Who Were the Nephilim?

Who Were the Nephilim?

This discussion invites participants to explore the origins and purpose of the Nephilim, drawing from biblical references and various interpretations. It encourages reflection on how these mysterious figures fit into the broader context of Scripture.

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The Nephilim are a mysterious and intriguing group mentioned in the Bible, often sparking questions and discussions. Genesis 6:4 states, “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.” This verse opens the door to various interpretations about who these figures were and what role they played in biblical history.

What do you think about the origins and purpose of the Nephilim? How should we understand their mention in Scripture?

For those interested in diving deeper into this topic, check out this article:

Rational answer: Like virtually all of Genesis, the myth of the Nephilim reflects some ancient historical memory borrowed from some culture that predated the authors of Genesis by many thousands of years.

Many of the Genesis themes, including the Nephilim, are found in the Sumerian/Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh himself may have served as a model for the Nephilim.

A wonderful description I found says that the Bible “demythologizes, historicizes,and moralizes the literature it inherited from its cultural context in the Ancient Near East." Ancient myths become history in a literalist interpretation of Genesis.

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I agree with @Bingo
The ancient Middle East inhabitants borrowed legends and analogies from each other.

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