Giants and Nephilim

All over the creationist websites one can easily find numerous mentions of the so called Nephilim. This is one of their favorite terms. Why? Cuz it sounds so darn cool. Also, because of its undetermined meaning. It if often translated "GIANTS". Yep, giants. Oh boy. The Bible mentions giants. It really does. The most famous "giant" was Goliath of Gath. He's the huge man who was killed by King David. It is erroneously repeated that he was killed by a stone slung by a slingshot, but that isn't what killed him. The stone stunned him. What killed him was David beheaded him.

This painting is about to get it right. Except the shield is in the way.

The Bible says that Goliath was over 9 feet tall. Although some traditions put him at a more pedestrian 6'8". Which is still pretty big. Irregardless he is described as huge, and a lot bigger and more fully armed than David. It is an example of God using a "weaker" vessel to slay an apparently superior foe. This would have resonated with ancient Israel. In fact it resonates with all humans to this day as a metaphor for overcoming huge odds.

So was Goliath a Nephilim? No. He was an Anakim, or Anakite. The Nephilim lived BEFORE the flood.

Now it is a fact that NEPHILIM can be translated as giants. That's true. But I think it refers to all gigantic living things. Not just people. In fact I think this refers to dinosaurs, and other large pre-flood creatures (including huge humans).

Here is EVERY SINGLE reference to Nephilim in the Bible. All TWO of them:

Genesis 6:4
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

Numbers 13:33
We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

Yes, I believe that the Nephilim were huge creatures that lived before the flood and enjoyed extended life and increased growth. Post flood there were giants, but I believe they were abnormal and mutated people. One of them is mentioned to have had 6 fingers and 6 toes. This implies genetic mutation. The Bible refers to some of these people as Rephaim. There is a King named Og of Bashan who is said to have had a huge bed, implying he was nearly 9 feet tall.

But back to that Nephilim as dinosaurs notion. I have heard no one say that but me, and yet it makes perfect sense. In fact in the scripture above, Genesis 6:4, replace "Nephilim" with "Dinosaurs" and see that it reads just fine.

Thought provoking stuff eh?