The Nephilim are the progeny of the fallen angels with the daughters of Adam (Gen 6) Nephilim, which means fallen ones (from naphal, to fall). What these beings were can be gathered only from Scripture. They were evidently great in size, as well as great in wickedness. They were superhuman, abnormal beings; and their destruction was necessary for the preservation of the human race, and for the faithfulness of God's Word (Gen 3: 15) This was why the Flood was brought "upon the world of the ungoldly" (2Pet. 2:5) as prophesied by Enoch (Jude 14).
But we read of the Nephilim again in Num 13:33 "there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, which come of the Nephilim". How could this be, if they were all destroyed in the Flood? The answer is contained in Gen 6:4, where we read: "There were Nephilim in the earth in those days (i.e. in the days of Noah); and also AFTER THAT, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men (Heb. gibbor, the heroes) which were of old, men of renown" (lit. men of the name, i.e. who got a name and were renowned for their ungodliness). So that, "after that", i.e. after the Flood, there was a second influx of these fallen angels, evidently smaller in number and more limited in area, for they were for the most part confined to Canaan, and were in fact known as "the nations of Canaan".
It was for the destruction of these, that the sword of Israel was necessary, as the Flood had been before. As to the date of this second group, it was evidently soon after it became known that the seed was to come through Abraham; for when he came out from Haran (Gen 12:6) and entered Canaan, the significant fact is stated: "The Canaanite was then (i.e. already) in the land." And in Gen 14:5 they were already known as "Rephaim" and "Emim", and had established themselves at Ashteroth Karnaim and Shaveh Kiriathaim.
In Gen 15:18-21, they are enumerated and named among Canaanite Peoples: "Kenites and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, and the Amorites, and the Girgashites and the Jebusites" (Gen 15:19-21; cp. Ex 3:8, 17; 23:23; Deut 7, 20:17; Josh 12:8). These were to be cut off, and driven out, and utterly destroyed (Deut 20:17; Josh 3:10). But Israel failed in this (Josh 13:13, 15:63, 16:10, 17:18; Judg 1:19, 20, 28, 29, 30-36, 2:105, 3:107); and we don't know how many may have escaped to other countries, As to their other names, they were called Anakim, from the Anak which came out of the Nephilim (Num 13:23), and Rephaim, from Rapha. From Deut 2:10 they were known by some as Emim, and Horim, and Zamzummim (v 20, 21) and Avin.
As Rephaim they were well known, and are often mentioned, but instead of this, their proper name being preserved, it is variously translated as "dead," "deceased", or "giants". These Rephaim are to have no resurrection. This fact is stated in Isa 2:14 (where the proper name is rendered "deceased", and v 19 where it is rendered "the dead") It is rendered "dead" seven times (Job 26:5; Ps 88:10; Prov 2:18, 9:18, 21:16; Isa 14:8, 26:19). It is rendered "deceased" in Isa 26:14. It is retained as a proper name "Rephaim" ten times (two being in the margin [Massorah]) 2Sam 5:18, 22, 23:13; 1Chron 11:15, 14:9, 20:4; Isa 17:5. In all other places it is rendered "giants", Gen 6:4; Num 23:33, where it is Nephilim; and Job 16:14, where it is gibbor.
It is certain that this second influx took place before Gen 14, for there the Rephaim were mixed up with the five nations or peoples, which included Sodom and Gomorrha, and were defeated by the four kings under Chedolaomer. Their principal locality was evidently "Ashtaroth Karnaim"; while the Emim were in the plain of Kiriathaim (Gen 14:5). Anak was a noted descendant of the Nephilim; and Rapha was another, giving their names respectively to different clans. Anak's father was Arba, the original builder of Hebron (Gen 35:27; Josh 15:13, 21:11); and this Palestine branch of the Anakim was not called Arbahim after him, but Anakim after Anak. They were great, mighty and tall (Deut 2:10, 11, 21, 22, 23, 9:2), evidently inspiring the ten spies with great fear (Num 13:33). Og king of Bashan is described in Deut 3:11.
Their strength is seen in "the giant cities of Bashan" today; and we don't know how far they may have been into Egypt in the construction of the pyramids, etc. Arba was rebuilt by the Khabiri or confederates seven years before Zoan was built by the Egyptian Pharoahs of the nineteenth dynasty.
If these Nephilim, and their branch of Rephaim were associated with Egypt, we have an explanation of how those huge stones and monuments were brought together. We have in these men the "men of renown", the possible explanation of the origin of Greek mythology.
There will be another influx in the last
days, as it will be as in the days of
Noe (Matt 24:37; Luke 17:26).
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