Giants in the Bible

[Routerider]

Greetings!

I would like to ask a question regarding Giants in the Bible [Nephilim]. We read in Numbers chapter 13:33:

Num 13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Are these 'giants' the same giants from Genesis Chapter 6?

I would assume so but I don't want to assume. Thanks for your help.

 

[theseed]

Giants

(1.) Heb. nephilim, meaning "violent" or "causing to fall" (Gen. 6:4). These were the violent tyrants of those days, those who fell upon others. The word may also be derived from a root signifying "wonder," and hence "monsters" or "prodigies." In Num. 13:33 this name is given to a Canaanitish tribe, a race of large stature, "the sons of Anak." The Revised Version, in these passages, simply transliterates the original, and reads "Nephilim." (2.) Heb. rephaim, a race of giants (Deut. 3:11) who lived on the east of Jordan, from whom Og was descended. They were probably the original inhabitants of the land before the immigration of the Canaanites. They were conquered by Chedorlaomer (Gen. 14:5), and their territories were promised as a possession to Abraham (15:20). The Anakim, Zuzim, and Emim were branches of this stock. In Job 26:5 (R.V., "they that are deceased;" marg., "the shades," the "Rephaim") and Isa. 14:9 this Hebrew word is rendered (A.V.) "dead." It means here "the shades," the departed spirits in Sheol. In Sam. 21:16, 18, 20, 33, "the giant" is (A.V.) the rendering of the singular form _ha raphah_, which may possibly be the name of the father of the four giants referred to here, or of the founder of the Rephaim. The Vulgate here reads "Arapha," whence Milton (in Samson Agonistes) has borrowed the name "Harapha." (See also 1 Chron. 20:5, 6, 8; Deut. 2:11, 20; 3:13; Josh. 15:8, etc., where the word is similarly rendered "giant.") It is rendered "dead" in (A.V.) Ps. 88:10; Prov. 2:18; 9:18; 21:16: in all these places the Revised Version marg. has "the shades." (See also Isa. 26:14.) (3.) Heb. 'Anakim (Deut. 2:10, 11, 21; Josh. 11:21, 22; 14:12, 15; called "sons of Anak," Num. 13:33; "children of Anak," 13:22; Josh. 15:14), a nomad race of giants descended from Arba (Josh. 14:15), the father of Anak, that dwelt in the south of Palestine near Hebron (Gen. 23:2; Josh. 15:13). They were a Cu***** tribe of the same race as the Philistines and the Egyptian shepherd kings. David on several occasions encountered them (2 Sam. 21:15-22). From this race sprung Goliath (1 Sam. 17:4). (4.) Heb. 'emin, a warlike tribe of the ancient Canaanites. They were "great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims" (Gen. 14:5; Deut. 2:10, 11). (5.) Heb. Zamzummim (q.v.), Deut. 2:20 so called by the Amorites. (6.) Heb. gibbor (Job 16:14), a mighty one, i.e., a champion or hero. In its plural form (gibborim) it is rendered "mighty men" (2 Sam. 23:8-39; 1 Kings 1:8; 1 Chr. 11:9-47; 29:24.) The band of six hundred whom David gathered around him when he was a fugitive were so designated. They were divided into three divisions of two hundred each, and thirty divisions of twenty each. The captians of the thirty divisions were called "the thirty," the captains of the two hundred "the three," and the captain over the whole was called "chief among the captains" (2 Sam. 23:8). The sons born of the marriages mentioned in Gen. 6:4 are also called by this Hebrew

 

[Rafael]

If you enjoy wild stories etc., google the word "Nephilim", but doing a Bible seach on the word gives even less what "the seed" has given from Eastman's dictionary. Here is Gill's commentary for Genesis 6:4, and there are many other commentaries to look through at this link: http://www.biblestudytools.net/

Gen 6:4 -

There were giants in the earth - נפלים nephilim, from נפל naphal, "he fell." Those who had apostatized or fallen from the true religion. The Septuagint translate the original word by γιγαντες, which literally signifies earth-born, and which we, following them, term giants, without having any reference to the meaning of the word, which we generally conceive to signify persons of enormous stature. But the word when properly understood makes a very just distinction between the sons of men and the sons of God; those were the nephilim, the fallen earth-born men, with the animal and devilish mind. These were the sons of God, who were born from above; children of the kingdom, because children of God. Hence we may suppose originated the different appellatives given to sinners and saints; the former were termed γιγαντες, earth-born, and the latter, ἁγιοι, i.e. saints, persons not of the earth, or separated from the earth.

The same became mighty men - men of renown - גברים gibborim, which we render mighty men, signifies properly conquerors, heroes, from גבר gabar, "he prevailed, was victorious." and אנשי השם anshey hashshem, "men of the name," ανθρωποι ονομαστοι, Septuagint; the same as we render men of renown, renominati, twice named, as the word implies, having one name which they derived from their fathers, and another which they acquired by their daring exploits and enterprises.

It may be necessary to remark here that our translators have rendered seven different Hebrew words by the one term giants, viz., nephilim, gibborim, enachim, rephaim, emim, and zamzummim; by which appellatives are probably meant in general persons of great knowledge, piety, courage, wickedness, etc., and not men of enormous stature, as is generally conjectured

 

[Evee]

Was these Giants fallen angels?
Genesis 6 explains a little,
I am not sure if I have the right perception.

 

[Evee]

I have killed 4 threads tonight maybe more.
I better go and come back another day...
I am getting a complex. lol

 

[Serapha]

Was these Giants fallen angels?
Genesis 6 explains a little,
I am not sure if I have the right perception.

Hi there!



No... they are not fallen angels... If you read the previous passages, you will see that the previous material are the geneologies of Seth (4:23-5:32) and of Cain (4:16-24)... then the next passage is about the sons of God marrying the daughters of men...

sons of God.. descendents of Seth
daughers of man... descendents of Cain.


~serapha~

 

[Routerider]

Hi there!



No... they are not fallen angels... If you read the previous passages, you will see that the previous material are the geneologies of Seth (4:23-5:32) and of Cain (4:16-24)... then the next passage is about the sons of God marrying the daughters of men...

sons of God.. descendents of Seth
daughers of man... descendents of Cain.


~serapha~

I would just like to comment on your post. The geneologies of Cain and Seth appear in Chapter 4, the record of the 'sons of God' ['sons of God' are always used to describe angels in the OT] marrying the 'daughters of men' appear two chapters later. I'm not sure I understand the connection.

Also, I just wanted to add....if two people mate, one a Christian and one an atheist they don't have giant evil offspring.

I may be misunderstanding you so that's why I'm posting this reply.

 

[nephilimiyr]

Read all you need to know about the problems with the Sethite view here. The problems are not only extensive but very convinceing.

http://www.khouse.org/articles/biblestudy/19970801-110.html

 

[nephilimiyr]

I would just like to comment on your post. The geneologies of Cain and Seth appear in Chapter 4, the record of the 'sons of God' ['sons of God' are always used to describe angels in the OT] marrying the 'daughters of men' appear two chapters later. I'm not sure I understand the connection.

Also, I just wanted to add....if two people mate, one a Christian and one an atheist they don't have giant evil offspring.

I may be misunderstanding you so that's why I'm posting this reply.

Hi Routerider

I agree with everything that you said and may I add that if the the author wanted the reader to understand that the "daughters of men" were actually the daughters of Cain he would've just wrote that. And if the author wanted the reader to understand that the "sons of God" were actually the sons of Seth, he would've just called them that. There's no need to imagine anything other than what is clearly written. "daughters of men" refers to human females and the "sons of God" refers to celestial beings. To say that the "sons of God" are anything else but celestial beings(created angels) is to totally ignor what the Hebrew Bible has defined the phrase.

 

[Routerider]

Hi Routerider

I agree with everything that you said and may I add that if the the author wanted the reader to understand that the "daughters of men" were actually the daughters of Cain he would've just wrote that. And if the author wanted the reader to understand that the "sons of God" were actually the sons of Seth, he would've just called them that. There's no need to imagine anything other than what is clearly written. "daughters of men" refers to human females and the "sons of God" refers to celestial beings. To say that the "sons of God" are anything else but celestial beings(created angels) is to totally ignor what the Hebrew Bible has defined the phrase.

Thank you for your help Nephiliyr...for some reason I'm fascinated with Genesis Chapter 6,7 and the book of Enoch with regard to the Nephilim scenario. Thanks again!

I basically started this post because I wanted to verify for sure that the 'Nephilim' were indeed Giants or whether that is just a mistranslation...I figured Numbers chapter 13 may give us a clue.

 

[nephilimiyr]

Thank you for your help Nephiliyr...for some reason I'm fascinated with Genesis Chapter 6,7 and the book of Enoch with regard to the Nephilim scenario. Thanks again!

Any questions, just ask. As you may gather from my handle, this is a favorite topic of mine.

 

[Routerider]

Any questions, just ask. As you may gather from my handle, this is a favorite topic of mine.

Cool! What's your theory on the insemination process? These celestial beings impregnated human women, did they have reproductive organs with sperm compatible with humans? Did they possess a human male and corrupt the "seed" on it's way to the female? I have to admit I'm kinda lost on that part.

 

[nephilimiyr]

I basically started this post because I wanted to verify for sure that the 'Nephilim' were indeed Giants or whether that is just a mistranslation...I figured Numbers chapter 13 may give us a clue.

"Nephilim" is indeed translated as "giants" in the English. The Hebrew word is only shown in Genesis chapter 6 and Numbers chapter 13. However from that point on the Nephilim, in both the Hebrew Bible and in the Greek and English, are afterwards referred to by their Canaanite tribes; the Rephaim, the Zamzummin, the Emim, the Anakim, and the Avvim.

 

[nephilimiyr]

Cool! What's your theory on the insemination process? These celestial beings impregnated human women, did they have reproductive organs with sperm compatible with humans? Did they possess a human male and corrupt the "seed" on it's way to the female? I have to admit I'm kinda lost on that part.

I believe that there were certain angels that sinned. They did become physical beings and mated with the human women of earth.

If they became physical and had offspring by these women they then did possess reproductive organs. I don't believe they possessed a human male but became a form of physical male themselves to be able to procreate with human women.

The angels did possess creative ability although not on the same scale the Almighty God has. I can't explain how they did this but the Hebrew Bible does say they did this. They became flesh and had offspring with the daughters of men.

Celestial beings are shown throughout the Bible as possessing the ability to become a tangible, physical being. This should not be any surprise to any christians because it is documented in both the Old and New Testaments. What we are talking about here is a spiritual physical body, much like what all christians believe Jesus Chirst possessed after he had risin. And most importantly to you, since I see that you are agnostic and are interested in this theology, that most ancient religions such as the Greek and Roman religions also believed that their gods were spiritual in nature but became physical to mate with humans.

 

[Evee]

Hi Routerider

I agree with everything that you said and may I add that if the the author wanted the reader to understand that the "daughters of men" were actually the daughters of Cain he would've just wrote that. And if the author wanted the reader to understand that the "sons of God" were actually the sons of Seth, he would've just called them that. There's no need to imagine anything other than what is clearly written. "daughters of men" refers to human females and the "sons of God" refers to celestial beings. To say that the "sons of God" are anything else but celestial beings(created angels) is to totally ignor what the Hebrew Bible has defined the phrase.

Thats the way I understood this also.
Celestial beings.

 

[Evee]

I believe that there were certain angels that sinned. They did become physical beings and mated with the human women of earth.

If they became physical and had offspring by these women they then did possess reproductive organs. I don't believe they possessed a human male but became a form of physical male themselves to be able to procreate with human women.

The angels did possess creative ability although not on the same scale the Almighty God has. I can't explain how they did this but the Hebrew Bible does say they did this. They became flesh and had offspring with the daughters of men.

Celestial beings are shown throughout the Bible as possessing the ability to become a tangible, physical being. This should not be any surprise to any christians because it is documented in both the Old and New Testaments. What we are talking about here is a spiritual physical body, much like what all christians believe Jesus Chirst possessed after he had risin. And most importantly to you, since I see that you are agnostic and are interested in this theology, that most ancient religions such as the Greek and Roman religions also believed that their gods were spiritual in nature but became physical to mate with humans.

This the way I understood this also.

 

[theseed]

What we are talking about here is a spiritual physical body, much like what all christians believe Jesus Chirst possessed after he had risin.

This is completely unbiblical.

http://www.carm.org/doctrine/Jesus_resurrection.htm

• "When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and *said to them, "Peace be with you." 20And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord," (John 20:19-20).
• "And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39"See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." (Luke 24:38-39).

 

[theseed]

Not only is a spiritual ressurection unbiblical, most Christians consider it heresy.

 

[theseed]

"Nephilim. From a root meaning "to fall" i.e., to fall upon others becasue of these individuals were men of strength (only other use of this Hebrew word is in Num. 13:33). Evidently they were in the earth before the marriages of Gen. 6.2 and were not the offspring of those marriages from which came the mighty men (military men) and men of renown (of wealth or power)."

Charles C. Ryrie. Ryrie Study Bible.

 

[theseed]

Nephilim

(Gen. 6:4; Num. 13:33, R.V.), giants, the Hebrew word left untranslated by the Revisers, the name of one of the Canaanitish tribes. The Revisers have, however, translated the Hebrew gibborim, in Gen. 6:4, "mighty men."