Who were the heroes of old (Genesis 6:4)?

Genesis 6:4 states, “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.” Who were the heroes of old? Why are they referred to as “heroes?”

Genesis 6:4 is one of most mysterious verses in the Bible. No one is sure who the Nephilim were or, honestly, how to interpret most anything in the verse. The phrase heroes of old is found only in Genesis 6:4. The NIV uses the word heroes; other translations have “mighty men” (KJV, NASB, ESV), “heroes and famous warriors” (NLT), and “powerful men” (CSB). They were famous heroes, but their legacy was characterized by wickedness. Genesis 6 provides a glimpse into a time when these mighty men caused chaos on earth and prompted God’s judgment.

The “heroes of old” came about when the “sons of God” had children with “the daughters of men” (Genesis 6:2, 4). The result of these unions was the Nephilim, who are described as the “heroes of old, men of renown.” The word Nephilim means “fallen ones” or “giants.”

Who were the sons of God? One possibility is that they were fallen angels who took human wives. This view is supported in the apocryphal Book of Enoch. Another view is that the sons of God were descendants of Seth, who intermarried with and were corrupted by the descendants of Cain.

The presence of Nephilim, or the “heroes of old,” signifies a period of extreme wickedness. Genesis 6:5 states, “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” The Nephilim could have been responsible for much of the wickedness and evil on earth. Twice in Genesis 6, God mentions the violence that filled the earth (verses 11 and 13). The “mighty men” and “heroes of old” may have strong-armed others into submission. Their violent oppression is part of what led to the flood.

Interestingly, these heroes’ names are not included in the Bible. This is noteworthy because the Bible often records the names of significant people. The absence of the names of the heroes of old may be demonstrating their lack of renown. They exalted themselves, they were famous in their day, yet their names were erased from history. In contrast, Noah was a humble and righteous man exalted by God. The scriptural principle is, “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). Noah’s exaltation reminds us that “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6).

The phrase heroes of old stirs images of greatness and even nobility. However, in the context of Genesis 6:4, it is clear their “greatness” was corrupt. They might have been “heroes” in the world’s eyes, but their heroism was tainted with sin. The flood was God’s judgment against them. Everyone on earth died except for Noah and his family. God’s judgment against the Nephilim can be taken as a warning against self-exaltation and the abuse of power.

The antediluvian heroes of old or mighty men were evil agents who contributed to the spread of sin in the world. The Nephilim were not heroic in any true sense; they were only mighty in violence, powerful in killing, and great in destroying.