Genesis 6:4 (NIV)Emphasis added
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
Is there an English equivalent for the word Nephilim here in Genesis 6:4? If not, then what exactly are the Nephilim?
The word "nephilim" as used in Gen 6:4 (נפלים) and Num 13:33 (נפילים and נפלים are both used here) is simply an anglicizing of the plural form of the Hebrew word nephil (נפל), or nephiyl (נפיל). If it were to be translated it would be simply "the fallen".
This opens up a whole new hermeneutical question about how then should we interpret these people described both before the flood in Gen 6 as "the fallen" and then again after the flood when the spies brought back their report about the promised land being filled with "the fallen" who are also described as giants.
Different interpretations have described the nephilim as fallen angels, others as fallen men; some have categorized only the sons of Cain as the nephilim in Gen 6, but then how are they reappearing after the flood? Or if it is fallen angels, do we see the earth invaded by fallen angels not once but twice?
I think the most consistent view of the Nephilim would consist of those who have fallen away from faith and reliance upon God. Those who think that they can achieve greatness absent from God's presence. Here is Clarke's reference...
Genesis 6:4
[There were giants in the earth] npiliym , from naaphal , "he fell." Those who had apostatized or fallen from the true religion. The Septuagint translate the original word by gigantes, 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 disinction 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 gigantes (Greek), "earth-born", and the latter, hagioi , i.e. saints, persons not of the earth, or separated from the earth.
[The same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.] giboriym , which we render "mighty men", signifies properly conquerors, heroes, from gaabar , "he prevailed, was victorious." and °ansheey hashem , "men of the name," anthroopoi onomastoi , 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. (from Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1996, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
Editor's note: The above Biblesoft quotation differs slightly from Adam Clarke's original work. As such, I have included his original Genesis 6:4 commentary entry below. Words completely enclosed in brackets [ ] are my own additions.
Verse 4. There were giants in the earth] נפלים Nephalim [Nephilim], from נפל naphal, “he fell.” Those who had apostatized or fallen from the true religion. The Septuagint translate the original word by γιγαντες [gigantes], 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 mean 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 Nephalim [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 [gigantes], Earth-born, and the latter αγιοι saints, i. e. 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 ha-shem, “men of the name;” ανθρωποι ονομαστοι [anthropoi onomastoi], 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 enterprizes.
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, rephayim, emim, and zamzuzim, by which appellatives are probably meant in general, persons of great knowledge, piety, courage, wickedness &c. and not men of enormous stature as is generally conjectured.
(Neph´i·lim) <Fellers; Those Who Cause [Others] to Fall Down>.
This is a transliteration of the Hebrew word nephi·lim´, plural in its three occurrences in the Bible. (Ge 6:4; Nu 13:33 [twice]) It evidently stems from the causative form of the Hebrew verb na·phal´ (fall) as found, for example, in 2 Kings 3:19; 19:7.
The Bible account describing Jehovah’s displeasure with men in the days of Noah before the Flood relates that “the sons of the [true] God” took for themselves wives from among the attractive daughters of men. It then mentions the presence of “Nephilim”, saying: “The Nephilim proved to be in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of the true God continued to have relations with the daughters of men and they bore sons to them, they were the mighty ones [Heb., hag·gib·bo·rim´] who were of old, the men of fame.” —Ge 6:1-4.
Bible commentators, considering verse 4, have offered several suggestions as to the identity of these Nephilim.
Same as “gib·bo·rim´.” Certain Bible translations adjust the location of the phrase “and also after that”, placing it near the beginning of verse 4, thus identifying the Nephilim with the “mighty ones”, the gib·bo·rim´, mentioned in the latter part of the verse. For example: “In those days, as well as afterward, there were giants [Heb., han·nephi·lim´] on the earth, who were born to the sons of the gods whenever they had intercourse with the daughters of men; these were the heroes [Heb., hag·gib·bo·rim´] who were men of note in days of old.” —Ge 6:4, AT; see also Mo, NIV, and TEV.
The Greek Septuagint also suggests that both the “Nephilim” and “mighty ones” are identical by using the same word gi´gan·tes (giants) to translate both expressions.
Reviewing the account, we see that verses 1 to 3 tell of “the sons of the true God” taking wives and of Jehovah’s statement that he was going to end his patience with men after 120 years. Verse 4 then speaks of the Nephilim proving to be in the earth “in those days”, evidently the days when Jehovah made the statement. Then it shows that this situation continued “after that, when the sons of the true God continued to have relations with the daughters of men”, and describes in more detail the results of the union of “the sons of the [true] God” with women.
Who were the "sons of God" that fathered the Nephilim?
Who were “the sons of the true God” that were involved? Were they men who were worshipers of Jehovah (as distinguished from the general run of wicked mankind), as some claim? Evidently not. The Bible implies that their marriage to the daughters of men resulted in whipping up the badness in the earth. Noah and his three sons, along with their wives, were the only ones in God’s favor and were the only ones preserved through the Deluge. — Genesis 6:9; 8:15, 16; 1Pe 3:20.
Hence, if these “sons of the true God” were merely men, the question arises, Why were their offspring “men of fame” more than those of the wicked, or of faithful Noah? Also, the question might be asked, Why mention their marriage to the daughters of men as something special? Marriage and childbearing had been taking place for more than 1,500 years.
The sons of God mentioned at Genesis 6:2, therefore, must have been angels, spirit “sons of God.” This expression is applied to angels at Job 1:6; 38:7. This view is supported by Peter, who speaks of “the spirits in prison, who had once been disobedient when the patience of God was waiting in Noah’s days.” (1Pe 3:19, 20) Also Jude writes of “the angels that did not keep their original position but forsook their own proper dwelling place” (Jude 6). Angels had the power to materialize in human form, and some angels did so to bring messages from God. (Ge 18:1, 2, 8, 20-22; 19:1-11; Jos 5:13-15) But heaven is the proper abode of spirit persons, and the angels there have positions of service under Jehovah. (Daniel 7:9, 10) To leave this abode to dwell on earth and to forsake their assigned service to have fleshly relations would be rebellion against God’s laws, and perversion.
The Bible states that the disobedient angels are now “spirits in prison”, having been "thrown into Tartarus" and “reserved with eternal bonds under dense darkness for the judgment of the great day”. This seems to indicate that they are greatly restricted, unable again to materialize as they did prior to the Flood. — 1Pe 3:19; 2Pe 2:4; Jude 6.
“The mighty ones who were of old, the men of fame” that were produced by these marriages, were not men of fame with God, for they did not survive the Flood, as did Noah and his family. They were “Nephilim”, bullies, tyrants, who no doubt helped to make conditions worse. Their angelic fathers, knowing the construction of the human body and being able to materialize, were not creating life, but lived in these human bodies and, cohabiting with women, brought forth children. Their children, “mighty ones”, were therefore unauthorized hybrids. Apparently the Nephilim did not, in turn, have children.
The fame and dread of the Nephilim, it appears, gave rise to many mythologies of heathen people who, after the confusion of languages at Babel, were scattered throughout the earth. Though the historical forms of the Genesis account were greatly distorted and embellished, there was a remarkable resemblance in these ancient mythologies (those of the Greeks being only one example), in which gods and goddesses mated with humans to produce superhuman heroes and fearful demigods having god-man characteristics. — Google GREECE, GREEKS (Greek Religion).
The ten spies who brought back to the Israelites in the wilderness a false report on the land of Canaan declared: “All the people whom we saw in the midst of it are men of extraordinary size. And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who are from the Nephilim; so that we became in our own eyes like grasshoppers, and the same way we became in their eyes.” No doubt there were some large men in Canaan, as other scriptures show, but never except in this “bad report”, which was carefully couched in language designed to strike terror and cause panic among the Israelites, are they called Nephilim. — Numbers 13:31-33; 14:36, 37.
Source:
The Watchtower Library 2012; NWT Bible (online); Accurate knowledge & understanding of the Holy Scriptures (from Theocratic Ministry school).
The Sons of God are also in Psalms 82. When Almighty God is meeting with them.
Psalm 82:1 God stands in the congregation of the mighty; he judges among the gods. Said, "You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High". (From Dead Sea Scrolls.)
He judges in the council of gods and men. In the heights of the heavens (is) his reproach and in all the foundations of the earth the judgments of his hand. (4Q511, frg. 10, 11–12) 63
The Eternal One has made a covenant oath with us, Asherah has made (a pact) with us. And all the sons of El, And the great council of all the Holy Ones. 74 From Hebrew Text
Again Below
God [ʾĕlōhîm] takes his stand in the court of heaven [or "assembly of God"; ʿădat ʾēl] to deliver judgement among the gods themselves [bəqereb ʾĕlōhîm].
How long will you judge unjustly
and show favour to the wicked?
You ought to give judgement for the weak and the orphan,
and see right done to the destitute and downtrodden,
you ought to rescue the weak and the poor,
and save them from the clutches of wicked men.
But you know nothing, you understand nothing,
you walk in the dark
while earth's foundations are giving way.
This is my sentence: Gods [ʾĕlōhîm] you may be,
sons all of you of a high god [or "of the Most High"; bənê ʿelyôn],263
yet you shall die as men die;
princes fall, every one of them, and so shall you.
Arise, O God [ʾĕlōhîm], and judge the earth;
for thou dost pass all nations through thy sieve. (Psalm 82)
The Nephilim are the offspring of the Sons Of God and Human woman. It means Earth born and that is why in next verse GOD Puts a life span of 120 years as that would most likely have these offspring living a long time, being of Heavenly fathers.
Now the reason some leave the translation as it is, is because they have been told it is not right. There has been many of a debate on the proper translation. Earth Born sounds correct because these offspring would be a Hybrid species of Divine beings Sons of God and Humans, so therefore they would be half Human and Half immortals (or whatever it is exactly). I think we have to take it as it is said, that they are Sons of God, for if they were angels he would have said Angels. Perhaps he had Heavenly Sons as it is alluded to in many other verses. Either way Nephilim is the offspring and they were Earth Born, Mighty Heroes of renown as they were called.
But I have edited this to add something that I cannot believe I have missed. The verse says there were Nephilim in those days and after when the Sons of God mated with daughters of man. These offspring of the mating were called heroes, perhaps another translation of Nephilim is correct then
Nephilim
The Nephilim are mysterious supermen from ancient times, men of name, who lived before (and after?) the flood of Noah. Before the flood they are mentioned in Genesis 6:4, and after in Numbers 13:33. The question this raises is: who are the Nephilim and how did they survive the flood? If Noah, his sons or any of their wives had been Nephilim, the text would have certainly mentioned it, and the Nephilim would have been treated more positively.
Genesis 6 tells us that the Nephilim were fathered by 'sons of Elohim' with human females. The phrase 'sons of God' may indicate angelic creatures but also the members of some very strong race. It seems that Nephilim were generated from human stock, not just once but often and separately, and not only before the flood but also after. The Bible basically states that biology allows that human females may be and have indeed been impregnated by spirit beings, a fact of course made ultimately evident in the conception of Jesus Christ.
The Nephilim seem to be divided into several sub-categories. The spies who were sent to Canaan reported seeing children of Anak, or the Anakim, who were Nephilim (Numbers 13:33). The word for children that is used in Numbers 13:28 is (yalad) and means 'born ones,' that means of regular birth and not of some 'son of Elohim.' The name of the father of Anak is Arba, and his city, Hebron, is given to Caleb (Joshua 15:13). Caleb subsequently drives out the three sons (perhaps again three subdivisions of the Anakim) of Anak, whose names are Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai.
Deuteronomy 2:10 speaks of Emim, a people as great, numerous and tall as the Anakim. Deuteronomy counts both the Anakim (who are Nephilim) and the Emim among the so-called Rephaim, but in Genesis 14:5 the Rephaim and the Emim are listed separate. Genesis 14:5 also lists the Zuzim, which are likely the same as the Zamzuzim of Deuteronomy 2:20, who are a people like the Anakim and also counted among Rephaim.
It is not clear where the name Nephilim comes from. There are a few possibilities, and scholars argue about the likelihood of each of them. First of all, the word nephilim is a plural and the single form, (npl), does not occur in the Bible (which by itself is not at all unusual). In another context, however, the word (nepel) means untimely birth or abortion. It comes from the verb (napal), fall, lie down, be cast down, fail. The plural word means 'fallen ones,' mostly by the sword or fallen (failed) to obey, and occurs in Joshua 8:25, Judges 20:46, 2 Kings 25:11, Psalm 145:14, Jeremiah 39:9, 52:15, Ezekiel 32:22 and 24.
O, so we have them saying the Nephilim were here before and in the times that the divine mating were going on, and the offspring of the mating were called heroes. Perhaps they helped destroy some of these Nephilim, perhaps the Nephilim are not the offspring but something else.
Genesis 6:1-4
When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them. The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years." The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
It seems it is showing these Nephilim existed before the mating and after the mating. I always wondered what it meant they were mighty heroes and well. The verse after has God mad because of corruption, but this verse he called the offspring mighty heroes and famous men, so perhaps the Nephilim were what made him mad.
I am going to say either way could be correct.
Perhaps the Nephilim and offspring were not the same, as how could they be, if they existed before the Sons of God mated with Human woman and after...
I found a quited good rendering in 'The Five Books of Moses' by Everett Fox of Gen. 6:4:-
The Giants were on the earth in those days, and afterward as well, when the divine beings (Ftn 6:2 ""godlings.") came in to human women and they bore then (children)- they were the heroes who were of former ages, men of name."
This rendering is helpful as it points out there "heroes" give us a glimps into who they were. Demegods, offspring of the gods and human women, like Hercules, in the Greek myths the "Men of Bronze," "Cyclops," and the Giants of various legands around the world.
The english equivalent is "Bullmen"
It amazes me how many people actually entertain the idea of non-corporeal beings copulating with corporeal beings. The idea is certainly not a Biblical one.
Let's see what Jesus has to say about non-corporeal beings (angels). Luke 20:24-36 says:
And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
Why do the children of this world marry? Because their lives are finite. They die, and procreation is the only means of perpetuating the existence of their kind (which is why they were designed with procreation bits and pieces).
Not so, as Jesus tells us, the angels. Marriage will be redundant in the Resurrection, because those who attain it will be as the angels, and will no longer die.
Angels, non-corporeal beings, don't need procreation bits and pieces. So, how are they to mate with corporeal beings that do? I leave that to the imagination of the reader, but I do know this, the Bible won't be used as a resource for discovering how it might be done.
What should we make of Genesis 6:4, then?
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.
Who are these "sons of God", and who are the "daughters of men"?
Well, if you approach this question from any other angle than the one Jesus supplies, you are inevitably going to infuse the text of Scripture with non-scriptural ideas.
The Sons of God are men. What men? The descendants of Seth, of course, for we are told in Genesis 4:25-26:
And Adam knew his wife again; and she bore a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
"Then began men to call on the name of the LORD." The sons of God are the male descendants of Seth who "call on the name of the LORD". The daughters of men, then, are female descendants of anyone who does not "call on the name of LORD".
Now, the Bible tells us of a man called Nimrod. What we know about him is contained in only a couple of verses, but it are relevant to our understanding of the Nephilim.
Genesis 10:7-9 says:
And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
And Cush begot Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
The Hebrew word for "mighty one" and "mighty", here, is גבר (H1368), and it is used in only one other verse in Genesis, chapter 6, verse 4, where it refers to the children of the Nephilim. So, from the exclusive use of this word, we can rightfully conclude that Nimrod was no different to the people being spoken of in Genesis 6:4.
Firstly:
The "sons of God" were the male descendants of Seth, who like him, called on the name of the LORD.
The daughters of men were the female descendants of those who, unlike Seth, did not call on the name of the LORD.
Therefore, the Nephilim were men.
Secondly:
The children of the Nephilim were "mighty men" just like Nimrod. Nimrod's father was a man: Cush; and his great grandfather was a man: Noah, a son of God.
By induction, therefore, the Nephilim were men.
Thirdly:
Nephilim is the English equivalent of the Hebrew word נפלים, so you don't need another word. If you need something equivalent then try giants/mighty MEN.
There are five occurrences of the phrase, 'the sons of God' in the KJV version of the Old Testament - two in Genesis (Gen 6:2, 6:4) and three in Job (Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7). However the LXX Greek uses "οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ θεο the sons of God" to render the two in Genesis, but "οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ θεοῦ the angels of God" to render those in Job.
It is clear that the LXX translators understanding of the Hebrew available to them at the time was that the beings referred to as "the sons of God" in Genesis were not angels, but MEN.
The word "giants" in Genesis 6:4 comes from a mis-translation of the Hebrew word "nephil" which means a bully or tyrant. The word "nephilim" is not in the bible, it is a transliteration of "nephil" and is merely an attempt to make nephil appear to be an entire race of beings, rather than just tyrannical humans. Nephil, does not mean "to fall" nephil is "a feller, i.e. a bully or tyrant" naphal means "to fall" Genesis 6:4 uses the word nephil, not naphal.
In our first English translation of the bible, William Tyndale translates Genesis 6:4 as follows; "There were tyrants in the world in those days, for after that the children of God had gone in unto the daughters of men and had begotten them children, the same children were the mightiest of the world, and men of renown".
This mis-translation of the word nephil seems to have begun with the Latin Vulgate bible, (and with the exception of Tyndale, who did not use the Vulgate when he translated the bible into English) Most, if not all other translators used the Vulgate's translation of this verse. William Tyndale worked directly from Hebrew and Greek texts. While even the translators of the King James bible (which most of us use today)used former translations in their work.
In the KJV and most other translations, the Genesis 6:4 translation is clumsy and difficult to make sense of. While Tyndales translation of this verse is a lot easier to read and understand.
The word 'nephilim' is not in the bible,...". Really? It appears in Genesis 6:4 and Numbers 13:33. That claim at least, then, needs some explanation, because as it stands it appears to be false. (And Tyndale's was not the "first English translation of the Bible".)
'Nephal', meaning 'to fall, fall down' is speaking of the fallen 'angels. Angel, 'messenger' is not a good definition for the immortal creations of God. However, 'Nephilim must be speaking of the fallen 'angelic beings', not their offspring. Nephilim can NOT mean 'giants' when the root is 'to fall'.
The Nephilim also appear in the Enochs.
They were devouring the sons of men, and men were not able to supply them. And the giants began to kill men and to devour them....Asael taught men to make swords of iron and weapons and shields and breastplates and every instrument of war. (7:3,8:1)
Thinking of Nephilim as the chieftains of the empires that the Israelites kept getting overrun by makes a lot of sense.
Goliath was descended from them.
they are the heroes, who, from of old, are the men of name.(Gen 6:4) Anticipating the Tower of Babel builders... Babylonians
"Son of God" was not an uncommon title for an imperial ruler to take.
Think what Native Americans must have thought when the Europeans started showing up or what a Marine in a Humvee looks like to an Afghanistani.
If you had to pick an English word... "Marine" would probably work.
Most of this answer poorly paraphrased from Wes Howard Brooks Come Out My People
It seems pretty obvious that the Nephilim were men. Let us imagine for a moment that if they were the children born of the Daughters of men (humans) and the Sons of God (Angels) that the offspring would then be a kind of mix both angelic- and Human. thus Half god half man this type of thing has been mentioned in other texts and they were called Demi-gods.
Here in the story of Job: One day when the sons of God came before Jehovah, Satan came with them.
The title "The sons of God" was also a name given to the angels.
we may consider then the giants ( the men of renown) Were larger and stronger and maybe much like Hercules. But instead of one there was a bunch of them running amok.
Now remember even christ was called "the Son of God" which if this is true he is half man and half God..the only begotten yes of YHVH himself and he had miraculous power like those mentioned as Nephilim. Giants..some but also some had what we might call today super powers.
which might be why God would be so pissed. COuld you imagine a world filled with people like that whom had not the same drives as Jesus but free willed individuals with agendas of their own?
