Bible: are the Nephilim extra-terrestrials who bred with mankind? any resources online for this idea?

Question

the Nephilim are beings from the heavens mentioned early in Genesis and some additional judeochristian religious texts

Answer 1

The Nephilim in Genesis 6:4: "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown."

The sons of God are generally believed to be the descendants of Seth and Enos. The daughters of man are the descendants of Cain. Nephilim means "fallen ones." So these were humans who fell into something like disgrace.

Answer 2

Check out the Greek and Roman myths. There is a theory that basically validates these myths (Achilles for example) and connects them to the Nephilim. I personally don't share this view (the text doesn't say) but it is interesting just the same.

Also, the book of Enoch contains a detailed history (or should I say is sheds some light) of the Nephilim.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

I was gonna ignore this - but seriously, some of the answers given by Christians make me understand the typical R&S atheist attitude a little better.
Regardless of your stance on the validity or lack thereof of the Bible, its pretty difficult to get the idea of aliens or half-man/half-angel out of the text.
The word "nephilim" means "fallen ones" - and context shows that the problem was that these were the kind of people who were looked up to - admired - "heroized" during this point in time. It's meant to illustrate how fallen/depraved - however you want to word it - people were - nothing more - nothing less.

Answer 4

The Nephilim are the high bred children of the Angels who forsook their natural positions in heaven to be with the human women on earth. They let their desire overtake them and lost God's approval and became demons or fallen angels. Being that Angels were heavenly spirit creatures and not of this earth could classify them as ET's. (?)
The Angels returned to heaven later to be kicked out. The Nephilim or Fellers grew large like giants and were violent bullies and others copied their behavior. And this is why God sent the flood - to wipe them out.

Answer 5

The Nephilim are said to be the offspring of "the sons of God" mating with "the daughters of man". Some have suggested that they are the result of demon/human mating. They point to a scripture in Jude which can be taken to mean that fallen angels (demons) are now in chains because they went after "strange flesh" - meaning human females.

There are some Jewish writings that date from around 250-100 BC that use that idea. But they have the style of "novels" or works of fiction, not of histories or scripture. They are not treated as any kind of "authority" but the Jews.

The Nephilim itself simple means "great ones", and may refer to greatness in deed, greatness in evil, or greatness in authority just as easily as greatness in size (giants in the KJ Bible)

A less supernatural meaning for the scriptures may be that the "sons of God" were descendants of godly Seth who looked on the "daughters of men" who were descendants of ungodly Cain. Intermarriage between those two families results in man who were "great" in their evil. And that is the reason that God sent the flood.

But no writings I have found suggest that they were "extra-terrestrials".

Answer 6

The Nephilim are half angel & half human.

edit: The Nephilim are the offspring of the sons of God who mated with the daughters of man.

Answer 7

The Bible says: "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown."

So they were not of this Earth - by definition, extra-terrestrials.

As to whether this really happened or not, while reading books of old fairy tales can help illuminate the origins and psychology of the people who wrote them, you shouldn't take them too seriously.

Answer 8

The Nephillum were giants (abominations) that were born to human women which mated with the fallen angels. (this was a big no-no with God!) This is where evil spirits came from. Their spirits are still on the earth today.

Answer 9

More interesting info here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephilim

Answer 10

I think Erich von Däniken covered this topic in one of his books. It suggests possibile attributes of all sort of biblical and historical phenomenon to possible ET activity.
He wrote Chariots of the Gods, and I recommend you read it if you want to persue this subject. Check out his website