the giants on the earth, and also afterwards, when the sons of God had come in to the daughters of men, and they had borne [children] to them; these were the heroes, who of old were men of renown. 

New American Standard: The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

English Standard Version: The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the the daughters of men and they bore children to them.  These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

Holman Christian Standard Bible: The Nephilim were on the earth both in those days and afterwards, when the sons of God came to the daughters of man, who bore children to them.  They were the powerful men of old, the famous men.

New International Version (1984): The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

The NET Bible: The Nephilim were on the earth in those days (and also after this) when the sons of God were having sexual relations with the daughters of humankind, who gave birth to their children. They were the mighty heroes of old, the famous men.

Revised English Bible: In those days as well as later, when the sons of the gods had intercourse with the daughters of mortals and children were born to them, the Nephilim were on the earth; they were the heroes of old, people of renown.

God’s Word: The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, as well as later, when the sons of God slept with the daughters of other humans and had children by them. These children were famous long ago.