Throughout Scripture, we find numerous references to giants—mighty men of great stature who struck fear into the hearts of those who encountered them. These beings are often misunderstood, but the Bible provides clear descriptions of their presence, their overwhelming size, and the different tribes that descended from them.
The Meaning of Nephilim and Their Immense Stature
The first mention of giants in the Bible comes in Genesis 6:4, where it says,
“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 they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.”
The word translated as “giants” here is Nephilim (נְפִלִים), which literally means “fallen ones,” but in context, it refers to beings of immense size and strength. This is supported by later biblical descriptions of giants, where they are clearly identified as towering figures. In Numbers 13:32-33, when the twelve spies returned from Canaan, they reported:
“The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
The spies describe the Nephilim as so tall that they made ordinary men feel like insects. This exaggeration underscores the overwhelming nature of their size. Further confirming their immense stature, Amos 2:9 says of the Amorites,
“Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was as strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit above and his roots beneath.”
Cedar trees in the Middle East often grow 30-40 feet tall, sometimes even taller. While this description may be somewhat poetic, it still emphasizes that these beings were unlike ordinary men.
Named Giants in the Bible
While many tribes of giants existed, the Bible also names certain individuals who were known for their great size and strength.
Goliath of Gath
One of the most famous giants in Scripture, Goliath, is described in 1 Samuel 17:4-7:
“And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze…”
A cubit is roughly 18 inches, and a span about 9 inches, making Goliath about 9 feet 9 inches tall. His armor alone weighed 125 pounds, showing his incredible strength.
Og, King of Bashan
Another famous giant is Og, the king of Bashan. In Deuteronomy 3:11, his bed is described:
“For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants. Indeed his bedstead was an iron bedstead… Nine cubits is its length and four cubits its width, according to the standard cubit.”
This means his bed was approximately 13.5 feet long and 6 feet wide, indicating he was likely around 12 feet tall or more.
Ishbi-Benob and the Sons of Goliath
David’s mighty men later fought against other giants, as seen in 2 Samuel 21:16-22. One of these, Ishbi-Benob, was a Philistine warrior who sought to kill David. Others mentioned include Saph, Lahmi (the brother of Goliath), and a giant with six fingers and six toes, indicating genetic abnormalities common among giant bloodlines.
Tribes of Giants in the Bible
Many tribes of giants existed, each with distinct names. These were remnants of the Nephilim bloodline, scattered throughout Canaan and surrounding regions.
The Anakim
The Anakim were the giants that terrified the spies in Numbers 13:33. They descended from Anak, whose father, Arba, was a mighty man of old. Joshua 11:21-22 says:
“And at that time Joshua came and cut off the Anakim from the mountains: from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel; Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. None of the Anakim were left in the land of the children of Israel; they remained only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod.”
This tells us that some of the Anakim survived in Gath, which is where Goliath later arose.
The Rephaim
The Rephaim were another race of giants, frequently mentioned in the Bible. Genesis 14:5 records that Chedorlaomer and his allies defeated them in battle:
“In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim…”
Later, the Rephaim are mentioned as remnants in Deuteronomy 2:10-11:
“(The Emim had dwelt there in times past, a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. They were also regarded as giants, like the Anakim, but the Moabites call them Emim.)”
The Emim
The Emim were another group of giants, mentioned above as living in Moabite territory. Their name means “the terrible ones,” indicating their fearsome reputation.
The Zamzummim
The Zamzummim were another name for the Rephaim, dwelling in Ammonite land. Deuteronomy 2:20-21 says:
“(That was also regarded as a land of giants; giants formerly dwelt there. But the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. But the Lord destroyed them before them…)”
The Amorites
The Amorites were not always considered giants, but some of them were. As mentioned earlier in Amos 2:9, they were described as having the height of cedars. Deuteronomy 3:8-11 ties the Amorites to Og of Bashan, confirming that some Amorites were indeed giants.
The Fate of the Giants
Most of the post flood giants were destroyed by Israel under Moses, Joshua, and later, David and his men. However, some remnants survived among the Philistines, as seen with Goliath and his brothers. God’s command was clear—Israel was to wipe them out completely. Deuteronomy 9:1-2 states:
“Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today and go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven, a people great and tall, the descendants of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the descendants of Anak?’”
Despite their overwhelming size, God empowered His people to defeat them.
My Final Thoughts
The presence of giants in the Bible is not just myth or legend. The Nephilim and their descendants were real, physically imposing beings who opposed God’s people. They were often associated with wickedness and rebellion against God, and Israel was commanded to drive them out. The existence of these giants reminds us that no matter how overwhelming the enemy seems, God is greater.
“For the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:47)
