Interpretation and description of Nephilim. What are they ?

Question

Preferably grounded answers but since the topic is wide ranging, all contributions welcome.

Kindly support answers from historical and ancient text where possible and available.

The easiest available source is from palimpsests and scrolls making up Genesis.

Question open to extension upon request and reissuing if necessary.

Fishing for opinions, details, etc.

marcus n :
Askers are not too familiar on Egyptian stories. Kindly point me in a direction to search please ?

Duh. Okay. Thanks.

Transcriptions dating prior to Egyptian mythology, inlude the Torah. Just trying to go as far back as possible. At least some libraries are not cob webs...

Answer 1

What are the nephilim?


Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, 2at the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. 3Then the Lord said, “ My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown," (Gen. 6:1-4, NASB).

There is debate over exactly who the Nephilim are in Gen. 6. Some people believe that the Nephilim are the offspring of sexual relations between fallen angels and human women. Jude 6 is often referenced as additional support when addressing the angelic realm who "...did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode..." (Jude 6). Others believe the Nephilim were giants (Nephilim means giants), men of great physical stature. Of course, this also is believed by some people who suspect that the offspring of the fallen angels and the women were those giants which they say would explain their large size. But this is conjecture. Still others hold that the Nephilim are the descendents of Seth.1
According to Harper's Bible Dictionary, the Nephilim are "people of the pre-Flood generation, the offspring of daughters of men and divine beings (Gen. 6:1-4). Their generation and their conduct seem to have provoked the Flood as punishment (Gen. 6:5 - 8:22). In Num. 13:33 the Israelite spies describe the inhabitants of Hebron as Nephilim, so large and powerful that ‘we seemed like grasshoppers.’ The name could mean ‘fallen ones’ and allude to stories in related cultures of rebellious giants defeated by the gods in olden times (cf. Isaiah 14:12)."2 Of course, a problem with this view is how did the Nephilim survive the flood? We see a post-flood account of them in Num. 13:33, "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.”
The range of options is varied. Consider this:

"Many have suggested that the sons of God were the godly line of Seth and the daughters of men were the Cainites. But this does not do justice to the terminology or the context. Others view the “sons of God” as angels (as in Job 1:6), who cohabited with women on earth. This, however, conflicts with Matt. 22:30."3

"The term [Nephilim, Giants] in Hebrew implies not so much the idea of great stature as of reckless ferocity, impious and daring characters, who spread devastation and carnage far and wide."4

"The improper mating of heavenly beings and earthly women is an attack on the boundaries that are meant to separate the heavenly and earthly realms. It thus threatens the integrity of creation as God intended it."5

As you can see, commentaries are divided on who exactly the Nephilim really are. Therefore, we can make no definite statement on who the Nephilim really were.
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1. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., Fausset, A. R., Brown, D., & Brown, D. (1997). A commentary, critical and explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. On spine: Critical and explanatory commentary. (Ge 6:2-3). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)
2. Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary. Includes index. (1st ed.) (Page 696). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
3. Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
4. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A., & and Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (electronic ed.) (Ge 6:4). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
5. Mays, J. L., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1988). Harper's Bible commentary (Ge 6:5). San Francisco: Harper & Row.

Answer 2

confident. Nephilim have been a pre-flood race. They have been giants. The Bible says they got here from "The Sons of God" some human beings assume this suggests Fallen Angels. the issue with this questioning is Angels are no longer organic and organic creatures so it is not going they could have the skill to reproduce with people. "whilst guy began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters have been born to them, the sons of God observed that the daughters of guy have been alluring. and that they took as their better halves any they chosen. Then the LORD reported,"My Spirit shall no longer abide in guy consistently, for he's flesh: his days would be one hundred twenty years." The Nephilim have been on the earth in those days, and additionally later on, whilst the sons of God got here in to the daughters of guy and that they bore toddlers to them. those have been the good adult men who have been of old, the adult men of renown." - Genesis 6:a million-4 they are like us, in that they could choose for to be good or evil. Fallen Angels are Angels that choose for to revolt against God. wish I helped. e mail with questions. With love from Jesus.

Answer 3

heavenly beings ( angels/demons ) jealous of mortal man and the pleasures of the flesh, took on human form ( they according 2 the Bible can still do this; ghosts? ) and had sexual relations producing the Nephilum.
thankfully they died out in the Flood.
Phew!
and i think the 1st answerer above has covered it all 4 u.

Answer 4

Demons. very powerful,who just take humans at will.

Answer 5

they are race of super giants,a bit like giant haystacks.
-just another biblical error,(like most of genesis) stolen from egyptian mythology......