"The Nefilim were in 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." (Genesis 6:4)
Well, let me tell you about one… or, rather, what became of one. It’s a strange and unsettling tale from The Testament of Solomon, a really fascinating—if somewhat spooky—kind of demonic bestiary.
The story goes that King Solomon, known for his wisdom and, in this case, his magical abilities, captured a demon named Omasis (as we also see in the story of "The Vampire Demon"). By forcing Omasis to reveal the names of other spirits, Solomon was able to summon and interrogate them, one by one.
Imagine the scene: Solomon, in all his royal splendor, calling forth beings from the shadows. One particular spirit emerged, a shadowy figure with eyes that gleamed in the darkness.
"Who are you?" Solomon demanded.
And the spirit replied, "I am a lecherous spirit of a giant who died in a massacre in the age of giants."
A lecherous spirit! Can you imagine? This wasn’t just any old ghost; this was the lingering essence of a giant, one of the Nefilim, corrupted and twisted into something… else.
Solomon, unflinching, pressed on. "Where do you dwell?" he asked.
The spirit’s answer is chilling: "I live in inaccessible places. I seat myself near the dead in their tombs, and at midnight I assume the form of the dead. If I encounter anyone, I cause him to be possessed by a demon."
Think about that for a moment. This spirit, a remnant of a bygone age of giants (as explored further in "The Giants of Old," and in the story of "The Giant Og"), haunts tombs, mimicking the deceased, and preying on the living. It's a truly terrifying image.
Hearing this confession, King Solomon, as he did with all the other demons he summoned (The Testament of Solomon 17), imprisoned this lecherous spirit. Locked away, hopefully never to torment the living again.
It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What became of all those giants of old? Were they all reduced to malevolent spirits, lurking in the shadows, waiting to corrupt and possess? The story leaves us with a sense of unease, a glimpse into a dark corner of Jewish folklore where the echoes of a forgotten age still linger, reminding us of the monstrous potential that can arise from even the most legendary of beings.
What do you think? Is this just a scary story? Or a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power and the corruption of the soul?