rostau

What are common views on the nature of the Nephilim mentioned in the Bible? How do Biblical scholars account for them? Are there non-mythological explanations for these people/beings?

Plus, another question: if the Flood destroyed everything except what was on the Ark, how come there were descendants of the Nephilim after the Flood?

spin

The information in Gen 6:1-4 is so brief, yet full of allusion, it suggests that it is an abridgement of information. One can find out some of the background information reading the Book of the Watchers in 1 Enoch, especially 1 En 6-12. Here we find the story of the angels who leave heaven partly because of the daughters of men.

The word Nephilim comes from a verb NPL meaning "to fall", so the Nephilim are the fallen ones, which would be accurate for the angels of 1 Enoch who have fallen from heaven.

The word Nephilim is found in many places in the Hebrew bible mainly as a past participle, ie "fallen", and is often translated just that way.

I think it's just a sign of the fact that there were many hands involved in writing the bible -- the left one not knowing what the right one has done. As the term Nephilim is relatively generic, "fallen", it could be used against anyone.


spin

lulay

when you hear the terms 'angels", this is a clue regarding their identity...ie., the nephilm.........according to J.M.Allegro in his book The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross, 'angels' are related to hallucinogenic plants, and can come from above or below.....the eating of them ""could give ther mortal cnsumers access to ...wisdom"

considering the Bible's literalist message is anti-hallucinogens, the story of the 'fallen'
'angels. would really be a way to demonize such magical vegetation, and the visions maybe had from same

rostau

I'm pretty confused about the whole issue. Genesis 6:4 reads:

"There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown."

Now, this can have several interpretations, depending on to which subject you allocate the phrase 'the same'. It can refer either to the 'giants' (Nephilim), or to the 'sons of God', or to the 'children'. Also, the sons of God may or may not be one and the same as the Nephilim.

My instinctual interpretation of this verse is:

There were giants in the earth in those days, and also later on, at the time when the sons of God (distinct from the giants) fathered children on the daughters of men. Those children became men of renown (distinct from the sons of God and the giants).

So, this passage seems to basically referring to the Nephilim in passing, as in "Hey, there were once these giant things. But that aside, let me tell you about the sons of God" etc.

This leaves the question as to who the sons of God are. Again, this could have multiple interpretations. Either it refers to some mysterious beings, like angels, or it refers to the Adamic line of humans, distinct from other humans. Of course, it could also refer to the giants, if you interpret the verse differently.

It seems pretty clear to me that the 'men of renown' assignation refers to the children of the union between the sons of God and the daughters of men, so the men of renown could be:

1. Hybrid giant-human things
2. Hybrid angel-human things
3. Hybrid Adamic & non-Adamic peoples

Please bear with me as I work through all these ideas. I am quite interested in the text *as a text* and would love to have some clarity on what it is trying to say.

rostau

Just also realized that the timing in the verse is unclear. Did the sons of God father kids on the daughters of men 'in those days' or 'after that'?

Chris Weimer

actually NPL can also mean "come down", which fueled a lot of support for the alien theories. More likely though it refers to angels who have come to earth.

IrishGuy

As I understand it, I think that Goliath was a decendent of the nephilim. Just FYI.

Chris Weimer

er, no. He was just a really large philistine. Where do you get this crap, I mean, understandings...? Really, though, I'm curious where do you get this from?

Amlodhi

Hi cweb255,

IrishGuy is not the first to offer this speculation regarding Goliath. In the book of Numbers we are told that the sons of Anak, of the nephilim, were residing in Canaan:

Then later, in the book of Joshua, we are told that Joshua's troops destroyed all the Anakim that were in Canaan, but that some remained in Gath:

So, from this, it has been speculated that Goliath (of Gath) might have been a descendant of the remnant of the Anakim (from the nephilim) that remained in Gath.

Understand, I'm not arguing the veracity of this; just providing the basis of the conjecture.


Amlodhi

spin

Not according to BDB and Jastrow.

If you have another trustworthy source on the matter, I'm happy to check it out.


spin