What Does the Bible Say About Nephilim?
The Bible’s references to the Nephilim are brief but intriguing, sparking centuries of debate and interpretation. Found in Genesis 6:1–4 and Numbers 13:33, the Nephilim are described as “mighty men” and “men of renown,” yet their exact identity remains a mystery. Ancient Jewish literature, biblical interpretation, and theological reflection all contribute to different understandings of who the Nephilim were and what role they played in biblical history.
The Nephilim in Genesis 6
Genesis 6:1–4 describes a time when “the sons of God” came to human women and had children with them, producing the Nephilim. One common interpretation is that “sons of God” refers to angelic beings who took on human form and cohabited with women, resulting in an unusual and powerful hybrid race.
Support for this view comes from:
The Book of 1 Enoch — An ancient Jewish text expanding on Genesis, explicitly stating that heavenly beings produced offspring with human women.
The Hebrew word “Nephilim” — Possibly derived from nafal (“to fall”), interpreted by some as “fallen ones,” referring to fallen angels.
Ancient Israelite worldview — Many scholars note that supernatural beings interacting with humanity fits within the cosmology reflected in other ancient texts.
However, this interpretation is not universally accepted. Some understand “sons of God” as referring to human rulers or descendants of Seth marrying outside their covenant community.
Interpretive Challenges in the Bible’s Account
Several difficulties arise when interpreting the Nephilim passages:
The Nature of Angels — Matthew 22:30 suggests angels do not marry, leading some to reject the idea of angelic-human offspring.
Chronological Questions — Genesis 6 places the Nephilim before the flood, yet Numbers 13:33 describes them after the flood, raising questions about continuity.
Textual Ambiguity — The Bible’s sparse details leave room for multiple explanations.
These challenges explain why interpretations vary widely among biblical scholars.
Nephilim, Giants, and the Canaanite Context
Numbers 13:33 records Israelite spies describing the inhabitants of Canaan as giants, calling them descendants of the Nephilim. Some scholars suggest the spies exaggerated out of fear, while others see this as evidence that the Nephilim’s lineage persisted in some form. In either case, the association of the Nephilim with intimidating size and strength is consistent across biblical references.
This portrayal fits the biblical pattern of God’s people facing overwhelming opponents — situations that highlight God’s power to save rather than human strength.
Theological Significance of the Nephilim Narrative
Whether the Nephilim were supernatural hybrids, powerful rulers, or symbolic representations of human rebellion, their mention in the Bible serves a theological purpose: to illustrate the depth of human corruption before the flood and the need for divine judgment. In the larger story of Scripture, the Nephilim episodes remind readers of the cosmic dimensions of human sin and the certainty of God’s victory over evil.
For Christians, the ultimate answer to the threat of rebellion — whether angelic or human — is found in the Gospel, where Christ triumphs over every power and authority (Colossians 2:15).
Conclusion: What the Bible Teaches About Nephilim
The Bible’s brief references to the Nephilim invite curiosity but do not provide exhaustive answers. Ancient Jewish writings and modern scholarship offer possible explanations, yet the Scriptures themselves focus less on satisfying our historical curiosity and more on showing God’s holiness, judgment, and saving purposes. The story of the Nephilim ultimately points to the larger biblical truth that God will deal with all evil, and that His kingdom will be established in righteousness forever.
Bible Verses About Nephilim
Genesis 6:1–2, "When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose."
Genesis 6:3, "Then the Lord said, 'My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.'"
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."
Numbers 13:32, "So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, 'The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height.'"
Numbers 13:33, "And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them."
Job 1:6, "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them."
Job 38:7, "When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
Jude 1:6, "And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day."
2 Peter 2:4, "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment."
Colossians 2:15, "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."
