Ever read something in the Bible that just makes you stop and say, "Wait, what?" I get that feeling every time I stumble upon Genesis 6:4: "The Nefilim 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. These were the heroes of old, men of renown."
Nefilim? Heroes of old? It sounds like something straight out of a fantasy novel! So, who were these giants, and what does it all mean? Let's dive into what the ancient rabbis had to say about it, drawing from the rich wellspring of Bereshit Rabbah, a classical collection of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Genesis.
The verse states, "The giants were on the earth in those days." But it doesn't just leave it there. It gives them a whole bunch of names: Eimim, Refa’im, Giborim, Zamzumim, Anakim, Avim, and, of course, Nefilim. It’s like a roll call of legendary figures! Each name, according to the rabbis, hints at something unique about them.
For example, the Eimim. The text explains that just seeing them would inspire fear – eimatan – in people. Makes sense, right? And the Refa’im? Apparently, seeing them would make your heart go soft – rafeh – like wax. You can almost picture it, can't you?
Then there are the Giborim, which simply means "mighty men." But Rabbi Abba bar Kahana, quoting Rabbi Yoḥanan, takes it to another level. He says that the marrow of the femur of one of these guys measured eighteen cubits! That's one big bone!
The Zamzumim, Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina tells us, were intimidating military commanders, always mezumanim – ready – for battle. The Anakim are described in two ways: either they wore so many necklaces – anakim – that it showed off their wealth, or, in a wilder interpretation from Rabbi Aḥa, they were so arrogant that they wore the sun like a necklace, telling it to move aside so the rain could fall on them. Talk about hubris!
And the Avim? They brought annihilation – ava – upon the world and were themselves annihilated. Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon even suggests they were as expert in soil as snakes, which in Galilee were called avya.
Finally, the infamous Nefilim. The text says they caused the world to topple – hipilu – and filled it with stillborns – nefalim – because of their immorality. It paints a pretty grim picture.
So, what caused all this? "And also thereafter," the verse continues, "when the children of the great ones consorted with the daughters of man." Rabbi Berekhya offers a rather colorful image: women would go to the marketplace, see a young man they fancied, and then... well, you can imagine. The result? Children who looked just like their fathers, these "men of renown."
But Rabbi Aḥa has a problem with that "men of renown" bit. He points out that Job says the wicked are "people without name" (Job 30:8). So, how can these giants be both? His answer: they brought desolation – hishimu – to the world, were annihilated – hushamu – from the world, and caused the world to become desolate – yishom. Their "renown" was a legacy of destruction.
Rabbi Levi, quoting Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, goes even further. He suggests that the names of the descendants of Cain – Irad, Meḥuyael, Metushael, Lemekh – are actually expressions of rebellion. Irad means "I will expel them," Meḥuyael means "I will eradicate them," and Metushael means "I will uproot them." Even Lemekh's name is interpreted as "What do I have to do with you and his offspring?" It's a whole family tree of defiance!
Rabbi Yoḥanan even suggests that the Book of Job exists primarily to detail the deeds of the generation of the Flood. That's how significant their actions were considered. And Rabbi Aḥa, in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, equates contention with the generation of the Flood, drawing a parallel between the "men of renown" in Genesis and the "men of renown" involved in Korah's rebellion (Numbers 16:2).
What does all this tell us? It seems that the story of the Nefilim isn't just a fantastical tale of giants and mythical beings. It's a cautionary story about the consequences of unchecked power, moral decay, and rebellion against the divine. It's about a world that has become so corrupt that it ultimately destroys itself.
And perhaps, just perhaps, it's a reminder that even "men of renown" can leave behind a legacy of desolation if their actions are not guided by justice and righteousness. Something to think about, isn't it?