Giants Reappeared After the Flood
The reappearance of giants after the Flood is one of the Bible’s more intriguing and debated themes. While the Genesis account focuses on the Nephilim before the Flood, later biblical narratives describe giant clans in the land of Canaan—most notably the Anakim, Rephaim, and others—who opposed Israel during the conquest.
The Bible does not explain exactly how giants reappeared, leading to various interpretations. Some suggest the Flood was regional rather than global, leaving pockets of giants alive. Others propose that similar supernatural events to those in Genesis 6:1–4 occurred again after the Flood. Regardless of the mechanism, their reemergence is a reminder that the spiritual rebellion which began before the Flood persisted into Israel’s history. These giant enemies represented not only physical threats but also the ongoing influence of rebellious spiritual powers resisting God’s covenant purposes.
1. Reveal the Biblical Evidence for Post-Flood Giants
Genesis 6:4 states, “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward,” a phrase that hints at their later reappearance. Numbers 13:33 explicitly connects the Anakim to the pre-Flood Nephilim: “We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim.”
The Bible mentions several post-Flood giant peoples:
Anakim – Tall warriors living in Canaan (Deuteronomy 9:2).
Rephaim – A race of giants inhabiting various regions (Deuteronomy 2:10–11).
Emim and Zamzummim – Other giant groups dispossessed by Israel’s neighbors (Deuteronomy 2:20–21).
Og of Bashan – A giant king whose bed was over thirteen feet long (Deuteronomy 3:11).
These clans were not incidental characters; they occupied strategic territories in the promised land, directly opposing Israel’s inheritance.
2. Record the Theological Context of Their Opposition
The giants after the Flood were more than large human beings—they were obstacles to the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise to Abraham. By controlling key cities and territories in Canaan, they stood in the way of Israel’s possession of the land.
This opposition had a spiritual dimension. The Old Testament often frames Israel’s wars in terms of Yahweh versus the gods of the nations (Exodus 12:12; Numbers 33:4). In this light, the giants functioned as physical representatives of hostile spiritual powers, just as their pre-Flood counterparts had embodied rebellion against God’s order.
3. Recognize the Possible Explanations for Their Return
Because the Flood narrative describes the destruction of all flesh except those in the ark, the reappearance of giants requires explanation. Common views include:
Survivors of a Regional Flood – Suggests the Flood’s scope was not global, allowing giant populations in other regions to survive.
Repeated Angelic Rebellion – Proposes that events similar to Genesis 6 occurred again, producing a new generation of giants.
Symbolic or Legendary Continuity – Suggests that later giant accounts use the Nephilim as an archetype for formidable enemies.
While the Bible does not settle the question, its emphasis lies not on the mechanics of their return but on their role in redemptive history.
4. Recall Israel’s Confrontations with Giants
The book of Joshua records that Israel encountered the Anakim during the conquest of Canaan. Caleb famously asked for the hill country where the Anakim lived and drove them out (Joshua 14:12–15).
Later, during the monarchy, David faced Goliath of Gath—a descendant of the giants (1 Samuel 17:4). David’s victory was not just a military success but a theological statement: “I come against you in the name of the LORD of Armies” (1 Samuel 17:45). David’s men later killed other giant warriors in Philistine territory (2 Samuel 21:15–22).
Each defeat of a giant was a demonstration of God’s power over enemies too great for His people to defeat in their own strength.
5. Reflect on the Spiritual Meaning of These Battles
In the biblical narrative, the giants after the Flood served as visible reminders that the spiritual rebellion of the Watchers’ age had not ended. Their presence in Canaan was an assault on God’s promises and a test of Israel’s faith.
The fearful report of the spies in Numbers 13:31–33 shows how giants could paralyze God’s people with unbelief. In contrast, Caleb and Joshua’s trust in God’s power points to the faith required to overcome not just physical enemies but the spiritual forces behind them.
6. Reaffirm the Gospel’s Connection to the Defeat of Giants
The New Testament applies the pattern of giant-slaying to Christ’s victory over the powers of darkness. Just as David’s triumph over Goliath foreshadowed the Messiah’s ultimate victory, Jesus conquered sin, death, and the spiritual rulers and authorities (Colossians 2:15).
Believers, like Israel, face spiritual opposition that often seems insurmountable. Yet the pattern remains: God wins decisive victories through those who trust in Him. The defeat of post-Flood giants prefigures the final crushing of all rebellion when Christ returns.
Conclusion
The giants’ reappearance after the Flood highlights the persistence of spiritual rebellion in the biblical story. Whether through supernatural reoccurrence or historical survival, their presence in the promised land posed both a physical and a spiritual challenge to God’s people. Israel’s victories over them were tangible expressions of God’s supremacy over the forces opposed to His kingdom.
For Christians, these accounts are not mere ancient history but living illustrations of God’s power to defeat the seemingly unbeatable. The same God who empowered His people to stand against the Anakim and Goliath strengthens believers today to resist every spiritual giant, confident in the triumph secured by Christ.
Bible Verses about Giants after the Flood
Genesis 6:4 – “The Nephilim were on the earth both in those days and afterward, when the sons of God came to the daughters of mankind, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men of old, the famous men.”
Numbers 13:33 – “We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim. To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them.”
Deuteronomy 2:10–11 – “The Emim, a great and numerous people, as tall as the Anakim, had previously lived there. They were also regarded as Rephaim, like the Anakim, though the Moabites called them Emim.”
Deuteronomy 2:20–21 – “This too was regarded as the land of the Rephaim. The Rephaim had previously lived there, though the Ammonites called them Zamzummim, a great and numerous people, tall as the Anakim. The LORD destroyed the Rephaim at the advance of the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place.”
Deuteronomy 3:11 – “Only King Og of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. His bed was made of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the Ammonites? It is thirteen and a half feet long and six feet wide by a standard measure.”
Joshua 14:12 – “Now give me this hill country the LORD promised me on that day, because you heard then that the Anakim are there, as well as large fortified cities. Perhaps the LORD will be with me and I will drive them out as the LORD promised.”
1 Samuel 17:4 – “Then a champion named Goliath, from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was nine feet, nine inches tall.”
1 Samuel 17:45 – “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel—you have defied him.’”
2 Samuel 21:20 – “At Gath there was another huge man who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He, too, was descended from the giant.”
2 Samuel 21:22 – “These four were descended from the giant in Gath and were killed by David and his soldiers.”
