So Who Were the Nephilim? Common Explanations

If you haven't heard the term before, you might be wondering 'who or what are the Nephilim'? Here we present some of the basic answers to these common questions:

1) Uses of the term 'Nephilim'

The term Nephilim is found principally in the Hebrew Bible, though there are some appearances of the term in other Jewish writings. While the figure of Goliath (from the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel) is not specifically referred to as a Nephilim in the Hebrew Bible, there are many that believe he was one.

2) Possible meanings of the word

Due to the difficulty in translating historical writings, there is a lot of debate about what the word Nephilim meant to those writing the Hebrew Bible. Some say that the word means something like 'those who cause others to fall', which could be a reference to feeling despair when seeing them. Other say that the word is a more generic, and simply means Nephilim giants, as in very large in stature (which strengthens the idea that Goliath was one). Still others argue that the word refers to those who are unnaturally fierce and strong.

3) Theories of the origins of the Nephilim

The theories among religious scholars as to the origins of the Nephilim fall into three main camps. They are as follows:

* The theory that they are result of interbreeding between those who are descended from Cain, and those who are descended from Seth;

* The theory that they are the result of interbreeding between human women and ,Nephilim angels, and

* The theory that they are not historical creatures at all.

Of these, it is the second theory (that the Nephilim were the offspring of heavenly beings - angels - and human women) that is the most popular. This is supported by the Targum Jonathan (N.B. A 'targum' is an Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible written over a thousand years ago), which explicitly states that the Nephilim were so named because they are the descendants of angels who have fallen from grace.