5303. Nephilim

Lexicon

Nephilim: Giants

Original Word: נְפִיל
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: nphiyl
Pronunciation: neh-fee-LEEM
Phonetic Spelling: (nef-eel')
Definition: Giants
Meaning: a feller, a bully, tyrant

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

giant

Or nphil {nef-eel'}; from naphal; properly, a feller, i.e. A bully or tyrant -- giant.

see HEBREW naphal

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from naphal
Definition
"giants," name of two peoples, one before the flood and one after the flood
NASB Translation
Nephilim (3).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

נְפִלִים noun masculine plural giants, according to ᵐ5 γίγαντες so ᵑ6 ᵑ9; הַנְּפִלִים Genesis 6:4 (J), הַנְּפִילִים בְּנֵי עֲנָק מִןהַֿנְּפִלִים Numbers 13:33 (JE); ᵐ5 omit ׳בְּנֵי וגו, and so Di; these words perhaps doublet, but already in ⅏, also ᵑ9 (etymology dubious; compare Aramaic נִיפְלָא, נְפִילָא Orion; conjectures see in Thes Di^{on the passage}; Tu Kn Len^{Or. i. 344, Eng. Tr. 345 f.}; Che^{Hebraica. iii (1887), 175, 176}; all very precarious).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root נָפַל (naphal), meaning "to fall."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Greek equivalent for the Hebrew term "Nephilim" in the Strong's Concordance. However, the concept of giants or mighty beings can be loosely associated with Greek terms like γίγας (Gigas • Strong's Greek 1096), which means "giant."

Usage: The term "Nephilim" appears in the Hebrew Bible in two primary contexts: Genesis 6:4 and Numbers 13:33. In both instances, it refers to beings of extraordinary stature and might, often interpreted as giants or formidable warriors.

Context: • The Nephilim are first mentioned in Genesis 6:4, where they are described as the offspring of "the sons of God" and "the daughters of men." This passage has been the subject of much debate and interpretation, with various theories suggesting they were fallen angels, mighty human warriors, or a hybrid race. The Berean Standard Bible translates Genesis 6:4 as: "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown."
• In Numbers 13:33, the Nephilim are mentioned in the report of the spies sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. The spies describe the inhabitants as giants, saying, "We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak that come from the Nephilim. We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight, and we must have seemed the same to them." This report instilled fear among the Israelites, emphasizing the formidable nature of the Nephilim.
• The identity and nature of the Nephilim have been the subject of various interpretations throughout history. Some Jewish and Christian traditions view them as fallen angels or demonic beings, while others see them as legendary heroes or tyrants of ancient times. The ambiguity of the term and its limited occurrences in the biblical text leave room for diverse theological and scholarly perspectives.

Forms and Transliterations

הַנְּפִילִ֛ים הַנְּפִלִ֑ים הַנְּפִלִ֞ים הנפילים הנפלים han·nə·p̄i·lîm han·nə·p̄î·lîm hannefiLim hannəp̄ilîm hannəp̄îlîm

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 6:4
HEB: הַנְּפִלִ֞ים הָי֣וּ בָאָרֶץ֮
NAS: The Nephilim were on the earth
KJV: There were giants in the earth
INT: the Nephilim were on the earth

Numbers 13:33
HEB: רָאִ֗ינוּ אֶת־ הַנְּפִילִ֛ים בְּנֵ֥י עֲנָ֖ק
NAS: also we saw the Nephilim (the sons
KJV: And there we saw the giants, the sons
INT: There saw the Nephilim sons of Anak

Numbers 13:33
HEB: עֲנָ֖ק מִן־ הַנְּפִלִ֑ים וַנְּהִ֤י בְעֵינֵ֙ינוּ֙
NAS: of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became
KJV: of Anak, [which come] of the giants: and we were in our own sight
INT: of Anak at the Nephilim become sight

3 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5303
3 Occurrences

han·nə·p̄i·lîm — 3 Occ.