The Nephilims are a mystery to us to this day. We know such little about them. To investigate this race my approach will be a little different from the previous blogs. I want to look at what we know, what we think we know and what it can mean for today. This would be covered in three parts. In this first part I will explore: - the name
- the separation
- facing a giant
I will propose a theory of separation and I will show that the Nephilims are different to the giants.
We first learn about them in Genesis 6:1-4;
Now when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.
So the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days shall be 120 years.”
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown.
THE NAME
The word itself is הַנְּפִלִ֞ים (han·nə·p̄i·lîm) in Hebrew meaning giants. It is a people spoken of before the flood and after the flood. Some scholars believe they are the children of the sons of God and daughters of men. While others say they existed around the same time when fallen angels slept with women.
Nephilim comes from the root word naphal meaning to fall. This supports the theory that the Nephilim are the fallen angels. But There are those suggesting that the fallen here is that they fall on others hurting others. I have another theory to share with you. I am not disagreeing with other theorists or theologians, my purpose is to expand the conversation.
SEPARATION
I am proposing there is a possible relationship to the word nifal. נִפְרְד֞וּ (nip̄·rə·ḏū) Nifal means to spread, breakthrough or to separate as used in Genesis 10:5. I have not read any commentaries on this relationship with the name nephilim. I think this is new and I think that it is important. There are only two times the word is used in the Bible, hence why I think it is important. It is within the same chapter, Genesis 10: 5 and 32. Here is how I see it.
Separate from Man
God speaks to us in many levels and over many periods. God is never speaking to us with a literal meaning only. Psalm 82 shows us that there is a lot in the heavenly and spiritual worlds that we do not know. While some would use this Psalm to refer to judges on the earth I have a different understanding:
God stands in the congregation of the mighty;
He judges among the gods.
How long will you judge unjustly,
And show partiality to the wicked? Selah
Defend the poor and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Deliver the poor and needy;
Free them from the hand of the wicked.
They do not know, nor do they understand;
They walk about in darkness;
All the foundations of the earth are unstable.
I said, “You are gods,
And all of you are children of the Most High.
But you shall die like men,
And fall like one of the princes.”
Arise, O God, judge the earth;
For You shall inherit all nations.
There is a spiritual or heavenly meaning to the passage. Psalm 82:1 refers to smaller gods or being with supernatural ability or the sons of God who are in heaven. You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High. Similar to Genesis 6, the time of the Nephilim, who were the sons of God. God here is The Almighty God. The difference between the common letter and the capital letter G.
Job 38:4-7, Ephesians 3:8-10 and Jude 1:6 all speak of a whole different existence of beings who live parallel to that of mankind on earth. Remember the rich man who died and was in purgatory (Luke 16)? Heaven and hell exist alongside the earth.
Separate to the Heavenly Hosts
The nephilims are separate from the hosts of heaven because they pursue immorality. In Genesis 6 the nephilims or fallen angels pursue after the women of the earth. The idea of separate existence is referenced again in Jude. They are judged and chained in hell:
And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 1:6-7
Here again we learn that there are domains and there are rules that go with the domains. The Nephilim did not stay within their domain. After Jude speaks of the domains he speaks of sexual immorality and the pursuit of strange flesh similar to Genesis 6. This suggests cause and effect. The sin is caused by breaking the rules of the domains. The separation is that they are no longer in heaven, but kept in hell.
Separate by Sin
The return of the nephilim is noted after the flood. Think of it like this, in Genesis 6 the Nephilims were angelic but due to sin the children became more physical. The same way God reduces the lifespan of man in Genesis 6, He holds court in Psalm 82 and informs the heavenly beings they too will die.
In Psalm 82, God who is supreme says that they will die like men. However, with a relationship with the verb nifal, I can suggest that with separation from God, there is death. The wages of sin is death. This can be why they are able to die. Separation from God and being chained in hell will lead to death. However, David kills Goliath. The first nephilims are chained in hell. This indicates a distinction between the giants and the original nephilims.
Separate to the Nephilim
I have already established that the nephilims are chained in hell, yet giants continued on the earth. The giants only came after the nephilims. The giants are always mentioned as being different or separate from the tribes. Sort of like a race of their own.
In numbers 13:33, which is after the flood they are descendants from Anak or Anakim. Some scholars say that they are not part of the tribe but are among them.
But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.” So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. “There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” Numbers 13:31-33
In the land of Canaan there were always very tall people. The people in Canaan were referenced due to geography in the Bible but the Hittites, Amorites, and Jebusites were also in the land. The name Canaan, suggests a relationship with Noah. Genesis 10:6 shows us that the Canaanites descended from Ham. Moses's son.
There are many who believe the the nephilim will return and in part 2 and 3 of this topic I suggest how this can come to pass. But it can simply be the bloodline. When I speak of giants I am speaking of the bloodline of the nephilim. It is suggested that the giant seed or DNA continued through Ham's wife. After the flood they are only associated with physical beings although they are described as giants. No mention of angels. This is expected as those fallen angels are chained in hell.
Further to this I suggest that they were referred to separately because the tradition is to record the descendants from the man. If the giant came through the DNA of a woman then it is possible that the writers maintain the distinction for this reason.
Were they fallen? By keeping the distinction between the nephilim and the giant I can explain the reputation and confusion with the meaning as fallen. Fallen to be fallen angels and fallen to mean tyrannical can be explained. It basically comes down to:
- The nephilim had fallen from grace. They did not uphold the rules and therefore fell short of expectations.
- The nephilim fell to the earth. They did not stay within their domain and therefore came down to earth.
- Both nephilim and giant fell upon mankind and were stronger.
You and I do not have to be concerned for the nephilim, they are in hell. The giants existed in Canaan and were part of the Philistine people as well. But they are said to be wiped out. If the Philistines were wiped out then so too were the giants among them.
FACING A GIANT
In the past these giants would fight for their people and would build up a reputation. Same as Goliath and his brother had a reputation that made others fearful. Today any giant that bleeds can be fought. The Israelis did it 3200 years ago sometimes they did not even have metal tools or weapons.
Could there have been a gentle giant? In those days strength and might was a defining character for men. Because of size they were expected to be warlike. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown Genesis 6:4.
The mighty men of old refers to their age and the length of time. They had a reputation. There are scholars who argue that they were warriors and did great things while others argue they were tyrants. I think that there is a simple explanation.
For the Israelites this was not good, hence the not so good reputation. For the Philistines they would be of renown. There were some giants who became leaders. King Og was a giant who slept in a bed 13 feet long made of iron, Deuteronomy 3:11.
What is important for us is that the giants were referred to separately although it is acknowledged there could be a link between the tribes and the giants. The return of the giants among the original Canaanites and Philistines can be the blood relationship. Establishing the bloodline or the blood descent from man justifies my suggestion that nifal is related to giants and then related to nephilim. It is curious to me to see that the tribe of Canaan who were cursed by Noah are the ones that the bloodline turns up in. More curious is that they become the enemies of Israel past.
When Caleb reported to Moses he showed faith. The others saw giants in the land. Caleb saw the victory and promise of God.
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” Numbers 13:30
David did not let any giant intimidate him. In fact, he kept the perspective of God. We learn giants can fall. Also, we learn that with Jesus on our side, giants have to fall. Both Caleb and David were from the tribe of Judah. Jesus is the lion of Judah. Praise God.
I pray that you are excited about God and things of God. I pray that you see the fall of the giants who fight against you in Jesus name.
If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you may say this prayer;
Dear Heavenly Father,
I ask you to forgive my sins in knowledge or ignorance. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I ask that Jesus comes into my life as I live to be a witness for Him. Please change my life and make me into the person you want me to be, in Jesus name I pray. Thank you.
