THE SONS OF GOD, THE FLOOD, AND THE PATTERN OF COVENANT COMPROMISE
*THE SONS OF GOD, THE FLOOD, AND THE PATTERN OF COVENANT COMPROMISE* In agreement with several influential Early Church Fathers—including *Julius Africans AD 160-240), Ephrem the Syrian (AD 306–373), John Chrysostom (AD 347–407), Cyril of Alexandria (AD 375–444),* and *Augustine of Hippo (AD 347–407)*—the *Sethite (Human) interpretation* of Genesis 6:2–4 understands the "sons of God" to be the godly descendants of Seth who abandoned their covenant calling through association with the ungodly line of Cain. > "The Sethite interpretation differs from the *angelic (Watchers) interpretation* that became influential in parts of Second Temple Judaism through writings such as _1 Enoch._ The "Watchers" tradition reflects interaction with Mesopotamian ideas circulating after the Babylonian Exile, Genesis itself neither calls the 'sons of God' 'Watchers' nor explains the passage in those terms. The Watchers narrative belongs to later Jewi...