The Watchers: Genesis 6 Expanded

The sons of God see the daughters of men are beautiful and take wives for themselves.

“When men began to multiply on the surface of the ground, and daughters were born to them, God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives.”

Two hundred Watchers descend under Shemihazah's oath sworn on Mount Hermon; their chiefs are named.

“And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: ‘Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.’ And these are the names of their leaders: Samîazâz, their leader, Arâkîba, Râmêêl, Kôkabîêl, Tâmîêl, Râmîêl, Dânêl, Êzêqêêl, Barâqîjâl, Asâêl, Armârôs, Batârêl, Anânêl, Zaqîêl, Samsâpêêl, Satarêl, Tûrêl, Jômjâêl, Sariêl.”

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days; the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them — the mighty men of old, men of renown.

“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also after that, when God’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had children with them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.”

The women conceive giants three thousand cubits tall who consume the produce of men and turn against them.

“And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells: Who consumed all the acquisitions of men. And when men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against them and devoured mankind. And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and fish, and to devour one another's flesh, and drink the blood.”

Genesis records no teaching motif; the passage moves from union to offspring to renown.

“When men began to multiply on the surface of the ground, and daughters were born to them, The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also after that, when God’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had children with them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.”

The Watchers teach metallurgy, weapons, sorcery, astrology, and the cutting of roots; the earth is filled with violence and lawlessness.

“And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charms and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants. And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and fish, and to devour one another's flesh, and drink the blood. Then the earth laid accusation against the lawless ones.”

Yahweh's spirit will not strive with man forever; his days will be one hundred twenty years.

“Yahweh said, “My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; so his days will be one hundred twenty years.””

Raphael binds Azazel hand and foot, casts him into darkness in the desert of Dudael; the earth is healed of corruption; Shemihazah and his associates are bound for seventy generations.

“And again the Lord said to Raphael: ‘Bind Azâzêl hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dûdâêl, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light. And on the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire. And the Lord said unto Michael: ‘Go, bind Semjâzâ and his associates who have united themselves with women so as to have defiled themselves with them in all their uncleanness. And when their sons have slain one another, and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, till the day of their judgement and of their consummation, till the judgement that is for ever and ever is consummated. In those days they shall be led off to the abyss of fire: 〈and〉 to the torment and the prison in which they shall be confined for ever.”