Giants — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

English translation of four different Hebrew words. One of these words occurs in Job 16:14, where the Hebrew word is translated “warrior” in the rsv, and “giant” in the KJB. Another Hebrew word is translated “giants” in the NLT and “Nephilim” (a transliteration of the Hebrew) in the rsv (Gn 6:4; Nm 13:33). The original meaning of this Hebrew term is unknown, but it seems to be used of a group or race of people. Since none of the terms translated “giants” has that actual meaning, we cannot be sure that the Nephilim were of unusual physical stature.

Show passage in OET: JOB 16:14

OET-RV JOB 16:14

14 He keeps breaking through my protective walls.
⇔ ≈ He charges against me like a warrior.

OET-LV JOB 16:14

14 He_breaks _through _me a _breach on the_face _of a _breach he _runs on_me like_a _warrior.

Show passage in OET: GEN 6:4

OET-RV GEN 6:4

4 The NEFILIM were on the earth in those days and also after that, when the sons of God went to the daughters of humankind and they bore children for them. INVESTIGATE They were the mighty warriors of long ago—those famous men.

OET-LV GEN 6:4

4 The_Nefilim/Nephilim they _were in/on _the_earth in _the_days those and_also after thus when the _sons _of the_ʼElohīm they _went into the _daughters _of the_humankind and_they _gave _birth to/for_them they the_powerful/mighty(pl) who from_long _ago/eternity the _men _of the_name.

Show passage in OET: NUM 13:33

OET-RV NUM 13:33

33 plus we saw the Nefilim (descendants of Anak), and we felt as small as grasshoppers compared to them, and that’s how they saw us as well.”

OET-LV NUM 13:33

33 And_there we _saw DOM the_Nephilim the_descendants _of ˊĀnāq were_from the_Nefilim/Nephilim and_we _were in_our _own _of_eyes like_grasshoppers and_thus/so/as _follows we _were in_eyes _of_their.

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Jump to OET GEN 6:4 section.

Jump to OET NUM 13:33 section.

In several passages the KJB translates “giants” and the rsv translates “Rephaim” (e.g., Dt 2:20; 3:11; Jos 12:4). That word, usually in plural form, refers to several tribes of people who inhabited Palestine and who may have been unusually large in physical size. They included the Anakim of Judah’s coastal area and hill country around Hebron (Dt 2:11), the Emim of Moab (v 10), the Zamzummim of Ammon (v 20), and the inhabitants of Bashan (3:11). The word also appears in Joshua (Jos 12:4; 13:12; 15:8; 17:15; 18:16). Some interpreters have suggested that these people were the original inhabitants of Palestine who were distinct tribes of tall people and who were eventually conquered and absorbed by the Canaanites, Philistines, Hebrews, and other invading peoples. Other interpreters contend that they were not distinct racial tribes but were individuals of great stature, perhaps the result of disease, who were found among the various races and tribes of Palestine. Neither contention can be established with certainty. Another Hebrew term is translated “giant” in both the KJB and NLT (2 Sm 21:16-22; 1 Chr 20:4-8).

Show passage in OET: DEU 2:20

OET-RV DEU 2:20

20 (Also, it’s regarded as the land of the Refaim, who the Amonim call the Zamzumim, who lived there in the past.

OET-LV DEU 2:20

20 The _land _of the_Rəfāʼīm also it it _was _regarded the_Rəfāʼīm they _dwelt in_it formerly_before and_the_ˊAmmōnī they _called to/for_them Zamzom.

Show passage in OET: DEU 3:11

OET-RV DEU 3:11

11 (Bashan’s King Og was the last king who was a descendant of the Refaim. His bed (in Rabah in the Amoni region) was made out of iron and was four metres long and two metres wide.)

OET-LV DEU 3:11

11 If/because only ˊŌg the _king _of (the)_Bāshān he _survived from_the _remnant _of the _Rəfāʼīm THERE sarcophagus _of_his was_a _sarcophagus _of iron not is_it in_Rabāh of _the _people _of of _ˊAmmōn was_nine cubits length _of_its and_four cubits breadth _of_its by_a _cubit _of a _human.

Show passage in OET: JOS 12:4

OET-RV JOS 12:4

4 The Israelis also defeated King Og from Bashan, one of the few remaining Refaim, who lived in Ashtarot and at Edre’i,

OET-LV JOS 12:4

4 And_the _territory _of ˊŌg the _king _of (the)_Bāshān one_of _the _remnant _of the _Rəfāʼīm who_was_dwelling in_ˊAshtārōt and_in_ʼEdreˊī.

Show passage in OET: DEU 2:11

OET-RV DEU 2:11

11 People also call both the Emim and the Anakim, Refaim but the people of Moav (Moab) call them Emim.

OET-LV DEU 2:11

11 Rəfāʼīm also they they _were _regarded like_ˊAnāqī and_the_Mōʼāⱱites they _called to/for_them ʼĒymīm.

Show passage in OET: DEU 2:10

OET-RV DEU 2:10

10 (The Emim had lived their previously—there were many of them, and they were tall and strong like the Anakim.

OET-LV DEU 2:10

10 The_ʼĒymīm formerly_before they _dwelt in_it a _people great and_numerous and_lofty like_ˊAnāqī.

Show passage in OET: JOS 13:12

OET-RV JOS 13:12

12 all the kingdom of Og in the Bashan, who reigned in Ashtarot and in Edre’i (what remained from the remnant of the Refaim). Mosheh had attacked them and captured their lands.

OET-LV JOS 13:12

12 All _of the _kingdom _of ˊŌg in_Bāshān who he _reigned in_ˊAshtārōt and_in_ʼEdreˊī he he _was _left of_the _remnant _of of_the _Rəfāʼīm and_he_had _defeated _them Mosheh and_he_had _dispossessed _them.

Show passage in OET: JOS 15:8

OET-RV JOS 15:8

8 From there the border went up the valley of Ben Hinom to the edge of the Yevusi region from the south (that is Yerushalem (Jerusalem)). Then the border went to the head of the hill opposite the Hinom valley to the west, which is at the end of the valley of the Refaim to the north.

OET-LV JOS 15:8

8 And_ the_border _he/it _would _go _up the _valley _of _Ben Hinnom the _valley _of _Ben to the _slope _of the_Yəⱱūşī from_the_south that is_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) and_ the_border _he/it _would _go _up to the _top _of the _mountain which is_on the _face _of the _valley _of_Ben westward_on which is_at_the _end _of the _valley _of Rəfāʼīm northward_to.

Show passage in OET: JOS 17:15

OET-RV JOS 17:15

15 “If there’s so many of you,” Yehoshua answered, “and if Efrayim’s hill-country is too small for you, go into the forested area of the Perizim and the Refaim and clear some land for yourselves there.”

OET-LV JOS 17:15

15 And_he/it _said to_them Yəhōshūˊa if are_a _people numerous you go _up to/for_yourself(m) to_the_forest and_you _will _cut_it_down to/for_yourself(m) there in_land of_the _Pərizzī[s] and_the_Rəfāʼīm if/because it _is _narrow to/for_yourself(m) the _hill _country _of ʼEfrayim.

Show passage in OET: JOS 18:16

OET-RV JOS 18:16

16 then downhill to the Ben -Hinom valley (in the valley of the Refaim to the north) then downhill to Hinom valley to the edge of the Yevusim and downhill to Eyn -Rogel.

OET-LV JOS 18:16

16 And_ the_border _it _goes _down to the _end _of the _mountain which is_on the _face _of the _valley _of _Ben Hinnom the _valley _of _Ben which is_in_the _valley _of Rəfāʼīm northward_at and_it _goes _down the _valley _of_Ben Hinnom to the _slope _of the_Yəⱱūşī south_to_the and_it _goes _down ˊĒyn Rogel.

Show passage in OET: SA2 21:16–22

OET-RV SA2 21:16

16 The Pelishtim had a champion named Yishbi-Benov who was a descendant of giants. He wore new armour and his bronze spear weighed over three kilograms. He intended to kill David

OET-RV SA2 21:17

17 but Tseruyah’s son Avishay helped David, and he struck the Pelishti and killed him. Then, David’s men made a decision, saying, “You won’t go out to battle with us anymore because we don’t want Yisrael’s lamp to be extinguished.”

OET-RV SA2 21:18

18 Some time after that, there was another battle with the Pelishtim at Gov, and Sibkay (the Hushati) killed Saf who was another descendant of the giants.

OET-RV SA2 21:19

19 Then in another battle with the Pelishtim at Gov, Elhanan (son of Ya’are-Oregim, from Beyt -Lehem (Bethlehem)) killed Galyat (Goliath) the Giti even though his spear handle was like a weaver’s beam.

OET-RV SA2 21:20

20 In a different battle in Gat, there was a fierce man there with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot who was also a descendant of the giants,

OET-RV SA2 21:21

21 but when he taunted Yisrael, Yonatan (Jonathan) (son of David’s brother Shimeah) killed him.

OET-RV SA2 21:22

22 Those four men were descendants of the giants in Gat, but they were killed by David and his men.

OET-LV SA2 21:16

16 And benob who was_among_those _born _of the _Raphah and_the _weight _of his _spear _of_his was_three hundred(s) the_weight _of bronze and_he was_girded a _new_weapon and_he/it _said to_strike _down DOM Dāvid.

OET-LV SA2 21:17

17 And_he _helped to_him/it ʼAⱱīshay the _son _of Tsərū^yāh/(Zeruiah) and_he _struck DOM the_Philistine and_he_killed _him then the _men _of Dāvid they _swore to_him/it to_say not you _will _go _out again with_us for_battle and_not you _will _extinguish DOM the _lamp _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

OET-LV SA2 21:18

18 And_he/it _was after thus and_it _became again (the)_battle at_Goⱱ with the_Pəlishtiy then Şibkay the_Ḩushātī he _struck _down DOM Şaf who was_among_those _born _of the _Raphah.

OET-LV SA2 21:19

19 And_it _became again (the)_battle at_Goⱱ with the_Pəlishtiy and_he _struck _down ʼElḩānān the _son _of Jaare- Oregim the _Bēyt- lehemite DOM Golyat the_Gittiy and_tree his _spear _of_his was_like_a _beam _of weavers.

OET-LV SA2 21:20

20 And_it _became again a _battle at_Gat and_he/it _was a _man _of strife and_the _fingers _of his _hands _of_his and_the _toes _of his _feet _of_his were_six and_six twenty and_four number and_also he he _was _born to_the_Raphah.

OET-LV SA2 21:21

21 And_he _taunted DOM Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_he_struck _him _down Yōnātān/(Yəhōnātān/(Jonathan)) the _son _of Shimeah the _brother _of Dāvid.

OET-LV SA2 21:22

22 DOM four _of these they _were _born to_the_Raphah in_Gat and_they _fell by_the _hand _of Dāvid and_by_the _hand _of his _servants _of_his.

Show passage in OET: CH1 20:4–8

OET-RV CH1 20:4

4 Some time later, war broke out with the Pelishtim at Gezer, then Sibkay the Hushati struck down Sipay, from the descendants of the Refaim, and they were subdued.

OET-RV CH1 20:5

5 Then there was another battle with the Pelishtim, and Yair’s son Elhanan killed Lahmi the brother of Galyat (Goliath) the Giti (that is, from Gat), even though his spear shaft was as thick as the beam of a weaver’s loom.

OET-RV CH1 20:6

6 There was also war at Gat, where there was a very tall man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, who was also a descendant of Rafa.

OET-RV CH1 20:7

7 When he insulted Yisrael (Israel), Shimea’s son Yonatan (Jonathan) killed him. (Shimea was one of David’s older brothers.)

OET-RV CH1 20:8

8 Those were the descendants of Rafa from Gat who were killed by David and his men.

OET-LV CH1 20:4

4 And_he/it _was afterwards so and_ a _battle _it _arose at_Gezer with the_Pəlishtiy then Şibkay the_Ḩushātī he _struck _down DOM Şipay one_of _those _born _of the _Rəfāʼīm and_they _were _subdued.

OET-LV CH1 20:5

5 And_it _became again a _battle with the_Pəlishtiy and_he _struck _down ʼElḩānān the _son _of Yāʼīr/(Jair) DOM Laḩmī the _brother _of Golyat the_Gittiy and_tree his _spear _of_his was_like_a _beam _of weavers.

OET-LV CH1 20:6

6 And_it _became again a _battle at_Gat and_he/it _was a _man _of stature and_digits _of_his were_six and_six twenty and_four and_also he he _was _born to_the_Rapha.

OET-LV CH1 20:7

7 And_he _taunted DOM Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_he_struck _him _down Yōnātān/(Yəhōnātān/(Jonathan)) the _son _of Shimˊāʼ the _brother _of Dāvid.

OET-LV CH1 20:8

8 These they _were _born to_the_Rapha in_Gat and_they _fell by_the _hand _of Dāvid and_by_the _hand _of his _servants _of_his.

Jump to OET DEU 2:20 section.

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Jump to OET JOS 12:4 section.

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Jump to OET DEU 2:10 section.

Jump to OET JOS 13:12 section.

Jump to OET JOS 15:8 section.

Jump to OET JOS 17:15 section.

Jump to OET JOS 18:16 section.

Jump to OET SA2 21:16–22 section.

Jump to OET CH1 20:4–8 section.

Perhaps the most famous giant in biblical literature is Goliath of Gath, the Philistine soldier who challenged King Saul’s army at the valley of Elah and caused them to be dismayed and afraid (1 Sm 17). He is said to have been six cubits and a span tall, which has been variously interpreted as being between seven and a half and nine and a half feet (2.3 to 2.9 meters). David’s defeat of Goliath brought the youth prominence in Israel (18:5-7). Goliath is not referred to in the text as a “giant,” but his height marks him as one of gigantic size. King Og of Bashan was another unusually tall person (Dt 3:11).