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A close study of the Hebrew of Genesis chapter 6, Numbers 13 v
33, Job chapter 1 and chapter 38 throws light on the problem of
who were the nephilim and the sons of God?
Nephilim is a pleural noun meaning " giants" . The word
can mean fallen ones in the sense of being slain, or ones miscarried
in an untimely birth as in Job chapter 3 . It can also mean a marvel
or a monster. It comes from a root which is a verb "to fall" or
drop, as happens in birth., and death. Confusion over these beings
may have happened from not recognising which is noun and which
is verb.
Those who have wanted to make it something supernatural, or beings
from another planet, have chosen to make it so. As often happens,
too much has been made from too little, leading to mythology.
The nephilim were a race of tall people, possibly because of inbreeding,
who were still around at the time of the conquest of the land by
Israel, so either the flood did not kill them, or the genes were
in Noah or his family.
When, in Gen. 6 the sons of God bred with women they produced
heroes - possibly able to fight with the giants?!
It is interesting that the ancient Egyptians believed in a "first
time" when there were gods in their land, followed by a time
of god-men, followed by men who were kings who represented the
god, and made a link between earth and heaven.
Israel were called the sons of God in Exodus 4 v22 : which they
forgot the first time they came to enter the land and saw that
there were giants living in it.
It is interesting that a phrase is used in Gen. 6 " on the
face of the earth" where "hadamah" is used, as the
word used in the phrase " sons of men" is" hadam"
Making the origin of these people plain! They are from the earth.
But it says the nephilim were living in the land, " eretz" does
this mean THE land to be given to Israel ? They were there later.
And so it says in Gen .6 …" and after that."
Who were the wives of Noah and sons? Daughters of men as opposed
to the sons of God, who are named?
In Job chapters one and 38 this phrase " the sons of God" appears
again. This is a very old book – probably as old as Genesis.
In chapter one the sons of God present themselves before God – could
that be in the same way as all males were to present themselves
before God at Jerusalem three times a year for the festivals?
The text says nothing about this scene being in heaven.
This means the adversary is another human being – as is the
case often in scripture where "satan" is a person who
opposes. See, for instance, how Jesus spoke to Peter. But also
in the Aramaic versions in the temptation of Jesus it comes over
that he is wrestling with his inner self as an adversary. (see "The
Adversary" )
In the first two chapters of Job, the adversary could have organised
everything but the wind which kills Job’s children. This is
reasonable, as the taking of human life is God’s prerogative,
as the text makes clear.
The adversary could have been a man who was intensely jealous
of Job and his wealth and success. He could have put Job in contact
with some infectious disease and in his low and distressed state
he would easily catch it.
As to chapter 38 where the " morning stars sang together
and the sons of God shouted for joy" at the wonder of creation,
who is to say these were angels or men?
Again, it is interesting, that the ancient Egyptians saw the stars
as gods or important people.
next section : Studies in the book of Job
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