Who Were the Nephilim?
Short answer: The Nephilim were formidable ancient people whom the KJV calls “giants.” Genesis 6 associates them with the period when the sons of God took the daughters of men, and it calls the resulting figures “mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” If the sons of God were fallen angels, the Nephilim were likely connected with or produced by those forbidden unions. However, Genesis does not explicitly define their nature, state their height, or justify the elaborate supernatural claims often repeated about them.
The Hebrew word Nephilim appears only in Genesis 6:4 and Numbers 13:33. That limited evidence requires humility. Popular books, videos, and ancient legends frequently add details that the Bible never gives.
A responsible answer must distinguish what Scripture clearly says, what the grammar may imply, and what remains speculation.
WHAT DOES GENESIS SAY ABOUT THE NEPHILIM?
“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.” — Genesis 6:4 KJV
The KJV translates Nephilim as “giants.” The verse places them “in the earth in those days” and also mentions the time when the sons of God entered unions with human women.
The final clause refers to “mighty men” and “men of renown.” The wording can naturally connect those famous warriors with the children born from the unions, but interpreters debate whether every label in the verse identifies exactly the same group.
Genesis gives no physical description, number, tribal names, or individual biography. It introduces them briefly while describing the corrupt world before the flood.
WHAT DOES THE WORD “NEPHILIM” MEAN?
The precise derivation of the Hebrew word is debated. It is often connected with a Hebrew root meaning “to fall,” leading to suggestions such as “fallen ones” or “those who cause others to fall.” Others caution that the etymology is uncertain.
A word’s possible root does not automatically determine its meaning in a sentence. The biblical contexts associate the Nephilim with fearsome strength and unusual reputation, while the KJV’s “giants” emphasizes their formidable character.
Christians should not construct doctrine from a guessed word origin. Context is more reliable than a dramatic definition repeated without evidence.
WERE THE NEPHILIM THE CHILDREN OF FALLEN ANGELS?
That is a strong possibility if the angelic interpretation of “sons of God” is correct. Genesis 6:4 mentions the Nephilim and then the unions between the sons of God and the daughters of men in the same sentence. The children are described as mighty men of ancient renown.
The preceding article, “Who Were the Sons of God in Genesis 6?”, explains why fallen angels provide the strongest interpretation of that phrase. Under that view, the unusual unions help explain why the resulting offspring received special notice.
However, the verse says the giants were present “in those days; and also after that.” Some readers understand this to mean the Nephilim already existed when the unions occurred. Others understand the phrase as describing their presence during and following repeated unions.
The text does not explain the biological or spiritual mechanism. It does not say whether fallen angels assumed bodies, operated through possessed men, or acted in some other way. Identifying the likely participants does not authorize invented details.
WERE THE NEPHILIM THEMSELVES FALLEN ANGELS?
Genesis distinguishes the sons of God from the women and from the children born to them. Therefore, under the angelic view, the Nephilim or mighty men would be associated offspring—not the fallen angels themselves.
Calling the Nephilim “demons” also goes beyond the text. Scripture does not say that demons are the disembodied spirits of dead Nephilim. That idea appears in later traditions, but it is not established by Genesis, the Gospels, or the epistles.
Believers should base their understanding of spiritual enemies upon Scripture rather than mythology. The practical question of fear and spiritual security is addressed in “Should Christians Fear Satan or Demons?”.
DOES “GIANTS” NECESSARILY MEAN EXTREME HEIGHT?
The KJV translation is appropriate to the intimidating people described in both passages, but Genesis 6 does not provide a measurement. “Mighty men” and “men of renown” emphasize power, reputation, and warrior status as well as possible size.
Later Scripture describes genuinely tall peoples and warriors. The Anakim, Rephaim, Emim, and Zamzummim were remembered as great or tall. Goliath’s height is stated specifically in 1 Samuel 17:4.
That evidence shows that unusually large warriors existed. It does not tell us the exact height of the pre-flood Nephilim or validate exaggerated claims of beings dozens of feet tall.
Photographs of alleged giant skeletons, sensational archaeological stories, and internet claims should be verified before being repeated. A weak or false argument does not defend Scripture.
WHY ARE NEPHILIM MENTIONED IN NUMBERS?
When twelve spies explored Canaan, ten returned with a fearful report. They said:
“And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” — Numbers 13:33 KJV
The same Hebrew term, Nephilim, appears here. The spies connect the sons of Anak with the feared giants and describe themselves as grasshoppers by comparison.
This statement occurs within the evil report that caused Israel to rebel against God’s command. The land did contain powerful and tall inhabitants, but the spies used fear to magnify the obstacle and discourage the congregation.
The phrase “we were in their sight” may reflect exaggeration; the spies could know how small they felt, but the verse does not explain how they knew the Anakim’s private thoughts. Their language should be read within the report’s fearful purpose.
Numbers therefore confirms that the term could describe terrifying giant people, while the reliability of every dramatic comparison made by the unbelieving spies must be assessed in context.
DID ANY NEPHILIM SURVIVE NOAH’S FLOOD?
No person outside the ark survived the flood according to Genesis:
“And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.” — Genesis 7:23 KJV
If pre-flood Nephilim were human or embodied offspring living upon the earth, they died with the rest of the people outside the ark.
The words “and also after that” in Genesis 6:4 do not have to mean after the flood. In the immediate sentence, they can refer to the period after the sons of God began entering the women, while the pre-flood world still existed.
The later use of Nephilim in Numbers does not require physical survivors from before the flood. The term may have been applied to later giants of similar reputation, or the spies may have invoked the ancient name to intensify fear.
The next article will examine whether Noah’s flood covered the entire earth. This article does not need to settle that separate question in order to affirm the plain statement that only Noah’s household survived outside the judged world.
WHO WERE THE ANAKIM?
The Anakim were a tall and feared people in Canaan, associated especially with Hebron and surrounding hill country. They were not described as immortal supernatural beings. Israel encountered and fought them as human enemies.
Deuteronomy compares other ancient peoples with them:
“The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites called them Emims.” — Deuteronomy 2:10–11 KJV
The Hebrew word translated “giants” in this passage is connected with the Rephaim, not Nephilim. This shows why English readers should not assume that every occurrence of “giant” uses the same original word or identifies the same family.
Joshua later cut off the Anakim from much of the land, although some remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. Goliath came from Gath generations later, fitting the continuing biblical memory of unusually formidable warriors in that region.
WERE THE NEPHILIM EVIL?
Genesis 6 places them within a corrupt and violent age, but it does not provide an individual moral evaluation of every Nephilim. It describes mighty men of renown, not heroes approved by God.
Ancient cultures often celebrated powerful warriors and conquerors. Human renown can exist alongside rebellion against God. Genesis quickly shifts from famous men to God’s assessment that mankind’s thoughts were continually evil.
The larger passage warns that strength, reputation, and fame cannot shield anyone from divine judgment. Noah, who found grace in the eyes of the LORD, mattered more in God’s purpose than all the celebrated power of his generation.
WHAT ABOUT THE BOOK OF ENOCH AND OTHER LEGENDS?
Ancient Jewish writings contain expanded stories about watchers, giants, forbidden knowledge, and the spirits of dead Nephilim. These texts can help historians understand how some people interpreted Genesis, but they are not Scripture.
Jude’s use of language familiar from ancient Jewish tradition does not make every ancient book inspired. A biblical writer can refer to a known tradition or quotation without endorsing the entire source.
Christians should test every claim by the canonical Bible. Where Scripture is silent, ancient literature cannot create binding doctrine.
WHY DOES GENESIS MENTION THEM?
The Nephilim contribute to the picture of a world impressed by power and filled with corruption. The sons of God crossed a boundary, mighty men gained renown, and ordinary human wickedness became great.
The narrative contrasts worldly fame with faithful obedience. The famous men disappear in judgment; Noah and his family are preserved because Noah believed and obeyed God.
The early Genesis accounts of Adam and Eve and Cain’s family lead into this growing corruption. The message is historical and moral, not an invitation to occult fascination.
CONCLUSION
The Nephilim were formidable ancient people whom the KJV calls giants. Genesis associates them closely with the unions between the sons of God and the daughters of men and describes mighty men of ancient renown. If the sons of God were fallen angels, their offspring were likely the unusual figures in view.
Scripture does not state their exact height, explain the mechanism of their origin, call them demons, or support elaborate modern legends. The later mention in Numbers concerns the terrifying sons of Anak within a fearful report and does not require anyone to have survived the flood outside Noah’s ark.
The central lesson is clear: physical power and human fame cannot defeat God or escape His judgment.
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