Return of Nephilim: Giants, Hybrids, & the Final Deception :: By Joe Hawkins

[Andy C]

Origins of the Nephilim in Scripture

The word “Nephilim” first appears in the Bible in Genesis 6:4, which states: “There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and bore children to them.” In Hebrew, Nephilim literally means “fallen ones,” but it is rendered as “giants” in many translations. According to a widely held interpretation among Bible prophecy students, the Nephilim were the hybrid offspring of a forbidden union between heavenly beings and human women.

In the Genesis account, “the sons of God” refers to fallen angels—often called Watchers in extra-biblical literature—who rebelled against God and descended to earth. These angelic beings took “daughters of men” as wives, resulting in half-angel, half-human progeny: the Nephilim. The biblical text emphasizes the extraordinary nature of these offspring, calling them “mighty men of old, men of renown.” They were apparently renowned for their strength, size, and perhaps advanced knowledge, making a terrifying imprint on the ancient world.

From a theological perspective, this illicit incursion was more than just a bizarre episode – it was a direct assault on God’s created order. The Book of Jude 1:6 alludes to angels who “did not keep their proper domain” but abandoned their heavenly position, and 2 Peter 2:4 says God cast these sinning angels into chains of darkness. By introducing a corrupted hybrid bloodline, these fallen angels sought to derail God’s redemptive plan for humanity.

Ever since the Garden of Eden, there had been a prophecy that a “seed of the woman” would one day crush the serpent (Satan) (Genesis 3:15). Prophecy experts suggest that the Watchers’ interference was a calculated move by Satan to prevent the coming of a pure human Messiah. If humanity’s gene pool could be contaminated or destroyed, the promised Savior – who had to be fully human – might never be born. Thus, the emergence of the Nephilim represents a critical front in a cosmic war between God and Satan, often termed “the war of the seeds.”

Satan attempted to produce his own “seed” (offspring) to oppose the seed of the woman. This context explains why the days of Noah (the era of the Nephilim) were marked by unprecedented evil and violence on earth.

God’s response to the Nephilim epidemic was swift and severe. The Genesis 6 narrative flows directly into the story of Noah’s Flood. We read that human wickedness had become great, and “all flesh” on earth was corrupted. In prophecy-focused theology, it is believed that this corruption refers not only to moral decay but quite possibly to genetic corruption through the Nephilim.

Noah is described as “perfect in his generations” (Genesis 6:9), which may imply that his lineage had not been tainted by the Nephilim phenomenon. To halt the spread of the hybrids and preserve humanity, God sent the global Flood. This cataclysm was a divine reset – an act of both judgment and mercy. By wiping out the rampant Nephilim scourge, God was preserving the human bloodline and ensuring the future fulfillment of the Messiah’s coming.

Return of Nephilim: Giants, Hybrids, & the Final Deception :: By Joe Hawkins

Origins of the Nephilim in Scripture The word “Nephilim” first appears in the Bible in Genesis 6:4, which states: “There were giants on the earth in those

www.raptureready.com

 

[Margery]

Origins of the Nephilim in Scripture

The word “Nephilim” first appears in the Bible in Genesis 6:4, which states: “There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and bore children to them.” In Hebrew, Nephilim literally means “fallen ones,” but it is rendered as “giants” in many translations. According to a widely held interpretation among Bible prophecy students, the Nephilim were the hybrid offspring of a forbidden union between heavenly beings and human women.

In the Genesis account, “the sons of God” refers to fallen angels—often called Watchers in extra-biblical literature—who rebelled against God and descended to earth. These angelic beings took “daughters of men” as wives, resulting in half-angel, half-human progeny: the Nephilim. The biblical text emphasizes the extraordinary nature of these offspring, calling them “mighty men of old, men of renown.” They were apparently renowned for their strength, size, and perhaps advanced knowledge, making a terrifying imprint on the ancient world.

From a theological perspective, this illicit incursion was more than just a bizarre episode – it was a direct assault on God’s created order. The Book of Jude 1:6 alludes to angels who “did not keep their proper domain” but abandoned their heavenly position, and 2 Peter 2:4 says God cast these sinning angels into chains of darkness. By introducing a corrupted hybrid bloodline, these fallen angels sought to derail God’s redemptive plan for humanity.

Ever since the Garden of Eden, there had been a prophecy that a “seed of the woman” would one day crush the serpent (Satan) (Genesis 3:15). Prophecy experts suggest that the Watchers’ interference was a calculated move by Satan to prevent the coming of a pure human Messiah. If humanity’s gene pool could be contaminated or destroyed, the promised Savior – who had to be fully human – might never be born. Thus, the emergence of the Nephilim represents a critical front in a cosmic war between God and Satan, often termed “the war of the seeds.”

Satan attempted to produce his own “seed” (offspring) to oppose the seed of the woman. This context explains why the days of Noah (the era of the Nephilim) were marked by unprecedented evil and violence on earth.

God’s response to the Nephilim epidemic was swift and severe. The Genesis 6 narrative flows directly into the story of Noah’s Flood. We read that human wickedness had become great, and “all flesh” on earth was corrupted. In prophecy-focused theology, it is believed that this corruption refers not only to moral decay but quite possibly to genetic corruption through the Nephilim.

Noah is described as “perfect in his generations” (Genesis 6:9), which may imply that his lineage had not been tainted by the Nephilim phenomenon. To halt the spread of the hybrids and preserve humanity, God sent the global Flood. This cataclysm was a divine reset – an act of both judgment and mercy. By wiping out the rampant Nephilim scourge, God was preserving the human bloodline and ensuring the future fulfillment of the Messiah’s coming.

Return of Nephilim: Giants, Hybrids, & the Final Deception :: By Joe Hawkins

Origins of the Nephilim in Scripture The word “Nephilim” first appears in the Bible in Genesis 6:4, which states: “There were giants on the earth in those

www.raptureready.com

This was one of the things I spoke to my cousin about that made an impact. He is aware of the Nephilim stuff but he didn't realize where it fit into the Genesis account or the promise of a Redeemer that would be from the seed of the woman versus Adam's seed which had been included in his fall.

Might be a bizarre approach to getting him to look at the Bible and Salvation but it had a good impact.

LOL I don't suggest that Nephilim become a gospel sharing strategy.

Just got a chuckle out of this article because if I didn't know about this aspect of Genesis, I wouldn't have had as good an answer to his questions.

 

[Andy C]

From the OP:

Conclusion

The tale of the Nephilim is a saga that spans from the dawn of human history to the end of days. In historical terms, the Nephilim left an indelible mark: they were the gigantic tyrants and “men of renown” who almost plunged the primeval world into irrevocable ruin. Their legacy echoes in the myths and ruins of ancient cultures, reminders of a time when the boundaries between heaven and earth were violated. In theological terms, the Nephilim represent a nexus of key biblical themes – the conflict between God’s purposes and Satan’s schemes, the consequences of crossing divine boundaries, and the lengths to which God will go to preserve His redemption plan.

For students of prophecy, understanding the Nephilim is crucial for decoding the past and preparing for the future. Jesus’ warning about the days of Noah urges us to be vigilant: the evils that grieved God’s heart in Noah’s time will return in a final crescendo of deception and spiritual warfare. This could involve unprecedented supernatural occurrences, a renewed fascination with hybrid beings, and global delusion drawing people away from truth. Yet, just as Noah and his family found refuge in the ark, believers today find refuge in Jesus Christ, the Ark of our salvation.

No matter what dark schemes emerge – be it giants stalking the earth or “alien” deceivers in the sky – the ultimate triumph belongs to the Lord.

The strange story of the Nephilim, from Genesis to Revelation, thus stands as a testimony that God’s plan cannot be thwarted. Every Nephilim that arose fell under God’s judgment, and one day soon every force aligned with that ancient rebellion will be vanquished. In the end, the Nephilim drama points us to the sovereignty of God in history and the blessed hope that the King of Kings will deliver creation from all corruption, restoring what was lost and bringing everlasting righteousness.

 

[dwb]

But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Matt 22:30

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but it reads like Jesus is telling the Sadducees there will be no marriage in heaven, just as there is no marriage of the angels. I don't think Jesus is speaking of the resurrection in regard to the angels. So, if the Nephilim were indeed angels they would not marry. I don't know how to fix the conflict unless the Nephilim were something other than angels (which is certainly possible with God).

 

[Greg]

The angels in Heaven don't marry, but it doesn't say they can't (as in are physically unable to). Not a core issue, but I believe fallen angels mated with human women and produced the nephalim. There's just too much tradition, evidence and logic behind that for me to see it any other way. Lots of good studies out there on the subject.

 

[RonJohnSilver]

But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Matt 22:30

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but it reads like Jesus is telling the Sadducees there will be no marriage in heaven, just as there is no marriage of the angels. I don't think Jesus is speaking of the resurrection in regard to the angels. So, if the Nephilim were indeed angels they would not marry. I don't know how to fix the conflict unless the Nephilim were something other than angels (which is certainly possible with God).

I don't think that marriage in the conventional sense is the correct word choice for the Nephilim. I don't see them walking down the aisle and pledging devotion, faithfulness, etc. Their actions would be more like rape.

 

[Hol]

But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Matt 22:30

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but it reads like Jesus is telling the Sadducees there will be no marriage in heaven, just as there is no marriage of the angels. I don't think Jesus is speaking of the resurrection in regard to the angels. So, if the Nephilim were indeed angels they would not marry. I don't know how to fix the conflict unless the Nephilim were something other than angels (which is certainly possible with God).

I tend to agree that fallen angels do not have offspring

 

[Tall Timbers]

My understanding is that angels don't procreate, all of them were created directly by God, and thus it is reasonable to call them sons of God.

If the above is accurate, then I don't understand how they would have the seed to procreate.

Now, it seems that in different times there were giants among men and there were people that had characteristics that normally didn't naturally come with humanity.

At the end of the day, the nephilim is one of those things that I'm willing to wait for a definitive answer on. Just because my brain can't connect the dots doesn't mean the dots can't be connected. The Bible does seem to indicate that there were nephilim and they were spawns of demons and female humans.

 

[RonJohnSilver]

Interesting conundrum. We know that angels have appeared as humans, as in the case of them appearing to Abraham. And he served them food which they ate. So, what happened to the food they ate? Did it digest like normal humans? If so, then they must have had a digestive system. Did the food just disappear when it entered their mouths? If so, were the angels just shells, hollow inside? Do angels have human 'body systems' which come and go as needed? I guess we'll know at the proper time.

 

[TCC]

Thanks @Andy C for the post. For a number of years I was into the view that Gen 6:4 was talking about fallen angel giant offspring. It was actually what was "inferred" more than taught at Macarthur's church. It never got front billing. But that is where I first heard about it...until Michael Heiser. I loved that Heiser challenged the status quo narratives. But Heiser's take on John 10:34/Psalm 86:2 caused me pause. Heiser made that about higher order of angel like beings that were (g)ods and not just angels. I don't think that was Jesus's point. For example why would Gos warn angels of the highest order in Psalm 82 to straighten up? Angels, as far as we know, can't sin and repent because their whole experience is bold face like before God Himself. So whatever is in Psalm 82 in my estimation can't be angels. In addition on that point, I would argue John 10:3 as a claim to diety more than a claim that there are several other (g)ods too. That is almost the opposite of the meaning I would understand as Christ's claim.

A few years back I started to notice how much care God put in creation. Where he mentioned this one and that one after their kind. We can't mate a dog with a cat because there are DNA boundaries. So I ask myself, with kind of careful formation, how is it angels slipped through (g)ods hands and were able to procreate like humans--with not just another species but an entirely differing ontological order? The other side of that coin was equally as puzzling. And I am encouraged there are some views that share this. But even though angels can take human form (to us), I don't think that means that angels have the ability to tranform themselves into God's creation after Himself and literally "become" human. Angeles, as far as we know don't have the power of creation like God does.

I can appreciate the arguments in favor of the fallen angel offspring theory. I was there for quite a number of years. Its exciting to consider. As a result though of just thinking some of this through, I did find a couple of really helpful sources. In the two links provided, the first one is a link to BibleHub.com on Gen 6:4. I like reviewing different commentators and that site provides a generally generically accepted mix. On that link, I was particularly interested in Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Very helpful way to consider how aspects of ancient literature scholarship works on the fly.

Genesis 6:4 Commentaries: The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

The other link actually helped me I believe settle the issue scripturally. Michael Heiser was known for being an advocate of the Septuagint. However he never commented on how the Septuagint tends to disprove that Gen 6 is talking about fallen angel offspring. In the following link you can see how the septuagint says angel when it means angel. You can see the difference literally from ancient scholar received biblical text that there is a difference in how the main passages used to prove fallen angel procreation has archeological/literary competiton. And since it does, I tend to go with Occams Razor on that one:

RefuteIt Apologetics Ministry

Apologetics is a reasoned defense and explanation of Christianity (1 Peter 3:1). Therefore, we refute false teaching and uphold the doctrines handed down to us from Christ and the apostles (2 Thessalonians 2:15, 2 Timothy 1:13-14, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2, 2 Peter 3:2, Jude 1:3, Galatians 1:9, 1...

www.refuteit.com

. . . . .

I know this is a hot issue for some believers. It never was super hot for me. But as I turned a corner on this view (now having held both an Enochian view and what I consider now to be a septuagint literary affirmed view), I am a bit more passionate about the value of biblical authenticity. But I understand there are good and reaonsable intentions on both sides of the isle. As Heiser had discovered in his research, the church fathers would not have excoumminicated eachother over whether or not Enoch should be cannon. Today, I don't think the general mood out there is as safe. But its nice to be among believers that can share differences of opinion in the context of living faith in love. Amen. Blessings.

 

[Andy C]

Noah is described as “perfect in his generations” (Genesis 6:9), which may imply that his lineage had not been tainted by the Nephilim phenomenon. To halt the spread of the hybrids and preserve humanity, God sent the global Flood. This cataclysm was a divine reset – an act of both judgment and mercy. By wiping out the rampant Nephilim scourge, God was preserving the human bloodline and ensuring the future fulfillment of the Messiah’s coming.

For those that may disagree with the OP, could you provide a different interpretation of what “perfect in his generations” means?

 

[Margery]

I can't remember who I heard preaching on this but he was doing a word study on the term left their first estate in Jude when talking about the angels that left their first estate.

He was able to trace that thru to the meaning of estate as bodily form when used in other settings. But I haven't done a study on it myself. I did think it was a worthwhile line of reasoning.

 

[Andy C]

Thought I would add Jacks 2 cents worth:

The idea that since angels don’t marry they are are sexless, and therefore when we’re in heaven we’ll be sexless because we won’t be marrying is merely a human assumption. The truth is we just don’t know.

We do know that Genesis 6:1-4 clearly describes angels (sons of God) and humans (daughters of men) intermarrying and having offspring called nephilim. So the question is, how did they do that? In Jude 1:6 we get the answer. It says these angels kept not their first estate (the Greek word means beginning or origin) and left their own habitation (this Greek word refers to the dwelling place of their spirit). It means these angels ceased being the entity they originally were created to be and became a different entity.

Putting 2 and 2 together we can see that they left their heavenly bodies and took on human bodies, something angels have the capability of doing in order to become visible to mankind.

(In Judges 13 the parents of Samson repeatedly referred to the angel of the Lord as a “man of God”. Hebrew 13:2 tells us some people who have been kind to strangers have actually entertained angels without knowing it.)

Having human bodies gave them the ability to have sex with human women. This was an act that so angered the Lord that He rounded them up and put them in chains to be held for judgment (Jude 1:6, 2 Peter 2:4).

More On Angels Mating With Humans – Grace thru faith

gracethrufaith.com

 

[dwb]

one of those things that I'm willing to wait for a definitive answer on

Agree!! Hopefully all our questions will be answered. At that point we may not care.

 

[mattfivefour]

For those that may disagree with the OP, could you provide a different interpretation of what “perfect in his generations” means?

If I may try? The Hebrew word sometimes translated "perfect" is tamiym, which refers to integrity, righteousness, and wholeness. The word translated "generations" is duyr, which is the word used to denote a period or age: it describes (maybe encompasses would be a better word) people living at a particular time. Therefore, the simplest and most obvious meaning of "perfect in his generations" is that Noah was the most righteous man alive on earth at that time. It does not necessarily mean that his lineage was untainted. How we view Noah is similar to how we must view Job, when God refers to him as blameless-- not as being perfectly righteous, without any sin, but as more righteous than any other man alive at that time. It's a comparative reference, not a declarative one. In other words, it is comparing Noah and Job to those around them, not making absolute statements that their moral standing was perfect or absolutely pure in God's eyes.

Does that help at all?

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

I don't think that marriage in the conventional sense is the correct word choice for the Nephilim. I don't see them walking down the aisle and pledging devotion, faithfulness, etc. Their actions would be more like rape.

Genesis 6:2, KJV and ESV translations, specify them taking wives.

I tend to agree that fallen angels do not have offspring

Genesis 6:4, KJV and ESV translations, say they did have children with women


1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
4 There were giants in the earth in those days; 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 which were of old, men of renown.
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Genesis 6:1-13, KJV

1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in[a] man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Noah and the Flood
9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh,[c] for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Genesis 6:1-13, ESV

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

This was one of the things I spoke to my cousin about that made an impact. He is aware of the Nephilim stuff but he didn't realize where it fit into the Genesis account or the promise of a Redeemer that would be from the seed of the woman versus Adam's seed which had been included in his fall.

Might be a bizarre approach to getting him to look at the Bible and Salvation but it had a good impact.

LOL I don't suggest that Nephilim become a gospel sharing strategy.

Just got a chuckle out of this article because if I didn't know about this aspect of Genesis, I wouldn't have had as good an answer to his questions.

Depending on who one is talking to, and any available "training aids," nephilim can be a way through a door or window
The giant skeleton in front of my apartment complex' club house front door


I wonder if Yeti/Bigfoot, if they exist, are modern-day nephilim produced by fallen angels (aliens?) with human women (at some time after the flood)
Since the fallen angels, who had sex with human women have been chained up for judgment, it would have to be fallen angels, who did not have sex with human women before the flood. The Bible doesn't specify whether some or all of the fallen angels had sex with human women, so given what the Bible said about giants throughout history, such as Goliath, and in the Promised Land, I think it's likely that satan held back some of his fallen angels for "later," even if he didn't know the flood was coming. Or maybe all of the post-flood nephilim are descended from satan, himself, conceived with post-flood human women.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Thought I would add Jacks 2 cents worth:

The idea that since angels don’t marry they are are sexless, and therefore when we’re in heaven we’ll be sexless because we won’t be marrying is merely a human assumption. The truth is we just don’t know.

We do know that Genesis 6:1-4 clearly describes angels (sons of God) and humans (daughters of men) intermarrying and having offspring called nephilim. So the question is, how did they do that? In Jude 1:6 we get the answer. It says these angels kept not their first estate (the Greek word means beginning or origin) and left their own habitation (this Greek word refers to the dwelling place of their spirit). It means these angels ceased being the entity they originally were created to be and became a different entity.

Putting 2 and 2 together we can see that they left their heavenly bodies and took on human bodies, something angels have the capability of doing in order to become visible to mankind.

(In Judges 13 the parents of Samson repeatedly referred to the angel of the Lord as a “man of God”. Hebrew 13:2 tells us some people who have been kind to strangers have actually entertained angels without knowing it.)

Having human bodies gave them the ability to have sex with human women. This was an act that so angered the Lord that He rounded them up and put them in chains to be held for judgment (Jude 1:6, 2 Peter 2:4).

More On Angels Mating With Humans – Grace thru faith

gracethrufaith.com

All of the Biblical references to angels that indicate gender refer to them as male. I don't read Greek, so no idea if the Greek word for angel in Jude is male, female, or neuter.

Not marrying doesn't mean genderless. I don't think men and women will be genderless in Heaven; however, we won't marry or be given in marriage, and that means no sex in Heaven because sex outside of heterosexual marriage is sin.

 

[mattfivefour]

I don't read Greek, so no idea if the Greek word for angel in Jude is male, female, or neuter.

It's male.

 

[Hol]

Just tossing a couple of insights from Arnold Fruchtenbaum’s website…

“Although often translated as the English word “giants,” the Hebrew word nefilim simply means “fallen ones.”

The only time they were mentioned again is in Numbers 13-14. The context is the story of the spies who were lying about what they saw in the land. While they claimed to have seen Nephilim, it was a false statement on their part. When Joshua conquered the land, he never ran into any Nephilim.“

And from: Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) Giants.—Heb., Nephilim, mentioned again in Numbers 13:33, and apparently a race of great physical strength and stature. Nothing is more probable than that, at a time when men lived for centuries, human vigour should also show itself in producing not merely individuals, but a race of more than ordinary height. They were apparently of the Cainite stock, and the text carefully distinguishes them from the offspring of the mixed marriages. The usual derivation of the name is from a root signifying to fall; but Lenormant (Origines de l’Histoire, p. 344) prefers pâlâ, which means “to be wonderful,” and compares the Assyrian naptû, “unique in size,” often found in the cuneiform inscriptions as the denomination of an ogre.

The same became mighty men.—Heb., They were the mighty men that were of old, men of name. “Gibborim,” mighty men (see Genesis 10:8), has nothing to do with stature, but means heroes, warriors. It is also generally used in a good sense. The children of these mixed marriages were a race of brave fighting men, who by their martial deeds won for themselves reputation.

And from:
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

There were giants in the earth in those days,.... That is, in the days before the sons of God took the daughters of men for wives, in such a general manner as before declared, or before the declension and apostasy became so universal; even in the times of Jared, as the Arabic writers understand it, who say that these giants were begotten on the daughters of Cain by the children of Seth, who went down from the mountain to them in the days of Jared, see Genesis 5:20 the word "Nephilim" comes from a word which signifies to fall; and these might be so called, either because they made their fear to fall upon men, or men, through fear, to fall before them, because of their height and strength; or rather because they fell and rushed on men with great violence, and oppressed them in a cruel and tyrannical manner; or, as some think, because they fell off and were apostates from the true religion, which is much better than to understand them of apostate angels, whom the Targum of Jonathan mentions by name, and calls them Schanchazai and Uziel, who fell from heaven, and were in the earth in those days:

and also after that, which shows that the preceding clause respects giants in former times:

when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, came into their houses and chambers, and lay with them:

and they bare children unto them, or giants unto them, as may be supplied from the former clause; for the sense is, as there were giants before this general defection, so there were at this time, when there was a mixture of the Cainites and Sethites; which were the offspring of the sons of God, or posterity of Seth, mixing with the daughters of men, or the posterity of Cain; for this is not to be understood after the flood, as Aben Ezra, Ben Melech; and so they are described in the following words:

the same became mighty men; for tallness and strength, for power and dominion, for tyranny and oppression:

which were of old: like those that were of old before; or who in after times were spoken of, as in the days of old:

men of renown, or "of name" (o); whose names were often made mention of, both for their size and for their wickedness; they were much talked of, and extolled for their exploits, and even wicked ones: they were famous men, or rather infamous; for some men get a name in the world, not for their goodness, but for their greatness, and sometimes for their great wickedness; which sense is countenanced by what follows: that there were giants in these early times is confirmed by the testimony of many Heathen writers; such were the Titans that made war against Saturn, begotten by Ouranus, who were not only of bulky bodies, but of invincible strength, as Apollodorus (p) relates, and Berosus (q) speaks of a city about Lebanon, called Enos, which was a city of giants, who were men of vast bodies, and of great strength, inventors of arms and music, were cannibals, and exceedingly debauched

…

I know this is a hot issue for some believers. It never was super hot for me.

Me either brother!

I tend to go with the daughters of Seth intermarriage with Cain’s line = depravity and violence, a GIANT mess.