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Nephilim

The Nephilim are enigmatic figures described in the Hebrew Bible as the offspring resulting from unions between the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men," portrayed as mighty warriors and men of renown who existed in ancient times before and after the Great Flood.^[1]^[2] This brief account in Genesis 6:1–4 situates them amid growing human wickedness that prompts divine judgment, emphasizing their role as formidable beings whose presence underscores the corruption of the pre-Flood era.^[3]^[2] Scholars derive the term "Nephilim" from the Hebrew root naphal (נָפַל), meaning "to fall," often interpreting it as "fallen ones," though alternative readings suggest connotations of tyrants or those who cause others to fall.^[4]^[5] The identity of the "sons of God" remains debated in biblical studies, with prominent interpretations viewing them either as divine beings or angels who descended to earth or as descendants of Seth (the godly line) intermarrying with Cain's descendants (the ungodly line), producing these hybrid or exceptional offspring often associated with gigantism.^[2]^[6] The Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, renders "Nephilim" as gigantes (giants), reinforcing their depiction as physically imposing figures.^[6] Beyond Genesis, the Nephilim are referenced in Numbers 13:33, where Israelite spies describe encountering their descendants—the sons of Anak—in Canaan, portraying the spies as "like grasshoppers" in comparison to these towering inhabitants, which contributes to the people's fear and rebellion against entering the Promised Land.^[7]^[2] They are also linked to other biblical giant clans, such as the Rephaim, who opposed the Israelites during the conquest of Canaan and included figures like Og of Bashan and Goliath.^[2] In extrabiblical traditions, such as the non-canonical Book of Enoch, the Nephilim are expanded upon as violent giants born from fallen angels, whose actions led to widespread evil and the Flood, influencing later Jewish, Christian, and apocalyptic literature.^[2] Overall, the Nephilim symbolize themes of divine-human boundaries, moral decay, and the challenges faced by God's people in confronting formidable adversaries.

Etymology and Terminology

Etymology

The term Nephilim (Hebrew: נְפִילִים) is derived from the Hebrew root n-p-l (נָפַל, nāphal), which means "to fall," leading scholars to interpret it as "fallen ones" or "those who cause others to fall down," often in a context of moral or physical downfall.^[2] This root appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible to denote falling in battle or judgment, suggesting the Nephilim may evoke images of mighty figures who fell from grace or overthrew others.^[8] Alternative readings link it to nēphel (נֵפֶל), meaning "miscarriage" or "abortion," implying untimely or unnatural birth, though this is less commonly accepted.^[8] Ancient translations reflect interpretive variations on the term's meaning. The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible from the third to second centuries BCE, renders Nephilim as gigantes (γίγαντες), directly translating it as "giants," which influenced later understandings of them as enormous beings and carried connotations of primordial, earth-born titans in Greek mythology by the Hellenistic period.^[8] The Targum Onkelos, an early Aramaic translation, equates Nephilim with gibbaraya (גִּבָּרַיָּא), meaning "mighty ones" or "heroes," aligning it closely with the parallel Hebrew term gibbōrîm (גִּבֹּרִים) in Genesis 6:4 and emphasizing strength rather than size or fall.^[9] Symmachus's second-century CE Greek revision translates it as biaioi (βίαιοι), denoting "violent ones" or "forcible," highlighting a destructive or tyrannical aspect.^[10] Scholarly debates on the etymology extend beyond the Hebrew root, with some proposing Aramaic influences like naphil or naphila, which can mean "giant" or, in a military sense, "weapon" that fells enemies.^[11] Michael S. Heiser, in analyzing the morphological ambiguities, argues that the plural form Nephilim may borrow from Aramaic naphīlāʾ ("giants"), resolving inconsistencies in deriving a plural noun directly from the Hebrew nāphal and better fitting ancient Near Eastern contexts of superhuman warriors.^[4] Further speculation connects it to Akkadian terms for semi-divine or heroic figures, such as those in Mesopotamian epics, though direct linguistic evidence remains elusive and contested among philologists.^[12]

Biblical and Extrabiblical Usage

The term Nephilim appears explicitly twice in the Hebrew Bible, first in Genesis 6:4, which states: "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God (bene elohim) went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown (gibborim)."^[8] This phrasing associates the Nephilim temporally with the unions between the bene elohim and the "daughters of men" (benot ha-adam), positioning them as pre- and post-flood entities without specifying their precise role in the narrative.^[2] The verse links them to the gibborim, translated as "mighty men" or "heroes," emphasizing their renowned status through martial prowess.^[13] In Numbers 13:33, the term reappears in the report of the Israelite spies scouting Canaan: "We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." This usage connects the Nephilim to the Anakim, portraying them as formidable inhabitants of the land who evoke fear through their perceived stature.^[2] Related terms in the Hebrew Bible suggest synonymous or overlapping designations for similar figures. Deuteronomy 2:11 describes the Emim as "a people great and many, and tall as the Anakim," equating them with the Rephaim (Repha'im), a term often applied to giant-like clans in Canaanite contexts.^[14] This phrasing implies the Rephaim as a broader category encompassing groups like the Anakim, potentially including post-flood Nephilim descendants.^[13] In extrabiblical texts, the Nephilim feature in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, where the term is rendered as gigantes ("giants") in both Genesis 6:4 and Numbers 13:33, influencing later interpretations of their physical scale.^[15] The Dead Sea Scrolls, particularly the Damascus Document (CD 2:16–20), reference the Nephilim indirectly through allusions to the "sons of God" and their illicit unions with human women, echoing Genesis 6:1–4's phrasing to warn against similar moral failings.^[16] These Qumran texts use the motif to describe corrupted angelic watchers and their offspring, framing the Nephilim within a narrative of divine judgment.^[17] The Hebrew root n-p-l ("to fall"), possibly underlying Nephilim, appears in these contexts to evoke themes of downfall or aborted potential.^[2]

Historical and Biblical Context

Origins of the Belief

The belief in the Nephilim, enigmatic figures associated with ancient giant lore, likely originated in the broader cultural milieu of the ancient Near East, where myths of semi-divine or heroic beings intertwined with explanations for monumental structures and legendary warriors. In the Transjordan region, particularly areas like Bashan and Moab, megalithic dolmens—large stone burial chambers dating to the Early Bronze Age (ca. 3700–3000 BCE)—may have inspired tales of giants. Scholars propose that these imposing structures, constructed from massive slabs, were interpreted by later Iron Age inhabitants as the handiwork of superhuman builders, fostering traditions of colossal peoples such as the Rephaim, who were later equated with the Nephilim in biblical memory.^[18] This connection is evident in the landscape of eastern Jordan and the Golan Heights, where clusters of dolmens coincide with references to giant clans, suggesting a folk etymology linking prehistoric monuments to mythic forebears.^[19] Canaanite mythology, preserved in Ugaritic texts from the 14th–13th centuries BCE, further shaped these beliefs through the figure of the Rephaim (rpʾum), portrayed as divine heroes, warriors, and deified ancestors who traveled in chariots to sacred feasts under the patronage of gods like El and Baal. In rituals described in tablets such as CTA 22, the Rephaim function as an elite guild of immortals or shades, invoked for blessings and linked to royal lineages, embodying a liminal status between human and divine realms.^[20] These Ugaritic depictions influenced Israelite traditions, where Rephaim evolved into symbols of formidable pre-Israelite inhabitants, providing a cultural substrate for Nephilim lore as mighty, otherworldly adversaries.^[21] Mesopotamian parallels from Sumerian and Babylonian sources offer additional antecedents, particularly through the Apkallu—seven semi-divine sages sent by the god Ea (Enki) to impart civilization's arts to humanity before the flood—and the Anunnaki, a pantheon of deities acting as intermediaries between gods and mortals. The Apkallu, often depicted as fish-like or bird-headed beings, represent both benevolent wisdom-bringers and potentially disruptive forces, with later traditions highlighting their "negative aspects" such as forbidden knowledge, mirroring the ambiguous heroism attributed to the Nephilim.^[22] Scholarly analysis posits that these motifs, circulating via post-flood sage narratives, informed the biblical portrayal of hybrid beings as influencers of human society.^[23] Finally, theories grounded in ancient Israelite social structures suggest that Nephilim beliefs may stem from idealized memories of elite warrior classes, the gibborim or "mighty men," who were renowned for prowess in battle and possibly deified in oral traditions. Drawing on Mesopotamian exemplars like Gilgamesh—a two-thirds divine king and epic warrior—these figures likely exaggerated real historical chieftains or mercenary groups in Canaan and Transjordan into legendary giants, emphasizing their renown to underscore themes of conquest and divine favor.^[23] Such interpretations align with broader Near Eastern patterns where heroic lineages blurred human and supernatural boundaries, predating and contextualizing sparse biblical allusions in Genesis.^[24]

References in the Hebrew Bible

The Nephilim first appear in the narrative of Genesis 6:1–4, set in the antediluvian period when humanity had begun to multiply on the earth.^[2] As the text describes, "the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose," resulting in the birth of children who were the Nephilim, portrayed as "the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown."^[13] This passage situates their emergence amid increasing human population and precedes the account of divine regret over human wickedness, leading to the Flood.^[8] The term Nephilim derives from the Hebrew root n-p-l, connoting "fallen ones."^[2] A second explicit reference occurs in Numbers 13:32–33, during the Israelite spies' reconnaissance of Canaan after the Exodus.^[13] The spies' report spreads fear among the people, stating, "And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim). And we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them."^[2] This depiction emphasizes the Nephilim's imposing stature, associating them directly with the Anakim, a group inhabiting the land near Hebron, and portrays them as a source of terror that discourages conquest.^[8] In Ezekiel 32:27, a possible allusion to the Nephilim appears in the oracle against Egypt, describing the descent of warriors to Sheol: "And they do not lie with the mighty, the fallen from among the uncircumcised, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war."^[13] The Hebrew phrase gibborim nophelim ("fallen mighty ones") has been debated among scholars as a potential reference to the Nephilim of Genesis, evoking ancient heroic warriors buried with their arms, though some interpret it more broadly as deceased elites without giant connotations.^[8]^[2] Allusions to the Nephilim persist through associations with the Anakim and Rephaim in Deuteronomy and Joshua, framing them as giant inhabitants of the Promised Land targeted for defeat.^[13] Deuteronomy 2:10–11 equates the Anakim with the Rephaim, noting that "like the Anakim they are also counted as Rephaim, but the Moabites call them Emim," while Deuteronomy 3:11 highlights King Og of Bashan, a Rephaim remnant, whose iron bed measured nine cubits long, underscoring their extraordinary size.^[2] In Joshua 11:21–22, the conquest narrative records that "Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim from the hill country... Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod did some remain," with further details in Joshua 15:13–14 of Caleb driving out Anakim leaders from Hebron.^[8] These accounts depict the Anakim and Rephaim as formidable clans subdued during Israel's settlement, linking back to the intimidating figures reported by the spies.^[13]

Interpretations in Ancient Judaism

As Giants

In ancient Jewish interpretations, particularly within rabbinic literature, the Nephilim were frequently understood as a pre-Flood race of colossal human-like giants, distinguished by their overwhelming physical size and prodigious appetites that strained the earth's resources. Midrashic traditions describe their bodies in hyperbolic terms, with individual features such as the brain, feet, and thigh-bones each measuring 18 ells in length, underscoring their superhuman proportions. These giants were portrayed as voracious consumers, devouring up to 1,000 oxen, 1,000 camels, and 1,000 horses daily, alongside vast quantities of human fare, which contributed to the moral and ecological corruption leading to the Flood.^[25] Rabbinic exegesis further connected the Nephilim to post-Flood giant clans mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, such as the Anakim, Emim, and Zamzummim, viewing them as remnants or descendants who perpetuated the giant lineage in Canaan. In Deuteronomy, these groups are depicted as nations of great height and numerous, like the Anakim, whom the Emim and Zamzummim resembled in stature; the Emim were named for the terror they inspired at sight, while the Zamzummim were renowned for their martial ferocity. The spies' report in Numbers briefly links the Anakim directly to the Nephilim, portraying them as formidable inhabitants who made the Israelites feel like grasshoppers in comparison.^[25]^[26] Midrashic expansions elaborated on specific figures like Og, king of Bashan, as a surviving Nephilim giant who evaded the Flood by clinging to the exterior of Noah's ark. Talmudic accounts emphasize Og's immense scale, with traditions attributing him a height of up to 23,330 ells, and describe his defeat by Moses using a specially forged ten-ell mace due to his colossal frame. These narratives highlight the Nephilim's enduring legacy as symbols of physical might and hubris in Jewish lore.^[25] This giant-centric interpretation influenced early translations of the Hebrew Bible, most notably Jerome's Latin Vulgate, which rendered "Nephilim" as "gigantes" in Genesis 6:4, embedding the image of enormous beings into Christian scriptural tradition and reinforcing the physical emphasis over other etymological possibilities.^[27]

As Offspring of Fallen Angels

In ancient Jewish interpretations during the Second Temple period and Hellenistic era, the Nephilim were understood as the hybrid offspring resulting from unions between divine beings—identified as fallen angels or "sons of God"—and human women, marking a pivotal moment of supernatural corruption in the antediluvian world. Philo of Alexandria, in his treatise On the Giants, portrayed the "sons of God" as angels who, upon seeing the beauty of human daughters, descended and took wives among them, producing the giants called Nephilim; he interpreted this allegorically as divine souls or powers falling into earthly bodies, blending heavenly and mortal realms.^[28] Similarly, the historian Flavius Josephus, writing in the first century CE, explicitly described in Antiquities of the Jews how "many angels of God accompanied with women, and begat sons that proved unjust, and despisers of all that was good," equating these offspring with the ancient giants or Nephilim known for their arrogance and strength.^[29] These fallen angels' transgressions extended beyond procreation to imparting forbidden knowledge to humanity, including techniques for weaponry and warfare, cosmetics and adornments that incited lust, as well as sorcery, astrology, and herbal medicines—arts that corrupted moral order and fostered societal decay.^[30] The resulting Nephilim, often depicted as towering figures of immense physical prowess, embodied this corruption through their own acts of violence and oppression, filling the earth with bloodshed and prompting divine judgment in the form of the Great Flood to eradicate the pervasive wickedness.^[30] This narrative underscored the angels' rebellion as the catalyst for humanity's downfall, with the giants' hybrid nature symbolizing the irreversible mingling of sacred and profane. Post-Flood traditions in ancient Jewish literature debated the Nephilim's complete eradication, with some accounts positing that while their corporeal forms were destroyed, their disembodied spirits survived as restless demons or evil entities that continued to torment humankind, afflicting it with disease, temptation, and sin.^[31] These views appear in Second Temple texts like fragments from the Dead Sea Scrolls, which describe such spirits as the lingering "offspring of man and the seed of the holy ones," perpetuating chaos beyond the deluge.^[31] Later medieval Jewish exegesis, such as Rashi's commentary on Genesis 6:4 in the eleventh century, reinforced the notion of angelic descent by deriving "Nephilim" from the Hebrew root n-f-l ("to fall"), explaining them as beings who "fell [from heaven] and caused the downfall of the world," thus alluding to their supernatural origins without extensive elaboration on the mechanics of their birth.^[32]

As Descendants of Seth and Cain

In Jewish tradition, an interpretation of the Nephilim views them as the human offspring resulting from intermarriages between the righteous descendants of Seth, referred to as the "sons of God," and the corrupt descendants of Cain, known as the "daughters of men." This view emphasizes ethical and genealogical divisions rather than supernatural origins. Echoes of this human-centric interpretation persist in medieval rabbinic commentary, notably in Nachmanides (Ramban)'s exegesis on Genesis 6:1-4, where he identifies the "sons of God" specifically as Adam, Seth, and Enosh from Seth's lineage, whose unions with Cain's "daughters of men" produced the Nephilim as tyrannical rulers of inferior spiritual quality. Nachmanides portrays these figures as elite human leaders who, through such moral lapses, embodied the decline of early humanity into despotism and ethical decay.^[33]

As Offspring of Orion

A niche interpretation in ancient Jewish exegesis posits the Nephilim as the mythological offspring of Orion, drawing on Aramaic astronomical lore where the constellation, known as Nephila, was personified as a mighty hunter whose descendants were giant heroes. This view stems from an etymological association between the Hebrew term nefilim and the Aramaic nephilim, referring to the "fallen ones" or giants linked to Orion's stellar progeny, as noted in early 20th-century lexical analysis. Biblical references to the constellation as kesil in Amos 5:8 and Job 38:31 emphasize Yahweh's sovereignty over the heavens, portraying kesil as a bound or created entity, which Targumic traditions interpret as nefila ("giant" or "fallen one"), evoking the heroic gibborim ("mighty men") of Genesis 6:4 associated with the Nephilim. In the Targum on Job 9:9, Isaiah 13:10, and Job 38:31, kesil is rendered as a giant figure, blending celestial imagery with tales of ancient warriors and aligning Orion's mythological role as a hunter with the Nephilim's reputation as renowned strongmen.^[34]^[34] This interpretation reflects Babylonian astronomical influences on Jewish thought, where Orion was tied to epic figures like Gilgamesh, the semi-divine hunter-king whose exploits parallel the gibborim as larger-than-life progenitors of heroic lineages. Aramaic adaptations of such motifs recast Orion (Nephila) not as a fallen angel but as a stellar giant whose "offspring" symbolize the Nephilim's extraordinary stature and deeds, distinct from angel-human unions by emphasizing mythological-astral origins.^[35] Scholars regard this Orion-linked view as marginal and based on loose textual and etymological associations, with the Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon dismissing the Aramaic derivation as dubious and unattested in primary sources, favoring instead derivations from Hebrew roots meaning "to fall" or "those who cause downfall." While influential in some Targumic expansions, it lacks broad support in ancient Jewish literature and is overshadowed by dominant interpretations of the Nephilim as angelic hybrids or human tyrants.^[8]

Nephilim in Second Temple Literature

These texts, composed between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE, are pseudepigraphal works that expand on Genesis 6; while non-canonical in most Jewish and Christian traditions, 1 Enoch and Jubilees are canonical in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.^[36]

In the Book of Enoch

In the Book of Enoch, the Nephilim are depicted as the offspring of the Watchers, a group of 200 angels who descended to earth and mated with human women, leading to widespread corruption and divine judgment. The narrative begins with the Watchers, led by Semjaza (also spelled Shemihaza), binding themselves with an oath on Mount Hermon to take human wives, driven by lust for the "daughters of men."^[37] These unions produced the giants, described as enormous beings whose height reached three thousand cubits (in the Ethiopic text, translated variably as "ells" or "cubits" in English editions), an implausibly large figure of about 4,500 feet if taken literally with cubits at 1.5 feet each, though widely regarded as a scribal error for 300 cubits (approximately 450 feet) or hyperbolic language.^[37]^[38] The giants, identified as the Nephilim, quickly exhausted earthly resources by devouring all human produce and livestock, then resorting to cannibalism by consuming humans and even turning on one another in their insatiable hunger.^[37] This violence prompted the archangels Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel to petition God, who responded by commanding the destruction of the giants through mutual slaughter and the impending Flood as retribution for the earth's defilement.^[37] The Watchers themselves imparted forbidden knowledge to humanity, exacerbating the chaos; for instance, Azazel taught the crafting of metals for weapons and jewelry, while Semjaza and others like Armaros, Baraqijal, and Kokabel instructed in enchantments, astrology, and herbal lore.^[37] As punishment, God ordered Azazel bound in the desert of Dudael, Semjaza and his followers imprisoned beneath the earth for seventy generations until final judgment, and the giants' physical forms eradicated, leaving their spirits to roam as malevolent demons.^[37] Enochic tradition extends the Nephilim's influence beyond the Flood through the enduring spirits of the giants, which persist in afflicting humanity until the eschatological judgment, as their hybrid nature—born of angels and mortals—prevents full annihilation.^[37] Related Enochic fragments, such as those in the Book of Giants from Qumran, echo this by portraying post-Flood giant figures like Ohya and Hahya—sons of Shemihaza—as receiving dreams of impending doom, linking them to the ongoing legacy of Watcher sins.^[39] This cosmological framework in the Book of Enoch positions the Nephilim as central to the antediluvian world's downfall, justifying the Flood as a purifying act against angelic rebellion and its monstrous progeny.^[37]

In Other Apocryphal Texts

In the Book of Jubilees, a Second Temple period text, the fallen angels—identified as the Watchers—descend to earth and mate with human women, producing offspring known as giants who corrupt humanity through violence and iniquity.^[40] These giants are categorized into four distinct types: the Naphidim, who devoured one another due to their dissimilarity; the Gibborim (Giants), who slew the Naphil; the Naphil, who slew the Elioud; and the Elioud, who slew mankind, leading to widespread bloodshed and prompting the flood.^[41] Mastema, portrayed as the prince of evil spirits, requests and receives authority over one-tenth of the demons—understood as the disembodied spirits of these giants—to continue tempting and corrupting Noah's descendants after the deluge.^[42] The Testament of Reuben, part of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, describes how the Watchers, driven by lust, appeared to women in forms reaching to heaven, inciting mutual passion that resulted in the birth of giants as hybrid offspring.^[43] These giants, born from the angels' illicit unions, embody the consequences of unchecked desire, with their spirits persisting as demonic entities that afflict humanity, emphasizing the moral perils of fornication and spiritual impurity.^[43] Among the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Genesis Apocryphon recounts Lamech's alarm upon Noah's birth, fearing the child might be an impure offspring of the Watchers or Nephilim rather than his own, due to his wife's unusual pregnancy amid reports of angelic-human intermingling.^[44] Lamech consults his father Methuselah, who in turn seeks divine reassurance, highlighting anxieties over hybrid lineages contaminating the pure human line leading to the flood.^[44] The Book of Giants, another Aramaic fragment from the Dead Sea Scrolls, expands on the giants' narrative by naming specific offspring of the Watchers, such as Ohya and Mahway (also Hahya), sons of Shemihaza, who engage in destructive exploits including devouring creatures and oppressing humanity.^[39] These giants receive ominous dreams foretelling their doom through divine judgment and the impending flood, underscoring their role in cosmic disorder and ultimate destruction.^[39]

Comparative Mythology and Other Traditions

Parallels in Mesopotamian and Canaanite Myths

Scholars have identified notable parallels between the Nephilim and figures in Mesopotamian mythology, particularly semi-divine beings and sages who interact with humanity, often leading to themes of hubris, knowledge transmission, and divine judgment. In Mesopotamian lore, the apkallu represent antediluvian sages, semi-divine figures who descended from the heavens to impart civilization's arts and sciences to humankind before the flood.^[45] These beings, sometimes depicted as hybrids of human and fish-like forms, parallel the Watchers in Jewish traditions, whose offspring are the Nephilim; however, Jewish texts invert the apkallu's positive role, portraying the Watchers as rebellious entities who corrupt humanity through forbidden knowledge. For instance, the apkallu's association with guardianship (masṣarû in Akkadian) aligns etymologically and thematically with the Aramaic term for Watchers (ʿîrîn), emphasizing vigilant divine-human intermediaries.^[45] A prominent example of such semi-divine hybrids is Gilgamesh, the epic hero described as two-thirds divine and one-third human, embodying the archetype of a mighty giant born from godly and mortal unions.^[8] Standing at eleven cubits tall in some traditions, Gilgamesh's exploits, including his quest for immortality, echo the Nephilim's status as "heroes of old, men of renown," and he even appears by name in Aramaic fragments of the Book of Giants as an offspring of the Watchers.^[45] Similarly, the Anunnaki, a class of high gods in Sumerian and Akkadian myths, are sometimes viewed as progenitors of god-descended beings who influence earthly affairs, akin to the divine fathers of the Nephilim.^[8] Monstrous guardians like Humbaba, the ogre-like protector of the Cedar Forest in the Epic of Gilgamesh, further illustrate hybrid terror figures that evoke the intimidating stature of Nephilim-like entities.^[8] The Epic of Atrahasis provides a broader mythological framework mirroring the Nephilim narrative, where divine-human interactions contribute to overpopulation and societal chaos, prompting a cataclysmic flood as divine retribution.^[46] In this Akkadian tale, the gods create humans from divine blood to labor for them, but humanity's proliferation and "uproar" lead to plagues and ultimately the deluge, paralleling Genesis 6's depiction of widespread corruption from the "sons of God" mingling with human women, resulting in the Nephilim and necessitating the flood.^[46] This motif of hybrid vigor causing imbalance underscores cross-cultural concerns with boundaries between divine and mortal realms. Turning to Canaanite myths from Ugaritic texts discovered at Ras Shamra, the Rephaim (rpʾum) emerge as a key parallel, portrayed as deified royal ancestors, elite warriors, or ghostly shades who traverse the underworld and participate in divine assemblies.^[20] In texts like the Rephaim Tablets (KTU 1.20–1.22), these figures are invoked for rituals involving chariotry and heroic feats, suggesting a class of renowned, semi-divine champions akin to the Nephilim's warrior reputation.^[8] Biblical Rephaim, often equated with giants (e.g., Deut 2:11), likely draw from this Ugaritic tradition, where the rpʾum blend living warriors with chthonic ancestors, possibly influencing perceptions of post-flood Nephilim survivors in Transjordanian megalithic contexts.^[8] In the Baal Cycle, Mot's underworld domain hosts spectral assemblies that include Rephaim-like entities, evoking giant shades as formidable, otherworldly presences.^[20] These Canaanite motifs highlight shared ancient Near Eastern imagery of hybrid or exalted beings bridging life, death, and the divine.

In Arabian Paganism

In pre-Islamic Arabian pagan beliefs, figures akin to the Nephilim appeared as hybrid offspring of angels or supernatural beings and humans, often embodying immense stature and power associated with ancient constructions. A prominent legend centers on the Banu Jurhum tribe, who controlled Mecca and maintained the Kaaba. According to accounts preserved by the 9th-century scholar Al-Jahiz, the ancestor Abu Jurhum was believed to descend from unions between disobedient angels and human women, resulting in a lineage of giants credited with erecting or safeguarding monumental structures like the Kaaba.^[47] This narrative reflects broader pagan motifs of divine-human unions producing extraordinary beings who shaped sacred sites. While parallels to Nephilim exist, some scholars argue these Arabian tales developed independently before later synthesis with Judeo-Christian motifs. Parallel to these angel hybrids, the jinn—semi-divine spirits in pre-Islamic Arabian folklore—were viewed as ethereal entities capable of interacting intimately with humans, including through marriage and procreation. Pre-Islamic Arabs regarded jinn as invisible beings inhabiting desolate places, inspiring poets and soothsayers while occasionally forming bonds with mortals; such unions were thought to yield hybrid offspring possessing supernatural traits. A legend from Yemeni folklore describes the Himyarite king al-Hadhad marrying a jinn princess named Ruwaha after she appeared as a deer during a hunt; their daughter was Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba.^[48] These beliefs underscore the jinn's role as intermediaries between the divine and human worlds in Arabian pagan cosmology. Legends of ancient giant tribes, such as 'Ad and Thamud, further echo Nephilim motifs in pre-Islamic oral traditions, portraying them as exceptionally tall nations destroyed for their hubris. The 'Ad people, dwelling in southern Arabia, were depicted as colossal builders of lofty palaces and pillars, their height and strength symbolizing both prosperity and downfall; these stories circulated among pagan Arabs before Islamic codification in the Quran (e.g., Surah 89:6-8), where echoes describe their tall structures.^[49] Similarly, the Thamud were renowned for carving massive rock dwellings in northern Arabia, their giant-like stature tied to legends of architectural feats that rivaled divine works. These narratives, rooted in pagan folklore, emphasized the perils of hybrid vigor turning to tyranny.^[49] Medieval historian Ibn Kathir (d. 1373), drawing on Arabian oral traditions, linked these giant figures to biblical accounts of the Nephilim by interpreting Quranic references to 'Ad and Thamud as continuations of ancient Semitic lore about fallen angel offspring. In his tafsir, Ibn Kathir describes the 'Ad as men of extraordinary height—reported as 60 cubits (about 90 feet) tall in some traditions—mirroring the "mighty men of old" in Genesis 6:4, and attributes their origins to pre-flood hybrid lineages preserved in Arabian memory.^[50] This synthesis highlights how pagan Arabian tales of giants interwove with Judeo-Christian motifs through shared regional storytelling.

Modern Scholarship and Interpretations

Archaeological and Historical Perspectives

Modern scholars interpret the Nephilim not as literal giants but as symbolic representations of elite warriors or heroes from antiquity, emphasizing biblical rhetoric rather than historical fact. The term "Nephilim" is closely linked to "gibborim" (mighty men) in Genesis 6:4, suggesting renowned figures of power and renown, possibly idealized royal or military elites whose stature was exaggerated for narrative effect. This perspective views the descriptions as hyperbolic language common in ancient Near Eastern texts to glorify legendary ancestors.^[51] Archaeological investigations provide no evidence for the existence of superhuman giants associated with the Nephilim. Megalithic structures such as Gilgal Refaim in the Golan Heights, constructed during the Early Bronze Age (ca. 3000–2700 BCE) with massive basalt stones arranged in concentric circles, have been popularly connected to giant builders due to their scale, but excavations indicate it served as a funerary or ceremonial complex built by ordinary human communities.^[52] Reports of oversized human skeletons from ancient Canaan, sometimes attributed to Nephilim remains, have consistently been refuted as misidentifications of animal bones, natural formations, or outright fabrications in pseudoscientific claims.^[53] Anthropological analyses of the Nephilim references in Numbers 13:33 suggest they stem from exaggerated oral traditions about the formidable Canaanite populations encountered by Israelite scouts. The spies' report describes the land's inhabitants as giants who made the Israelites feel like "grasshoppers," reflecting cultural fears and hyperbole to explain the perceived threat of fortified cities and robust warrior classes in the Late Bronze Age Levant, rather than factual observations. This narrative likely served an etiological function, justifying delays in conquest and amplifying the Canaanites' intimidating presence through mythic embellishment.^[54] Critiques of literal interpretations draw on archaeological reconstructions of regional history. Scholarly views often equate the Anakim—frequently linked to post-flood Nephilim—with cultural memories of refugees and displaced groups from the Bronze Age collapse (ca. 1200 BCE). These stories may preserve distorted recollections of Aegean migrants or urban Canaanite elites who settled in the highlands, whose advanced fortifications and martial prowess were later mythologized as giant foes in [Iron Age](/page/Iron Age) Israelite traditions to legitimize territorial claims. This approach underscores how biblical giant lore encodes historical transitions rather than supernatural events.

In Contemporary Religious Thought

In modern Orthodox Judaism, the Nephilim are typically understood as human figures—often tyrannical rulers, judges, or nobles—who "fell" morally, leading others into corruption, rather than as supernatural hybrids. This interpretation aligns with medieval commentators like Rashi, who derived the term from the Hebrew root nāpal ("to fall"), portraying them as powerful men whose hubris and injustice contributed to the pre-Flood wickedness described in Genesis 6. Nachmanides similarly emphasized their role as human elites whose intermarriages blurred moral lines, underscoring themes of ethical decline without invoking angelic involvement.^[55]^[56]^[57] Liberal branches, such as Reform Judaism, tend to view the Nephilim narrative as mythological symbolism representing human overreach and the perils of unchecked ambition or societal hubris, serving as a cautionary tale against moral arrogance in a non-literal reading of scripture.^[58] Within evangelical Christianity, literalist perspectives often depict the Nephilim as genetic hybrids resulting from unions between fallen angels (the "sons of God") and human women before the Flood, a view popularized by teachers like Chuck Missler, who connected this to broader eschatological warnings about spiritual deception. In contrast, Catholic theology favors an allegorical approach, as articulated by Thomas Aquinas, who rejected angelic procreation as incompatible with their incorporeal nature and instead saw the "sons of God" as the godly descendants of Seth intermarrying with the corrupt line of Cain, producing mighty but flawed humans whose story illustrates divine judgment on human sin.^[59]^[60] In Islamic tradition, the Quranic account of the people of 'Ad portrays them as a mighty, giant-like nation destroyed for their arrogance, with some scholarly analyses drawing parallels to the Nephilim as colossal figures emblematic of hubris leading to divine punishment. Hadith narratives occasionally link such giants to rebellious spirits under Iblis (Satan), depicted as a jinn who defied God alongside other celestial beings, though Iblis himself is not classified as an angel.^[61]^[62] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches in the Pearl of Great Price that the antediluvian world included giants among the posterity of Adam, with doctrinal expansions viewing the "sons of God" as potentially divine or premortal beings who intermingled with mortals, resulting in hybrid offspring that contributed to widespread corruption warranting the Flood.^[63]

Pseudohistorical Claims

Fossil Remains and Giant Discoveries

One of the most notorious pseudohistorical hoaxes involving purported Nephilim remains is the Cardiff Giant, unearthed in 1869 near Cardiff, New York. Created by cigar maker George Hull, the 10-foot-tall gypsum statue was buried on his cousin's farm and "discovered" by workers, who promoted it as a petrified prehistoric man possibly linked to biblical accounts of giants.^[64] The figure drew thousands of visitors and was exhibited for profit, with some interpreting it as evidence of ancient giants from Genesis. However, paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh of Yale University exposed it shortly after by examining the statue and identifying fresh tool marks from carving, along with inconsistencies in the gypsum material that precluded natural petrification.^[65] Hull later confessed to the fraud in 1870, confirming it as a deliberate hoax motivated by skepticism toward religious interpretations of giants.^[64] In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, similar claims emerged from archaeological sites in the American West, often misidentifying Native American remains as those of giants. Excavations at Lovelock Cave in Nevada, beginning in 1911 after guano miners uncovered artifacts and mummified remains, fueled reports of "red-haired giants" up to 8 feet tall, drawing on Paiute oral traditions of the cannibalistic Si-Te-Cah people.^[66] Measurements of the skeletons, however, revealed individuals averaging 5 feet 11 inches to 6 feet 6 inches—tall for the era but within normal human variation for Paiute ancestors—and the reddish hair resulted from post-mortem oxidation rather than genetic traits.^[67] Smithsonian anthropologist Aleš Hrdlička debunked such giant skeleton reports in 1934, attributing them to measurement errors, misidentified animal bones, or outright fabrications, emphasizing that no evidence supported superhuman stature.^[68] Modern pseudoscientific claims continue to link Lovelock mummies and elongated skulls worldwide to Nephilim hybrids, asserting non-human origins. Proponents have speculated that the Lovelock remains represent a distinct race of giants, while elongated skulls from sites like Paracas, Peru, are claimed to result from alien or angelic intervention rather than cultural practices.^[69] DNA analyses refute these ideas: genomic studies of elongated skulls from Bavaria and Croatia show fully human profiles with no anomalous markers, confirming artificial cranial deformation through head binding as the cause of their shape.^[70] Similarly, anthropological examinations of Lovelock specimens indicate standard human morphology, with exaggerated giant narratives stemming from sensationalized folklore rather than biological evidence.^[66] Media sensationalism has amplified these hoaxes into contemporary folklore, as seen in the 2002 "Giant of Kandahar" tale, where U.S. Special Forces allegedly killed a 12- to 15-foot red-haired creature in remote Afghanistan. The story, popularized through interviews and books, portrays the entity as a biblical giant dispatched by helicopter, but lacks verifiable military records or eyewitness corroboration beyond anonymous accounts.^[71] Fact-checkers classify it as fabricated urban legend, likely inspired by local myths and wartime rumors, with no physical remains or official documentation to support the claims.^[72] Such narratives persist in pseudohistorical circles, perpetuating misinterpretations of fossils and hoaxes as proof of ancient superhumans.

Conspiracy Theories

One prominent strand of conspiracy theories posits that the Nephilim were the product of ancient extraterrestrial intervention, specifically through genetic engineering by the Anunnaki, a race of beings from the planet Nibiru as described by author Zecharia Sitchin in his book There Were Giants Upon the Earth. Sitchin interpreted Sumerian texts to argue that these advanced aliens interbred with humans, creating hybrid giants akin to the biblical Nephilim, who influenced early civilizations and human evolution.^[73] In eschatological conspiracy narratives, some pre-tribulation rapture proponents claim the Nephilim will return during the end times as part of apocalyptic events foretold in the Book of Revelation, serving as demonic hybrids or fallen angel offspring to deceive humanity. Author L.A. Marzulli, in works like Countermove: How the Nephilim Returned After the Flood, links this to a "Nephilim agenda" involving genetic manipulation and alien deception to mask the rapture, drawing on Genesis 6 and Revelation imagery of locusts and beasts as modern manifestations of these beings.^[74]^[75] Government cover-up theories allege that institutions like the Smithsonian Institution have suppressed evidence of Nephilim remains, including giant skeletons unearthed in the 19th and early 20th centuries, to maintain evolutionary narratives and hide biblical truths. These claims, often circulated in fringe literature, assert that thousands of such artifacts were destroyed or concealed, with the Supreme Court purportedly ordering disclosure that was ignored. Nephilim are also integrated into UFO lore, where sightings and abductions are viewed as ongoing interactions with these hybrid entities or their extraterrestrial progenitors, potentially staging a false flag invasion to usher in global control.^[68]^[76]^[77] Such theories proliferate in online communities on platforms like YouTube and Reddit, where users connect Nephilim to anomalous sites such as Antarctic underground bases—allegedly housing frozen giants or alien-Nephilim hybrids—and the Bermuda Triangle, posited as portals for these beings' interdimensional travel. These discussions often blend ancient astronaut hypotheses with end-times prophecy, fostering a narrative of suppressed history and impending revelation, as analyzed in studies of Christian-alien conspiracy intersections.^[78]^[79] As of 2025, these pseudohistorical claims have gained traction in political circles, exemplified by U.S. Representative Eric Burlison's public endorsement of the idea that ancient giants were Nephilim and his attendance at NephCon 2025, a conference dedicated to exploring such fringe topics. Ongoing hoaxes, including altered images of giant skeletons circulated online, continue to fuel these narratives despite repeated debunkings.^[80]^[81]

Cultural Depictions

In Literature and Art

In medieval literature, giants often symbolized sin and hubris, drawing from interpretations of Genesis 6 where the Nephilim are described as the offspring of divine beings and human women. In Dante Alighieri's Inferno (c. 1320), part of The Divine Comedy, the pilgrim encounters colossal giants such as Nimrod and Antaeus in the eighth circle of Hell, representing tyrannical sinners whose immense stature evokes themes of pride leading to divine judgment. Illuminated manuscripts from the period, such as those illustrating the Book of Genesis, frequently portrayed giants as towering, monstrous humanoids to emphasize their role in humanity's moral decline before the Flood, as seen in early medieval artworks where oversized figures symbolize the unnatural unions described in scripture. John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost (1667) elaborates on the rebellion of angels against God, portraying their descent and corruption of humanity; later interpreters have connected this to the Nephilim as hybrid progeny of celestial rebels and mortal women, popularizing narratives of angelic falls as precursors to antediluvian giants. The 19th century saw further literary explorations of fallen angels, influenced by extra-biblical traditions like the Book of Enoch. In visual art, Romantic artists like William Blake depicted antediluvian scenes featuring primeval giants to evoke mythic origins and cosmic strife; his watercolor The Primaeval Giants Sunk in the Soil (1824–27), part of a series inspired by biblical and mythological themes, shows enormous figures embedded in the earth, symbolizing the burial of ancient, godlike beings akin to the Nephilim after the deluge.^[82] Similarly, John Martin's dramatic paintings of the biblical Flood, such as The Deluge (1834) and The Eve of the Deluge (1840), feature vast, chaotic landscapes with towering human figures overwhelmed by divine wrath, underscoring the scale of pre-flood wickedness that included the giants of Genesis.^[83] In modern literature, the Nephilim concept has been reimagined in urban fantasy as hybrid beings blending divine and human elements. Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series (2007–2014), part of the Shadowhunters Chronicles, portrays Nephilim—known as Shadowhunters—as descendants of humans infused with angelic blood from the angel Raziel, granting them enhanced abilities to combat demons; Clare drew from mythological traditions of Nephilim as angel-human offspring but adapted them into a lineage of warriors rather than destructive giants.^[84] This representation emphasizes themes of heritage, duty, and otherworldly conflict, positioning the Nephilim as protectors in a hidden supernatural world.

In Film, Television, and Games

In the 2014 film Noah, directed by Darren Aronofsky, the Watchers—fallen angels who fathered the Nephilim according to interpretations of the Book of Enoch—are depicted as towering, rock-encrusted giants with multiple arms and a halting gait, voiced by actors including Nick Nolte. These beings, trapped in earthly forms as punishment for their transgressions, ultimately aid Noah (Russell Crowe) in constructing the ark and defending it against human invaders during the flood. Aronofsky drew from ancient apocryphal texts to portray them as tragic, redemptive figures rather than purely antagonistic, emphasizing their role in the biblical narrative's moral complexity.^[85]^[86] The television series Supernatural (2005–2020) prominently features Nephilim as rare, powerful hybrids born from unions between angels and humans, blending human souls with angelic grace. Introduced in season 12, these beings are hunted by both heavenly and demonic forces due to their potential to disrupt cosmic order; the most significant example is Jack Kline, the son of the archangel Lucifer and human Kelly Kline, whose birth in 2017 triggers apocalyptic events. Jack, portrayed by Alexander Calvert, evolves from an unstable infant-like entity into a key ally for protagonists Sam and Dean Winchester, showcasing abilities like reality manipulation and resurrection that surpass ordinary angels. His arc explores themes of redemption and identity, culminating in his ascension to a god-like role by the series finale.^[87]^[88] In video games, the Darksiders series (2010–present) reimagines Nephilim as an ancient, near-extinct race born from angel-demon unions, engineered by the demoness Lilith to challenge heavenly and hellish dominance. The four surviving Nephilim—the Horsemen of the Apocalypse (War, Death, Strife, and Fury)—serve as playable protagonists, each wielding unique weapons and abilities in hack-and-slash gameplay focused on balancing the eternal conflict between Heaven and Hell. For instance, in Darksiders Genesis (2019), players control War and Strife in co-op missions that delve into the Nephilim's origins and their betrayal by demonic forces, highlighting their savage warrior heritage.^[89]^[90] The Diablo franchise, including Diablo IV (2023), incorporates the concept of Nephalem—angel-demon hybrids directly inspired by Nephilim lore—as foundational to its cosmology, representing humanity's primordial ancestors whose immense power once threatened the High Heavens and Burning Hells. In Diablo IV, ancient Nephalem influences manifest in the game's lore through powerful adversaries like Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto, who embodies hybrid corruption and manipulates Sanctuary's fate as a central boss. Players, as descendants of these hybrids, unlock latent Nephalem potential via skill trees and story progression, confronting echoes of this heritage in endgame challenges that evoke the giants' apocalyptic legacy.^[91]

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### Summary of Book of Jubilees Chapter 4: Seth and His Descendants as Holy or Sons of God
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For Reuben my brother 4 brought in mandrakes from the field, and Rachel met him and took them. And Reuben wept, and 5 at his voice Leah my mother came forth.
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[70]
The Giants of Lovelock Cave: Myth or Prehistoric Reality?
Sep 3, 2024 · The problem was, the rumours were wrong. While there had been human remains, there were no red haired giants found in cave Lovelock.
[71]
Population genomic analysis of elongated skulls reveals extensive ...
Mar 12, 2018 · ... skull deformation. We infer that the most likely origin of the ... deformed or elongated skulls (Fig. 1A). Fig. 1. Fig. 1. Open in a ...
[72]
Did U.S. Special Forces Kill a Giant in Kandahar? | Snopes.com
Aug 31, 2016 · Several conspiracy theory-oriented web sites claimed a Biblical giant with flaming red hair was killed by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.
[73]
Giants of Kandahar: outlandish tales of the US military in Afghanistan
Oct 31, 2022 · Editor's note: This Halloween-centric story dives into a comical conspiracy many tin foil hat enthusiasts have shared at some time.Missing: fabricated | Show results with:fabricated
[74]
Ancient Extraterrestrials: Aliens and UFOs Before the Dawn of Time
Zecharia Sitchin presents his theory that the Anunnaki of Sumerian myth and the Nephilim of the Old Testament were a technologically advanced human-like ...
[75]
Deceptive Alien Invasion to Conceal Rapture and the Ancient ...
Genesis 6:4 says that there were Nephilim in the days of Noah and also after. L.A. Marzulli's book, Counter Move: How the Nephilim Returned After the Flood, ...
[76]
Countermove: How the Nephilim Returned After the Flood
Rating 4.5 (33) Jul 18, 2021 · Countermove is written by LA Marzulli. He expounds on the scriptures from the Bible, The Good News, relating to the account taking place in Genesis 6.
[77]
Claims that the Smithsonian destroyed 'thousands of giant skeletons ...
Aug 4, 2022 · ” Although the claim has been debunked since 2014, some social media users have recently been duped into thinking the report is factual.
[78]
Are the Nephilim Biblical Aliens? | Catholic Answers Magazine
Oct 27, 2025 · Nibiru is inhabited by a race of aliens that the Sumerians called the Anunnaki and that Genesis calls the Nephilim. That's right, the Nephilim ...
[79]
[PDF] CHRISTIAN END TIMES AND ALIEN CONSPIRACY THEORIES A ...
Jul 26, 2020 · ALIENS AND APOCALYPTICISM: CHRISTIAN END TIMES AND ALIEN CONSPIRACY THEORIES. A Thesis presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School at the ...
[80]
The Myth and Mystique of Biblical Nephilim: Fallen Angels or ...
May 25, 2024 · The Nephilim and the 'Ancient Aliens' Theory. The Ancient Alien (or Ancient Astronaut) theory is incredibly controversial, but entertaining ...
[81]
(PDF) Nephilim - Hebrew Bible/Old Testament; Literature; Film
21 © Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/Boston, 2023 123 Nephilim 124 Nephilim (1QapGen II, 1). ... Miryam Brand Bibliography: □ Auffarth, C./L. Stuckenbruck, The ...
[82]
'The Primaeval Giants Sunk in the Soil', William Blake, 1824–7 | Tate
The Primaeval Giants Sunk in the Soil. 1824–7, William Blake. caption. artwork information. On loan.Missing: Nephilim antediluvian
[83]
John Martin: Visions of the Biblical Flood | Yale Center for British Art
Between 1834 and 1840, the visionary artist John Martin (1789–1854) painted three large-scale epic works relating the Genesis story of the flood, the terrible ...Missing: Nephilim giants
[84]
What kind of research did you do about the angels, demons and ...
Mar 12, 2012 · Therefore he seemed the right angel to have given the Gray Book to the first Shadowhunter. Nephilim in mythology are the “offspring” of men an ...
[85]
Let's Talk About Noah's Crazy Giant Rock Monsters - Vulture
Mar 30, 2014 · Aronofsky reveals the film's fallen angels. These Nephilim are referred to as the Watchers, but let's not mince words: They're freakin' rock monsters!
[86]
Rock Giants in Noah - Biblical Archaeology Society
Jul 14, 2014 · Who are the rock giants in Noah the movie? They're called fallen angels and are based loosely on the Watchers we see in the Book of Enoch.
[87]
Supernatural: 20 Strange Details About Jack's Anatomy - Screen Rant
Dec 13, 2018 · This was Jack, a Nephilim -- a baby born from the union of a human and an angel. However, Jack wasn't just a regular Nephilim -- he was the son ...He Is Stronger Than All... · He Gave Castiel A Power... · He Matured To Adulthood...
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Jack's 5 Biggest Moments in Season 13 of 'Supernatural'
Jul 13, 2018 · Season 12 ended with a bang as Jack Kline, nephilim son of Lucifer, was born. Fans were shocked to see a young adult huddled in the corner ...<|separator|>
[89]
Nephilim - Darksiders II Guide - IGN
The Nephilim are a race of savage, powerful humanoids, now all but extinct save for the four horsemen—War, Death, Strife, and Fury.
[90]
Darksiders 4's Biggest Feature is 15 Years in the Making - Game Rant
Aug 2, 2025 · Ever since Darksiders was released back in 2010, each game has only featured one Nephilim Rider, highlighting their individual adventures in ...
[91]
Lore Question: Are 'we' Nephalem in D4? - Blizzard Forums
May 19, 2023 · Yes we are indeed Nephalem. Our powers however have been greatly diminished by Inarius since the time of D3 fifty years ago.