Nephilim

The Nephilim () were on the earth when the "sons of God" (either fallen angels or those from the line of Seth) and the "daughters of men" (either men or those from the line of Cain) began to inter-marry according to ; and were giants who inhabited Canaan according to . A similar biblical Hebrew word with different vowel-sounds is used in to refer to dead Philistine warriors likely referring to the Philistine giant Goliath.
== Etymology ==
The etymology of the Hebrew word נְפִילִים (nephilim) means "fallen ones."Aufarth Christoph; Loren T. Stuckenbruck The fall of the angels Brill (22 Feb 2004) 
ISBN: 978-9004126688 p.34<Marks, Herbert "Biblical Naming and Poetic Etymology" Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 114, No. 1 (Spring, 1995), pp. 21-42 Professor Michael S. Heiser The Meaning of the Word Nephilim: Fact vs. Fantasy (cf. Nephele and Neptune).
Abraham ibn Ezra proposes that they were called fallen ones because men's hearts would fail at the sight of them. Some suggest that they were giants and when they fell, the ground shook, causing others to fall too. Jean Leclerc and Peter of Aquila among others suggest that it is derived from the warlike nature of the Nephilim, comparing the usage of Naphal in Job 1:15 "And the Sabeans fell upon them" where Naphal means "to take in battle". Alternatively, Shadal understands nephilim as deriving from the Hebrew word פלא Pele which means wondrous.Hamishtadel (his Bible commentary ad. loc.) Another possibility is that the term is a generic term for "giants" in general,Ludwig Koehler, Walter Baumgartner, M.E.J Richardson, Johann Jakob Stamm, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, 709 s.v. נְפִילִים which is consistent with the Septuagint and Vulgate translations of the word. Some expositors believe it may refer more to the ferocity and strength of the people who are referred to, rather than their physical height,John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, notes 1–4.Robert Jamieson, Andrew Robert Fausset, David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, note 4. though in the Book of Numbers intentional stress on height is apparent, whether metaphorical or actual (see below on Anakim).
== Origin and identity ==
Genesis Chapter 6, verses 1 through 4 mentions Nephilim:
They are mentioned again in Numbers chapter 13, verses 32–33, in a description of the inhabitants of Hebron:
There are four common views regarding the identity of the Nephilim.
* They were the hybrid offspring of fallen angels and human women.
* They were the offspring of descendants of Seth with those of Cain.
* Webster's 1913 Dictionary defines the word simply as "Giant." Thus, any especially tall, powerful, large, or mighty man would be described in ancient times as Nephilim. Nephilim may simply mean "giant," champion, or strong man.
* They are not historical figures and are ancient imagery with questionable meaning.
=== Offspring ===
==== Fallen angels ====
The Targum Jonathan states that the Nephilim were given this name because they were descended from fallen angels.Targum Yonathan
The New American Bible commentary draws a parallel to the Epistle of Jude and the statements set forth in Genesis, suggesting that the Epistle refers implicitly to the paternity of Nephilim as heavenly beings who came to earth and had sexual intercourse with women.New American Bible, footnotes page 1370, referring to verse 6. The footnotes of the Jerusalem Bible suggest that the Biblical author intended the Nephilim to be an "anecdote of a superhuman race". Genesis 6:4 implies that the Nephilim have inhabited the earth in at least two different time periods—in antediluvian times "and afterward." If the Nephilim were supernatural beings themselves, or at least the progeny of supernatural beings, it is possible that the "giants of Canaan" in Book of Numbers 13:33 were the direct descendants of the antediluvian Nephilim, or were fathered by the same supernatural parents.
In Aramaic culture, the term Nephila specifically referred to the constellation of Orion, and thus Nephilim to Orion's semi-divine descendants (cf. Anakim from Anak);Peake's commentary on the Bible the implication being that this also is the origin of the Biblical Nephilim.
Some Christian commentators have argued against this viewWho are the sons of God and the Nephilim?, citing Jesus' statement that angels do not marry. Others believe that Jesus was only referring to angels in heaven.Bob Deffinbaugh, Genesis: From Paradise to Patriarchs, The Sons of God and the Daughters of Men
=== Descendants of Seth and Cain ===
Many Jewish commentaries and translations describe the Nephilim as being from the offspring of "sons of nobles" rather than from "sons of God" or "sons of angels"."The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of the nobles would come to the daughters of man, and they would bear for them; they are the mighty men, who were of old, the men of renown."—Genesis 6:4 (chabad.org translation) This is also the rendering suggested in the Targum Onkelos.
Likewise, a long-held view among some Christians is that the sons of God did not birth the Nephilim spoken of in the text, but the formerly righteous descendants of Seth who rebelled, while the daughters of men were the unrighteous descendants of Cain, and the Nephilim the offspring of their union. This view dates to at least the 3rd century AD, with references in Sextus Julius Africanus,Julius Africanus at CCEL as well as throughout the Clementine literature.Kitab al-Magall Holders of this viewRick Wade, Answering Email, The Nephilim have looked for support in Jesus' statement that "in the days before the flood they (humans) were marrying and giving in marriage"
== Similar terms ==
In the Hebrew Bible, there are a number of other words that, like "Nephilim", are sometimes translated as "giants":
*Emim
:the fearful ones
*Rephaim
:the dead ones
*Anakim
:the [long]-necked ones
===Anakim===
Anakim (or Anakites) are the descendants of Anak, and dwelt in the south of Canaan, in the neighbourhood of Hebron. In the days of Abraham, they inhabited the region afterwards known as Edom and Moab, east of the Jordan river. They are mentioned during the report of the spies about the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. The book of Joshua states that Joshua finally expelled them from the land, excepting a remnant that found a refuge in the cities of Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. The Philistine giant Goliath, whom DavidSamuel 21:19, some translations have brother of Goliath rather than just Goliath, though the latter is more accurate to the masoretic text. later encountered, was supposedly a descendant of the Anakim. 
It is more commonly suggested by traditional Jewish sources (such as the Midrash) that the spies saw large and powerful inhabitants in Canaan and because of their own fears, cowardice, and inadequate faith in Yahweh, saw themselves as grasshoppers in the eyes of the Canaanites, whether they were actual "giants" or not.
==In other texts==
The story of the Nephilim is chronicled more fully in the Book of Enoch (part of Ethiopian biblical canon). Enoch, as well as Jubilees, connects the origin of the Nephilim with the fallen angels, and in particular with the Grigori (watchers). Samyaza, an angel of high rank, is described as leading a rebel sect of angels in a descent to earth to have sexual intercourse with human females:
According to these texts, the fallen angels who begat the Nephilim were cast into Tartarus/Gehenna, a place of 'total darkness'. However, Jubilees also states that God granted ten percent of the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim to remain after the flood, as demons, to try to lead the human race astray (through idolatry, the occult, etc.) until the final Judgment.
In addition to Enoch, the Book of Jubilees (7:21–25) also states that ridding the Earth of these Nephilim was one of God's purposes for flooding the Earth in Noah's time. The Biblical reference to Noah being "perfect in his generations" may have referred to his having a clean, Nephilim-free bloodline, although it may be inferred that there was more diversity among his three daughters-in law. 
These works describe the Nephilim as being evil giants.
 
There are also allusions to these descendants in the Catholic deuterocanonical books of Judith, Sirach, Baruch, and Wisdom of Solomon and in the non-Catholic 3 Maccabees.
Some individuals and groups, including the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, St. Augustine, John Calvin, and the Latter-day Saints, take the view of Genesis 6:2 that the "Angels" who fathered the Nephilim referred to certain human males from the lineage of Seth, who were called sons of God probably in reference to their being formerly in a covenantal relationship with Yahweh (cf. Deuteronomy 14:1; 32:5); according to these sources, these men had begun to pursue bodily interests, and so took wives of the daughters of men, e.g., those who were descended from Cain or from any people who did not worship God. Not only is this unequivocally stated in Ethiopian Orthodox versions of I Enoch and Jubilees, but this is also the view presented in a few extra-Biblical, yet ancient works, particularly the Conflict of Adam and Eve with Satan. In these sources, these offspring of Seth were said to have disobeyed God, by breeding with the Cainites and producing wicked children "who were all unlike", thus angering God into bringing about the Deluge. 
Nowhere is the Ethiopian view presented more explicitly than in the Conflict of Adam Book 3, chap. 4Conflict of Adam and Eve p. 146, 147:
In ancient Aram (from which we get the Aramaic language), the constellation Orion was known as Nephila, and Orion's descendants were known as Nephilim.
== See also ==
* Ancient astronauts
* Angelology (film)
* Cambion
* Edomites
* Giant (mythology)
* Grigori
* Watcher (angel)
* Sons of God
* Kenites
* Nephilim (film)
* Serpent seed
* The Mortal Instruments (series)
* Exile (video game series)
== References ==
==External links==
* Jewish Encyclopedia: Fall of Angels
* Catholic Encyclopedia: Angels
* Missler, Dr. Chuck, "Mischievous Angels or Sethites?"
Category:Torah events
Category:Hebrew Bible nations
Category:Giants
Category:Demons in Christianity