Nephilim* — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Early group of the human race, mentioned only twice in the OT (Gn 6:4; Nm 13:33; NLT mg). The Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Septuagint) rendered the name “Nephilim” as “giants,” and other versions followed this rendering, including the KJB. Modern translations, however, usually designate them as Nephilim, thus identifying them with the Anakim (Nm 13:33; Dt 2:21) and the Rephaim (Dt 2:20). The latter two were reputed to be large physically, hence the rendering “giants.”

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.

Show passage in OET: DEU 2:21

OET-RV DEU 2:21

21 They were as numerous, and as tall and strong as the Anakim, but Yahweh destroyed them in advance of the Anakim who then dispossessed them and lived in their place.

OET-LV DEU 2:21

21 A _people great and_numerous and_lofty like_ˊAnāqī and_he_destroyed _them YHWH from_their_face/front and_they_dispossessed _them and_they _lived in_place _of _them.

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.

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Jump to OET NUM 13:33 section.

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The Nephilim are of unknown origin. Some writers have taken the Hebrew verb naphal, “to fall,” to imply that the Nephilim were “fallen ones”—that is, fallen angels who subsequently mated with human women. But Christ taught that angels do not have carnal relationships (Lk 20:34-35), and therefore this view can only be maintained by assuming that Genesis 6:1-4 reflects Greek mythology, in which such unions occurred. The Genesis passage, however, deals with anthropology, not mythology.

Show passage in OET: LUK 20:34–35

OET-RV LUK 20:34

34 Yeshua answered them, “This generation get engaged and married,

OET-RV LUK 20:35

35 but in the next age, those who are considered worthy to be brought back to life from the dead won’t get engaged or marry,

OET-LV LUK 20:34

34 And the Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) said to _them:
The sons the this of _age are _marrying and are _being _betrothed,

OET-LV LUK 20:35

35 but the ones having _been _considered _worthy that of_ the _age, to _obtain and of _the resurrection which is from the_dead, are_ neither _marrying nor are _being _betrothed,

Show passage in OET: GEN 6:1–4

OET-RV GEN 6:1

6 When people began to multiply on the earth’s surface, and they were having daughters,

OET-RV GEN 6:2

2 God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives.

OET-RV GEN 6:3

3 Then Yahweh said, “My Spirit won’t tolerate people forever, because they are physical beings, therefore their remaining time will be 120 years.”

OET-RV GEN 6:4

OET-LV GEN 6:1

6 And_he/it _was if/because the_humankind it _began to_increase _in _number on the _surface _of the_soil and_daughters they _were _born to/for_them.

OET-LV GEN 6:2

2 And_ the _sons _of the_ʼElohīm _they _saw DOM the _daughters _of the_humankind if/because _that were_good they and_they _took to/for_them wives from_all whom they _chose.

OET-LV GEN 6:3

3 And_ YHWH _he/it _said not my_breath/wind/spirit it _will _remain in/on _the_humankind to_vanishing _point in/on_that_also he is_flesh and_they _will _be his/its_days one _hundred and_twenty year[s].

OET-LV GEN 6:4

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The Nephilim were evidently not the “sons of God” and seem to be different also from the “daughters of men.” The best classification is with the Anakim and Rephaim as ancient peoples of unknown origin.