Were there really giants, as mentioned in the Bible?

Giants

There are a lot of images circulating the internet of these giant skeletons discovered that date thousands of years ago. A lot of them could be fake, but that doesn’t go to say that giants never existed. The Bible states that “there were giants on the earth in those days …” (Genesis 6:4). In fact, before Goliath, the giant that David killed, was ever mentioned, there were 8 other passages in Numbers and Deuteronomy of the children of Israel having to fight giants in Canaan.

Several sources likes Snopes try to discredit the idea that there could ever have been giants among us. One reason may be because it really goes against the theory of Evolution, which states that man is evolving and getting better. This may explain why giant skeletons are rarely displayed in museums.

In June 2018, the famous giant skeleton of an Irishman which was on display in a British museum for more than 200 years was taken down after years of pressure “to release the skeleton so it can be respectfully buried” (The Irish Post, 2018).

Giants in America

A little over one hundred years ago, there was talk of giant skeletons being found in America. In fact, Abraham Lincoln even mentioned it in one of his writings after seeing Niagara Falls:

“When Columbus first sought this continent — when Christ suffered on the cross — when Moses led Israel through the Red Sea — nay, even when Adam first came from the hand of his Maker — then as now, Niagara was roaring here. The eyes of that species of extinct giants, whose bones fill the mounds of America, have gazed on Niagara, as ours do now.”

Several sources actually cite that there were giants:

• In the 1800s, large bones in stone graves were found in Tennessee with an average height at 7 feet tall¹
• In 1833, soldiers reportedly found a 12-foot-tall male skeleton in California²
• In 1868, a 10 foot giant was found along the shores of the Mississippi³
• In 1912, 18 giant skeletons were reported in Wisconsin burial mounds⁴

Even today, you can still find headlines of giant skeletons being found around the world:

• “Huge Skeleton” found in Varna, Bulgaria (Novinite, Sofia News Agency)
• Over 2 meter (6.6″) skeleton found in Iran (DailyStar, UK)
• 10 to 15-foot skeletons found in Pulau Upeh, Malaysia (The Star, Malaysia)

So, while some accounts of giant skeletons may be untrue, it doesn’t mean that there are no such thing as giant skeletons. We mustn’t take everything we read as fact, but instead “test all things, hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). This is especially true in this day of social media.

In His service,
BibleAsk Team

References

1. Haywood, J (1958). The Natural and Aboriginal History of Tennessee.
2. Childress, D (1992). Lost cities of North et Central America.
3. Sauk Rapids Sentinel (1868). Wonderful Discovery! Great Excitement Among the Workmen – The Largest Skeleton Ever Found.
4. The New York Times (1912). STRANGE SKELETONS FOUND. Indications That Tribe Hither to Unknown Once Lived in Wisconsin