Ephrem the Syrian, also known as Saint Ephrem, holds a significant place in the annals of Christian theology and hymnography. His contributions to Eastern Christianity are revered, particularly his hymns and biblical commentaries.
As a writer, he authored over four hundred hymns and countless lines of insightful commentary. His works included a biblical commentary on the Diatessaron and an exegesis of Genesis and Exodus.
The Intermarriages Between the Sons of God and the Daughters of Men
In Ephrem’s Commentary on Genesis, Ephrem draws attention to the intermarriages between the sons of God and the daughters of men.
His perspective diverges with the more commonly recorded belief at his time, as well as presents a very unusual reason why Noah had kept his generations pure.
“After recounting the ten generations from Adam to Noah, [Moses] said, Noah was five hundred years old and begot Shem and Ham and Japhet.
During this entire time Noah was an example to his sons by his virtue, for he had preserved his virginity for five hundred years among those of whom it was said, All flesh corrupted its path?
After he spoke of the virtue of Noah, [Moses] turned to speak about the evil desire that was working in the children of his generation saying, and it came to pass that when men increased and daughters were born to them, . . For he called those of the house of Cain men, and said that daughters were born to them to show that the line of their generation had been cut off as we said above.
And the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and they took to wife such of them as they chose.
He called the sons of Seth sons of God, those who, like the sons of Seth, had been called “the righteous people of God . The beautiful daughters of men whom they saw were the daughters of Cain who adorned themselves and became a snare to the eyes of the sons of Seth. Then Moses said, they took to wife such of them as they chose, because when they took them, they acted very haughtily over those whom they chose, A poor one would exalt himself over the wife of a rich man and an old man would sin with one who was young. The ugliest of all would act arrogantly over the most beautiful.”
Commentary on Genesis by Ephrem the Syrian
Ephrem highlights the evil desire that was present in the children of Noah’s time. He emphasized the phrase “when men increased and daughters were born to them” as a reference to the descendants of Cain. By calling them “men” and mentioning the birth of daughters, Moses indicates that the line of Cain’s generation had been severed or cut off, likely referring to the punishment and exile placed upon Cain after he murdered Abel.
According to Ephrem, the sons of God referred to the righteous people of God, specifically the sons of Seth. He viewed the daughters of men as the daughters of Cain, who adorned themselves and became a snare for the righteous.
Ephrem believed that these intermarriages led to haughtiness, with the wealthy, elderly, and even the less attractive acting arrogantly over their chosen partners. He focuses on the moral failings and arrogance of the sons of Seth, contrasting it with the external beauty of the daughters of Cain.
“After these things [Moses] wrote of the offspring produced from the union of the daughters of Cain and the sons of Seth saying, There were mighty men in those days: and also afterward. because judges went into the daughters of mm, they bore the mighty men who were of old, the mighty men of renown.
The mighty men who were born were born to the feeble tribe of Cain and not to the mighty tribe of Seth. The house of Cain, because the earth had been cursed so as not to give them its strength, produced small harvests, deprived of its strength, just as it is today that some seeds, fruits, and grasses give strength and some do not.
Because, at that time, they were cursed and sons of the cursed and were dwelling in the land of curses, they would gather and eat produce that lacked nutrition. And those who ate these were without strength just like the food that they ate.
As for the Sethites, on the other hand, because they were the descendants of the blessed [Seth] and were dwelling in the land along the boundary of the fence of Paradise, their produce was abundant and full of strength. So too were the bodies of those that ate that produce strong and powerful.
Therefore, these mighty sons of Seth went into the daughters of Cairn that fearful wanderer, and they begot for the descendants of Cain mighty men of renown. [Moses] adds of old, because those thus born to the descendants of Cain were like Seth and Enosh, the first mighty men of renown.
After Moses spoke about the mighty men who were born into the tribe of Cain, whose women, even though beautiful, were nevertheless smaller than the sons of Seth, he then said, the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was always evil for in the years given to them for repentance they had increased their sins.
The wickedness of mankind was great in the earth. that is, evil extended and spread throughout those tribes. The inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was always evil, for their sins were not committed only occasionally, but their sins were incessant; –night and day they would not desist from their wicked thought.”
Commentary on Genesis by Ephrem the Syrian
According to Ephrem, the offspring of Cain belonged to a feeble tribe. They were cursed and dwelled in the land of curses. On the other hand, the descendants of Seth, who were blessed, lived in proximity to the boundary of Paradise. They enjoyed abundant and nourishing produce, which resulted in strong and powerful bodies for those who consumed it.
Ephrem suggests that it was the mighty sons of Seth who went into the daughters of Cain and fathered the mighty men of renown. These offspring inherited the strength and renown of the descendants of Seth, despite being born into the cursed tribe of Cain. Moses, according to Ephrem, mentions “of old” to draw a parallel between these mighty men and the earlier mighty men like Seth and Enosh.
Following this, the evil and wickedness extended and spread throughout the tribes, and their sins were incessant. To which Ephrem interprets as a consequence of the intermingling between the two tribes.
It is noteworthy that Ephrem’s interpretation of Genesis 6:1-4 is primarily based on the biblical text itself, with minimal influence from other Second Temple literature like the Book of Enoch. His approach emphasizes the historical aspect of the narrative and the consequences of these unions within the context of early humanity.
Continued Exploration and the Quest for Answers
Ephrem the Syrian’s commentary on Genesis 6:1-4 provides one of the more lengthy and interesting takes on the text from an early church writer, while distancing himself from popular works like the Book of Enoch which tells a very different story. It’s notable that Ephrem doesn’t see the need to explain why he takes a different interpretation than was arguably more popular with earlier writers.
It is important to note that while Ephrem’s interpretation provides historical context, the subject matter continues to be a topic of debate among ancient and modern scholars alike.
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