The Nephilim
“There were giants [Nephilim] 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).
Some believe that the Nephilim were the offspring of sexual relationships between the angels (sons of God) and daughters of men of Genesis 6:1-4. But, this is not true because Jesus said that angels do not marry (Matthew 22:30). Therefore, the “sons of God” were none other than the descendants of Seth. The term “sons of God” simply means the children of God. God spoke of Israel as His “firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22), and Moses called the people of Israel “children of the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1).
And the “daughters of men,” were the godless Cainites. These unholy alliances between Sethites and Cainites were responsible for the rapid increase of wickedness among the former.
God has ever warned His followers not to marry unbelievers, because of the great danger to which the believer is thus exposed and to which he usually yields (Deuteronomy 7:3, 4; Joshua 23:12, 13; Ezra 9:2; Nehemiah 13:25; 2 Corinthians 6:14, 15). But the Sethites did not heed the warnings. Guided by physical attractions, they were not content with the beautiful daughters of the godly race, and often preferred Cainite corrupt women.
The Septuagint translated Nephilim by gigantes, from which the English “giant” is derived. In Numbers 13:33, the Israelites reported that they felt like mere grasshoppers in the sight of the Nephilim, which the KJV translates “giants.” There is reason to believe that this Hebrew word may come from the root naphal, and that the Nephilim were “violent” ones, or terrorists, rather than physical “giants.”
Since in those days the entire human race was of great stature, it must be that character rather than height that is designated. The antediluvians generally possessed great physical and mental strength. These individuals, renowned for wisdom and skill, dedicated their intellectual and physical powers to the fulfilling of their own pride and passions and to the oppression of their fellow men .
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
