Глава 6

Gen.6:2. “And the sons of God, when they saw the daughters of men that they were good...” The Hebrew word Eloim (אֱלֹהִים ֙) is used both singular and plural, since it refers in a similar way to both God and the gods. In this connection, Aquila decided to translate “sons of the gods” in the plural, by gods meaning the gods of the saints, that is, Angels. After all, it is said: “God has become in the company of the gods, and in the midst of the gods He judges them” (Ps. 81:1). On the basis of which Symmachus, following the same idea, says: “The sons of powers, having seen the daughters of men...” and so on. Gen.6:3. “And the Lord God said: “My Spirit will not abide in these people forever, because they are flesh.” The Hebrew text says, “My Spirit will not condemn these people forever, because they are flesh.” That is, “since the inner state of people is fragile, I will not preserve them for eternal torment, but will now give them what they deserve.” Therefore, this verse does not speak of severity, as in our books, but of God's lenience, since the sinner is here and now punished for his crime. Therefore, even in anger, God says to some people: “I will not punish their daughters when they become harlots, nor their wives when they commit adultery” (Hos. 4:14). And in another place: “I will punish their injustice with a rod and their sins with whips, but I will not take My mercy away from them” (Ps. 88:33). Further, in order not to appear cruel by not giving sinners the opportunity to repent, He added: “But their days will be 120 years,” that is, they will have 120 years to repent. So, it is not human life, as many people mistake, that is shortened to 120 years, but the entire generation is given 120 years for repentance. After all, we read that after the flood Abraham lived 175 years, and others - more than 200 and 300 years. But since people neglected the opportunity to repent, God did not want to wait for the appointed time, but, shortening the period by 20 years, brought a flood, defining the hundredth year as the time for repentance. Gen.6:4. “And in those days there were giants on the earth. And this was after the sons of God began to come in to the daughters of men, and they began to bear children to them. These were giants, glorious people from time immemorial.” The Hebrew text says this: “In those days there were fallen ones on the earth (that is, Annaphilim ( הַנְּפִלִ ֞ ים )). And this was after the sons of God began to come in to the daughters of men, and they began to bear children to them. These were strong people, from the beginning, nice people.” Instead of fallen or giants, Symmachus translated “furious.” And the name fallen fits the angels and those excommunicated from the saints. Gen.6:9. “Noah, a righteous and perfect man in his generation, pleased God.” It is precisely said: “in his generation,” to show that he was righteous not in the sense of perfect righteousness, but in the sense of righteousness for his generation. And this understanding coincides with what the Hebrew text says: “Noah was a righteous, perfect man among the generations of his time. Noah walked with God,” that is, he followed in His footsteps. Gen.6:14. “Make yourself an ark from hewn trees.” Instead of “hewn” in the Hebrew text we read “resinous.” Gen.6:16. “You will make an ark, gathering it, and bringing it up to a cubit above.” Instead of “you will make an ark by gathering it” in the Hebrew text it is “you will make the noonday ark,” which Symmachus more clearly translated with the word διαϕανέ ϛ, that is, “you will make the light of the ark.” He believed it meant a window.