Nephilim

A new class of people appeared in Genesis, chapter 6:4, called the Nephilim, נְפִילִים (Nefilim), who were very tall giant warriors. Somehow these mysterious Nephilim people were involved with the sons of God in this narrative, as they were large and strong. The word Nephilim was loosely translated as giants in some translations of the Hebrew Bible, but left untranslated in others. Jewish explanations interpret them as hybrid sons of fallen angels.  They may have later inhabited Canaan at the time of the Israelite attempted conquest of Canaan.  The majority of ancient biblical translations interpret this word to mean giants, the violent ones, or fallen ones.  It is unclear if they are the sons of God or their offspring.  They could be the warriors of old, who descended to Sheol with their weapons of war.  Most of the contemporary English translations call them giants, just like the Greek Septuagint translation, οἱ δὲ γίγαντες (oi de gigantes), which then led to the Latin Vulgate translation as giants, gigantes.  In the non-canonical 1 Enoch, they were great big giants, whose height was three hundred cubits, 450 feet tall.  They may have survived the flood, because they were so tall.  The story of the Nephilim was further elaborated in I Enoch, as it connected the origin of the Nephilim with the fallen angels who came to earth to have sexual intercourse with human females.  Thus, the Nephilim were the offspring of their union.  Seth was said to have disobeyed God, by breeding with the Cainites and producing wicked children, thus angering God into bringing about the deluge.  They may also have been part of Sumerian mythology.  Other anthropologists have looked to find the remains of tall ancient giants with little success.  Nevertheless, these giant Nephilim have been part of medieval and contemporary popular culture.  What is the tallest person that you have ever seen?

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