I noticed the definite art. before Elohim in this verse, which I thought was common knowledge that whenever the definite art is before Elohim, it references other spiritual entities.
Genesis 6:2 RSV
... the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair; and they took to wife such of them as they chose.
The definite article does indicate that the following noun (assuming it is a noun, as the article can sometimes precede an adjective as well), is not being used as a name, and is being made "definite" grammatically by the article.
Names are automatically definite without an article, and are not even supposed to have an article attached to them. There is debate among scholars with respect to "elohim" as to whether it should sometimes (or even always) be considered God's name. The fact remains that the usage of the definite article with "elohim" is common, but not consistently the same, and it is also paired with verbs and adjectives which are either plural (for other gods) or singular (for the true God).
In Genesis 6:2, the numerical usage is ambiguous, as no verb or adjective is associated with "ha-elohim," which itself is part of a construct chain. The word "sons" in the Hebrew is in construct state, which links it to the following noun in a genitive relationship.
The article "ha" before "elohim" in this verse is grammatically needed to make the entire construct chain definite, since "elohim" is not being used as a name. With the article, the translation of that phrase should be: "the sons of God." Without the article, it would be: "sons of God." Notice that the article, in English, gets placed at the beginning of the construct sequence.
Does the definite article before Elohim refer to other spiritual entities?
No.
Most often Elohim refers to the true God. But sometimes it refers to other entities. The definite article has nothing to do with true God or other entities! It is the grammar or context that determines it.
True Elohim with Definite Article
“For thus says Yahweh who created the heavens – He is God (Hu Ha Elohim) who formed the earth and made it. He has not established it in vain, who did create it to be inhabited, who formed it. I am Yahweh and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:18; Interlinear Bible Hub).
Nobody can say that Isaiah 45:18 is talking about “other spiritual entities”. It talks about the One true God. In fact, it is Yahweh who is speaking here.
[“Hu HaElohim” cannot be translated into English as “the He is God”! Literally, it has to be “He is the God”, but this is not proper in English].
Yet we see the definite article “Ha” together with Elohim; HaElohim, the true God.
Other elohim without Definite Article
“You shall not have any other gods (elohim) before Me” (Exo 20:3).
Surely, other gods are not true God. Yet the word elohim to refer to them is without the definite article.
Conclusion
So, it is clear, the definite article can not be used to identify the true God or “other entities”.
True Elohim Uses Plural Verb.
Mostly, the true God Elohim uses singular verb. But there are a few occasions when the Scripture uses plural verb with true God.
Abraham tells Abimelech:
“And it happened when God (Elohim) made me wander (“hithu” is plural) from my father’s house……” (Gen 20:13).
Adam Clarke commentary:-
“Here the word אלהים Elohim is used with a plural verb, (התעו hithu, caused me to wander), which is not very usual in the Hebrew language, as this plural noun is generally joined with verbs in the singular number”.
[There are more instances like this. I think one will suffice here].
Genesis 6:2 talks about the True God
Genesis 6th chapter is a continuation of the 4th chapter. Chapter 5 is just an inset in between. The story continues from chapter 4 into chapter 6.
The last verse in chapter 4 says:
“And a son was also born to Seth, and he called his name, Enos. Then it was begun to call on the name of Yahweh.”
There is a marginal reading here that says:
“Then began men to call themselves by the name Yahweh” (various commentaries).
And how did they call themselves?
“Sons of God”.
This is similar to “people of God”, “prophets of God”, “saints of God”, “the Church of God” etc.
This was the very first group of people who followed the true God in history under the leadership of Seth. But soon, as usual, they faltered when they married beautiful women from the unbelievers’ camp (Gen 6:2).
It is then God said:
“My Spirit shall not always strive with man” (verse 3).
So Genesis 6:2 is not the “sons of the gods”.
