This page was last updated on 16 July, 2015.
Nephlim
Ancient Hebrew had no vowels, only consonants.
The suffix "im" is how Hebrew writes plural. In the most ancient spelling that suffix was "m" (no i/vowel)
Singular of ne-
The most ancient spelling of ne-
The most ancient spelling of naphal is n-
So sometimes it's argued nephlim is a 'modern' plural of the most ancient form of the word napal which means to fall.
That's the reason nephilim is quite often translated as "fallen ones", "the fallen", and similar.
Num 13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants
First giants: ne-
Second giants: ne-
So it can be reasoned the above verse can be translated in two ways:
a] Num 13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants
b] Num 13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the fallen ones
There is a grammatical problem with translation b].
While "to fall" is a possible translation for ne-
Let's take "to pray" as an example.
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The word "pray" morphs according to English grammar rules.
The last two examples are important for this discussion.
According to English grammar rules "The pray ones" is not correct and should be "The praying ones"
Similar rules apply to Hebrew. "Fallen ones" would be spelled as "nephulim"
Note the "u" instead of the "i".
So both occurrences of giant in Numbers 13:33 comply with the above grammar rule.
The first occurrence of giants complies with another grammar rule.
Only nephilim would be an adjective form of n-
Let's look at the complete verse.
Num 13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
A regular human looks like a tiny grasshopper in the sight of a giant. But what would that comparison mean if the verse was translated as "fallen ones"?
That we are less or more fallen? That makes no sense...
Adding a little more context. The spies report the Nephlim are huge and (therefore) too strong to defeat. Just taking a look at regular sized humans doesn't show their fallen (spiritual) state. Great stature also is about size.
Num 13
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched to the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eats up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
1 Enoch 15:1-
Jubilees 29:9 But formerly the land of Gilead was called “the land of Raphaim” because it was the land of the Raphaim. And the Raphaim were born as giants whose height was ten cubits, nine cubits, eight cubits, or down to seven cubits.
2Sam 5:18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
H7497
Rephaim
רפה / רפא
râphâ' / râphâh
BDB Definition:
1) giants, Rephaim
1a) old tribe of giants
Part of Speech: noun proper, of tribe, gentilic
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H7495 in the sense of invigorating
Same Word by TWOT Number: 2198d
Job 26
5 The shades/dead/spirits in the underworld are shaking; the waters and those living in them.
6 The underworld is uncovered before him, and Destruction has no veil.
Psalm 8:10 10 Will thou show wonders to the shades/dead/spirits? Shall those who are deceased arise and praise thee? Selah. (Did Jesus preach to the Rephaim?)
Isa 14:9 Sheol from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the shades/dead/spirits for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
H7496
We also learn that these beings came down ―in the days of Jared and descended to Mount Hermon. The name Hermon (pronounced khermon in Hebrew), is formed from the Hebrew term kherem, which is a word that means ―destruction and is the Hebrew equivalent for Islam‘s jihad—―holy war.
these sites were all predominantly populated by descendants of the nephilim, the offspring of the unions of Genesis 6:1-
Leviticus 27:28-
The idea of kherem was that everything designated as put under kherem was to be treated as a sacrifice to Yahweh—to be utterly destroyed and burned.
The most ancient non consonant spelling of kherem is kh-
Geographical names usually have a "n" prefix.
kh-
Dead
רפא
râphâ'
BDB Definition:
1) ghosts of the dead, shades, spirits
Part of Speech: noun masculine plural
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H7495 in the sense of H7503
Same Word by TWOT Number: 2198c
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Rephaim lived in Ashtaroh and Edrei. Those cities are located in the Bashan region which in Ugaritic is called Bathan. Bathan in Ugaratic and Hebrew means “serpent”.
Bashan was commonly known as place of the serpent. In Ugaric literature that Raphaim are called kings and gods. The most ancient Hebrew had only constonants and spelled kings as mlkm. In Ugarit mlkm had the meaning of Milkom=Molech.
The mlkm were considered gods of the underworld. (Hades is the Greek god of the underworld. Hivites in the oldest spelling also has a meaning similar to snake.
Gehenna=Ge-
Joshua 15:8 shows the land of the Rephaim overlaps Gehenna.
The Valley of the Rephaim lies between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Its northern end opens into the Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna), which is immediately south of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 47
1 Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate.
5 Sit in silence, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for you shall no more be called the mistress of kingdoms.
8 Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, "I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children.
No one besides God simply means no one is as great as God. Just like the cities in the verses claim to be the only ones while they most certainly knew there were many cities. They just claimed to be the most glorious cities.
Zephaniah 2:15 This is the exultant city that lived securely, that said in her heart, "I am, and there is no one else." What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild beasts! Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.
List of Giants
Descendants of Anak (not all were giants)
Locations were the giants lived
Names of giants
Strange flesh
Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
It’s often assumed ‘strange flesh’ is homosexuality. But if homosexuality is something it’s the same flesh. Not a woman-
Gays are after very similar flesh.
Strange flesh = heteros sarx
Homosexuality is usually described as ‘para physin’ , ‘contrary to nature’ Romans 1:26
The strange flesh is really strange. It’s not human at all. I know bestiality may fit that too, but that’s still earthly flesh. Anyway I think context shows it’s not about animals. If not about sex between man and animal, not about sex between humans; then the only option left is that between humans and something not of this earth. Angels.
That makes me wonder about Genesis 19.
Lot had angelic visitors v1.
The people wanted sex with them v4.
Were those angels look the same (small) like human males? Or were they giants?
Birth certificate |