Beautiful Women

Here's the beginning of Genesis 6:

When the human population began to grow rapidly on the earth, the sons of God saw the beautiful women of the human race and took any they wanted as their wives. Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, they will live no more than 120 years." In those days, and even afterward, giants lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with human women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes mentioned in legends of old.

Much exegesis has surrounded these verses and, understandably, much confusion. I will not attempt to add any more into the mix - exegesis or confusion. Rather, I want to focus again on what the text uncovers for us...but is often left covered.

Beautiful women...

Again, just two chapters out of Eden, this feels significant. Women are not shamed or shame-full creatures still bearing the weight of the first sin - at least not by the Text itself. As in chapter four and five, women are integral, involved, important - and in relationship with God. In addition, they are beautiful.

For me, a woman who has struggled with self-image for most of her life, I have not been anchored in or invited to biblical texts that speak of my beauty. There's what is shame-full. How different would I feel about myself had I been told, again and again, that the narratives of scripture speak of women as beautiful (vs. sinful)? Even as I type the words I begin to feel different. And I begin to desire SO much more of the same for my daughters, now only 10 and 12.

Again and again I am struck by this Text; not one that harms women but that is our advocate, champion, and redeemer in the face of thousands of history that has harmed, has not advocated, championed, or redeemed through the Text.

Genesis 6 says "beautiful women." Indeed.