גַּם־בְּנֵ֣י אָ֭דָם גַּם־בְּנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ יַ֝֗חַד עָשִׁ֥יר וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃
Zarówno dzieci ludu jak synowie mężów, społem bogaty i biedny.
Radak
את בנות האדם, the daughters of the weaker specimen of the human race. The women were unable to resist the physically superior specimen referred to as בני האלוהים, and as a result if fancied by the latter, they would be taken by them as wives or concubines against their will, and the will of even their husbands. [The Torah describes the first time the law of the “survival of the fittest” was practiced by the human race. The result was the deluge. Ed.] The term אדם next to the term אלוהים simply compares the weak to the strong In the Sifri¸ (Behaalotcha 86) the point is made that when ordinary individuals observed that the judges took the law into their own hands, they reasoned that they themselves would most certainly be able to get away with the same thing, seeing that the judges are supposed to set a good example.
Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra understands the expression בני אלוהים, as referring to spiritually superior people, people who knew what G’d expected of them. They chose wives according to what they perceived was suitable for them basing themselves on their reading of astrology. As a result of such careful mating, their offspring were in many instances giants, etc., as we read about at the end of our verse. It is possible that they took women of their choice even against the will of these women.
Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra understands the expression בני אלוהים, as referring to spiritually superior people, people who knew what G’d expected of them. They chose wives according to what they perceived was suitable for them basing themselves on their reading of astrology. As a result of such careful mating, their offspring were in many instances giants, etc., as we read about at the end of our verse. It is possible that they took women of their choice even against the will of these women.
Radak
O ye sons of men (בני איש): He addresses the great ones of Israel who were with Absalom. So “both low (בני אדם) and high (אישׁ בני)” (Ps. 49:3): בני אדם (are) the multitude, אישׁ בני the great ones. So also, “Art not thou a great man (אישׁ) and who is like to thee in Israel?” (1 Sam. 26:15); “Gideon the son of Joash, the great man (אישׁ) of Israel” (Judges 7:14).
Ramban
‘ISH’ (A MAN) OF THE GROUND. Rashi explained it as “the master [owner or lord] of the ground. This is similar to the expression, ‘ish’ (the man) of Naomi,”239Ruth 1:3. [which means the master of Naomi]. But this is not so. ‘Ish’ Naomi is an expression of the marital state, just as: ‘ish ve’ishto’ (a man and his wife).240Above, 7:2. Others241Found in R’dak’s Book of Roots. have said that it means “the outstanding one of the earth, and its leader,” and they brought proof from similar verses: Gideon the son of Joash, ‘ish’ (a man) of Israel,242Judges 7:14. [meaning a chief of Israel]; Both ye sons of ‘adam’ and ye son of ‘ish;’243Psalms 49:3. Translated: both low and high. Art thou not ‘ish’ (a man)? And who is like to thee in Israel?244I Samuel 26:15. And there are many other similar verses according to their opinion.
In my opinion, Gideon the son of Joash ‘ish’ of Israel,242Judges 7:14. refers to his genealogy, i.e., that he was an Israelite. Art thou not a man?244I Samuel 26:15. means that “there is no one like you in Israel.” Similarly, strengthen yourselves, and be men,245Ibid., 4:9. means that they should not be weak like women. Both ye sons of ‘adam’ and ye sons of ‘ish,’243Psalms 49:3. Translated: both low and high. [means “both ye low-born and] ye men of higher station.” However, a man of the ground is like the men of the city,246Genesis 19:4. since Noah lived all over the earth and never built a city or country to which he should relate himself. Similarly, a man of the field247Ibid., 25:27. means one who constantly stayed there. In the Mishnah we find:248Aboth, I, 4. “Yosei ben Yoezer a man of Tzreidah, and Yosei ben Yochanan a man of Jerusalem.”
[It may be that a man of the ground means] that he was determined to work the ground, to sow and to plant, because he found the earth had been laid waste, for whoever dedicates himself to a certain purpose is so called, [i.e., ish of that purpose]. The men of the city246Genesis 19:4. means those that dwell in it. The men of David249I Samuel 23:3. are his servants, and a man of G-d250Deuteronomy 33:1. is one who is dedicated to His service. And so the Rabbis have said in Bereshith Rabbah:25136:6. “A man of the ground [is so called just] as the castle guard is called by the name of the castle.” And the Rabbis also said252Ibid., 36:5. that Noah had a passion for agriculture. Thus [the word ish is here used to signify] a relationship.
The meaning of the word vayachel (and he began) is that he commenced the planting of vineyards. The preceding men had planted single vines, but Noah began to plant many rows of vines, which together comprise a vineyard. On account of his desire for wine, he did not plant the vine singly as other trees; rather, he made a vineyard.
In my opinion, Gideon the son of Joash ‘ish’ of Israel,242Judges 7:14. refers to his genealogy, i.e., that he was an Israelite. Art thou not a man?244I Samuel 26:15. means that “there is no one like you in Israel.” Similarly, strengthen yourselves, and be men,245Ibid., 4:9. means that they should not be weak like women. Both ye sons of ‘adam’ and ye sons of ‘ish,’243Psalms 49:3. Translated: both low and high. [means “both ye low-born and] ye men of higher station.” However, a man of the ground is like the men of the city,246Genesis 19:4. since Noah lived all over the earth and never built a city or country to which he should relate himself. Similarly, a man of the field247Ibid., 25:27. means one who constantly stayed there. In the Mishnah we find:248Aboth, I, 4. “Yosei ben Yoezer a man of Tzreidah, and Yosei ben Yochanan a man of Jerusalem.”
[It may be that a man of the ground means] that he was determined to work the ground, to sow and to plant, because he found the earth had been laid waste, for whoever dedicates himself to a certain purpose is so called, [i.e., ish of that purpose]. The men of the city246Genesis 19:4. means those that dwell in it. The men of David249I Samuel 23:3. are his servants, and a man of G-d250Deuteronomy 33:1. is one who is dedicated to His service. And so the Rabbis have said in Bereshith Rabbah:25136:6. “A man of the ground [is so called just] as the castle guard is called by the name of the castle.” And the Rabbis also said252Ibid., 36:5. that Noah had a passion for agriculture. Thus [the word ish is here used to signify] a relationship.
The meaning of the word vayachel (and he began) is that he commenced the planting of vineyards. The preceding men had planted single vines, but Noah began to plant many rows of vines, which together comprise a vineyard. On account of his desire for wine, he did not plant the vine singly as other trees; rather, he made a vineyard.