Who Were the Nephilim?
A Biblical and Theological Examination of Genesis 6 and Related Texts
I. Introduction: The Mystery of the Nephilim
Among the most cryptic and controversial passages in the Old Testament is Genesis 6:1–4, which introduces the Nephilim, a group described as “giants” and “mighty men of old.” Their brief appearance in Scripture, combined with later references in Numbers and Deuteronomy, has generated widespread speculation.
The identity of the Nephilim, and particularly of the “sons of God” in Genesis 6:2, has profound theological implications. These questions touch on angelology, demonic activity, human corruption, and the pre-flood conditions that led to God’s global judgment.
II. The Biblical Account: Genesis 6:1–4
“Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,
that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
And the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.’
There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.”
— Genesis 6:1–4, New King James Version
This passage introduces two distinct groups:
The sons of God (bene ha’elohim)
The daughters of men
Their union results in offspring referred to as “giants” (Hebrew: Nephilim) and described as “mighty men who were of old, men of renown.”
III. The Identity of the “Sons of God”
A. The Fallen Angel View (Traditional View)
One of the most historically held views is that the “sons of God” were fallen angels who took on human form or possessed human men and cohabited with women, producing a hybrid offspring—the Nephilim.
This interpretation is supported by:
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?”
In both verses, “sons of God” clearly refers to angelic beings, not humans.
Further support comes from Jude 1:6–7:
“And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
as Sodom and Gomorrah… having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh…”
And 2 Peter 2:4:
“For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment…”
These passages imply a specific class of angels who sinned in an especially grievous way—most likely referring to the incident in Genesis 6, resulting in their immediate confinement and awaiting final judgment.
Theological significance:
This view upholds a supernatural reading of the text, explains the magnitude of wickedness before the flood (Genesis 6:5–7), and supports the idea that Satan and his angels were actively seeking to corrupt the human seedline, possibly in an attempt to prevent the coming Messiah, as promised in Genesis 3:15.
B. The Possessed-Men View (Modified Supernatural View)
This view maintains that the "sons of God" were demonic spirits who possessed human males, who then took wives and produced corrupted offspring. This interpretation allows for angelic involvement without requiring that angels have reproductive capability.
While this explanation avoids some of the biological concerns, it suffers from lack of textual support, as Genesis 6 does not reference possession or demonic influence—it speaks plainly of marriage and offspring. Moreover, Scripture elsewhere affirms that angels are capable of taking on human form (cf. Genesis 19:1–5; Hebrews 13:2), removing the need for the possession hypothesis.
C. The Sethite View (Human Lineage Interpretation)
Another common view is that the “sons of God” were the godly descendants of Seth, and the “daughters of men” were the ungodly descendants of Cain. According to this theory, the Nephilim were simply powerful men or tyrants, not supernatural hybrids.
Objections to this view include:
The phrase “sons of God” is never used in the Old Testament to refer to Seth’s line.
It does not explain the emergence of giants or why the result of this union would provoke a global judgment.
It lacks internal coherence with the severe language of Genesis 6:5:
“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
While the Sethite view preserves naturalism, it fails to account for the supernatural intrusion that the biblical text and other supporting passages suggest.
IV. Who Were the Nephilim?
The term Nephilim is derived from the Hebrew root npl, meaning “to fall.” Thus, “Nephilim” can be rendered “fallen ones.”
A. Description in Genesis 6:4
“There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.”
— Genesis 6:4, NKJV
The Nephilim were:
Physical giants
Warrior-like figures, famous in ancient times
Products of a unique union between heavenly and earthly beings
B. Post-Flood Nephilim and the Anakim
Though the Genesis flood destroyed the pre-flood Nephilim, similar giant clans appear after the flood, notably the Anakim, Rephaim, and others.
Numbers 13:33 –
“There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
Deuteronomy 9:1–2 –
“Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today… a people great and tall, the descendants of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the descendants of Anak?’”
Deuteronomy 3:11 –
“For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants. Indeed his bedstead was an iron bedstead... nine cubits in length and four cubits in width.”
Some propose that fallen angels may have repeated their rebellion after the flood, though this is speculative. It is more likely that genetic corruption survived through the wives of Noah’s sons, allowing for isolated reappearances of giant lineages.
V. Misinterpretations and Popular Myths
A. The Book of Enoch and Apocryphal Literature
The Book of Enoch, a non-canonical Jewish text, elaborates on the Nephilim and “Watchers.” While it may preserve ancient oral traditions, it is not inspired and contains doctrinal errors, including angelic redemption and mystical visions. The book may be referenced in Jude 1:14–15 but is not authoritative.
B. Modern Fantasies: Aliens, Rock Monsters, and Movies
Hollywood and pseudoarchaeology have added layers of science fiction and mythology:
The film Noah (2014) portrayed the Nephilim as rock-encased fallen angels.
Others speculate they were aliens, Watchers, or Atlantean hybrids.
These views are unbiblical and speculative. Scripture teaches that the Nephilim were real, physical beings—giants, not celestial spirits or extraterrestrial entities.
VI. Conclusion: What We Can Know with Certainty
While Genesis 6:1–4 is shrouded in mystery, several conclusions can be made:
The Nephilim were real, physical beings—giants who lived before the flood and perhaps reappeared afterward in limited form.
The most biblically supported view is that the sons of God were fallen angels who committed a unique rebellion and were judged (Jude 1:6–7; 2 Peter 2:4).
These unions contributed to the corruption of the human race, prompting God’s judgment via the global flood.
Post-flood giants like the Anakim and Rephaim were eventually destroyed by Israel under divine command.
Popular myths, apocryphal writings, and modern media distort the biblical record and should not be relied upon.
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever...”
— Deuteronomy 29:29, New King James Version
