Before the flood, something walked the Earth that was never supposed to exist.
The question is not whether the diluvian flood happened or not. The question is why it happened, and what was it meant to take out?
The Nephilim
Although the giants are referenced throughout the Bible, the word ‘nephilim’ is only mentioned in two verses in the traditional canon of the Bible. (Curious about the various versions/canons of the bible? Click here to read more) They are mentioned in Genesis 6:4 and Numbers 13:33.
To understand what the Nephilim were, we have to understand the days of Noah. At this point in time, Noah and his ancestors were living way past the life expectancy of today. According to Genesis, Noah had his 3 sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth at the age of 500. (Genesis 5:32, KJV, 1769)
The antedeluvian world was nothing like today’s modern era.
Now let’s take a look at Genesis 6.
Genesis 6: 1- 4
Gen 6: 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.
Who were the sons of God?
According to the Book of Enoch, these sons of God were known as The Watchers.
These beings were said to have descended from heaven, watched over humanity, and then crossed a line they were never meant to cross. Instead of remaining set apart, they took human wives and fathered children with them. That act alone is what many believe led to the Nephilim.
But not everyone agrees.
Some scholars and readers interpret the “sons of God” as fallen angels. (Chase & Hearne, 2023) Others believe they were the righteous line of Seth, while the “daughters of men” were the corrupt line of Cain. (Toby, 2010) A third view sees them as powerful rulers, nobles, or kings who abused their authority and took women by force. (Diidgid, 2025) The Bible does not explicitly settle the debate, which is part of what makes this one of the most enduring mysteries in Scripture.
The Nephilim and the Corruption of the Earth
If the Nephilim were indeed the offspring of supernatural beings and human women, then they were not ordinary people. They were described as “mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” That phrase suggests power, reputation, and perhaps fear.
In Numbers 13:33, the Israelite spies sent into Canaan reported seeing the Nephilim there as well:
“And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”
Whether this was a literal description or a terrified exaggeration is debated, but the result is the same: the Nephilim became associated with overwhelming size, strength, and danger.
Why Did the Flood Happen?
Genesis 6 does not present the flood as random judgment. It presents it as a response to widespread corruption.
The chapter says that the earth was filled with violence, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually. In other words, humanity had fallen into a state of deep moral collapse.
If the Nephilim story is connected to that collapse, then the flood may have been a divine reset — not just to judge wickedness, but to preserve the purity of creation and the human line through which redemption would eventually come.
Noah stands at the center of that story because he is described as righteous in his generation. While the world around him was becoming increasingly corrupt, Noah found favor with God. His family became the remnant through which life would continue after the waters receded.
What Happened After the Flood?
One of the most debated details is Genesis 6:4, which says the Nephilim were present “in those days; and also after that.”
That raises a major question: if the flood wiped out all living flesh, how could the Nephilim appear again afterward?
There are a few common explanations:
- The later Nephilim were not the same beings, but similar giants or warrior clans.
- The phrase refers to the same kind of beings appearing again through later unions or corruption.
- The “after that” language means the tradition of giant-like men continued, not necessarily the original Nephilim themselves.
Whatever interpretation one chooses, the theme remains consistent: the biblical world treats these figures as abnormal, powerful, and tied to rebellion.
The Bigger Picture
The story of the Nephilim is about more than giants.
It is about boundaries being crossed.
It is about corruption spreading.
It is about the earth becoming so twisted that judgment became necessary.
That is why the Nephilim remain such a haunting subject. They appear only briefly in the Bible, yet they seem to stand at the intersection of mystery, rebellion, and judgment. Their mention opens a door into some of the oldest and deepest questions in Scripture:
- What exactly were the “sons of God”?
- How literal were the Nephilim?
- Why does the Bible mention them so sparingly?
- And what does their story reveal about the world before the flood?
The answers depend on interpretation, but one thing is clear: the Bible presents the days of Noah as a time when the line between the holy and the corrupt had been violently crossed.
And that is what made the flood necessary.
Final Thoughts
The Nephilim remain one of the most mysterious and controversial subjects in the Bible. Whether understood as giant beings, fallen angel offspring, powerful warriors, or symbolic figures of corruption, they represent a world that had gone terribly off course.
In the end, the question is not just, “Who were the Nephilim?”
It is also, “What happens when creation abandons its order?”
Genesis 6 answers with a warning: when evil multiplies unchecked, destruction follows — but so does mercy, if one righteous man can be found.
References:
Chase, M. L., & Hearne, T. (2023, October 3). Who are the sons of God, daughters of Man, and Nephilim? Southern Equip. https://equip.sbts.edu/article/who-are-the-sons-of-god-daughters-of-man-and-nephilim/
Dudgid, Iain. (2025, June 15). Crossway. https://www.crossway.org/articles/who-were-the-nephilim-and-the-sons-of-god-and-daughters-of-man-genesis-6/
Toby. (2010, November 8). My Boy Augustine, Sons of God, Nephilim, etc. Having Two Legs. https://tobyjsumpter.com/my-boy-augustine-sons-of-god-nephilim-etc/