Question and Answer

BACK

Question

Who are the “sons of God” in Job 1:6 and Job 2:1?

Answer

Most clearly in this passage they are angels.  They are created supernatural beings that are above man and below God (Psalm 8:5).  But we must be careful not to assume that “sons of God” always refers to angels in the Bible.  In the case of Genesis 6:2, a very difficult passage, this is probably not the meaning.  In the Genesis passage it is probably a reference to the “sons of God” as men who are chosen by God as a part of the godly line of Seth, the sons of Adam.  They marry the descendents of Cain, also a son of Adam, and these “daughters of man” are contrasted with those chosen by God.  The point of this section of Genesis is that sin is spreading.  The good descendents of Seth have found the sinful daughters of Cain attractive and married them.  Thus, sin continues to spread.  It is difficult to imagine that Genesis 6:2 refers to angels actually marrying women (we tend to read the passage as referring to fornication, but it specifies marriage).  At any rate, Job is best understood as supernatural beings coming before God in the court of heaven.