We all know that after Noahs flood, all living things on the earth were destroyed including the Nephilim from Genesis 6:4. It is presumed that one of the reasons God destroyed the earth was because of this Nephilim, their offspring and also the wickedness of that generation except eight people in Noahs family and the animals and birds in the Ark. However, in Numbers 13:33 the Nephilim reappeared and Israel is terrified of them. So my Question is; How did the descendants of the Nephilim reappear on the earth if the flood had only left Noahs family who eventually populated the earth?

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    The description 'nephilim' forms part of an 'evil report', verse 32. They were lying. There were no nephilim there at all. – Nigel J Aug 10 '18 at 14:28
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    @ Nigel J. Its an interesting perspective but Deutoronomy 2:20 -21 and 3:11 shows that there were indeed some descendants of the Nephilim. i.e the Anakim and Zamzummim. Hence i submit that the Israelites were indeed looking at a people who were not "normal" as known at that time. – Dr.Apell Aug 10 '18 at 22:02
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    Probably in the same manner in which they appeared before the Flood as well; after all, Adam and Eve weren't giants either. – Lucian Aug 11 '18 at 2:04
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    @Nigel. If the 10 spies did tell lies to the Israelites (triggering with them fear and lacking of faith) why Joshua and Caleb did not counterargument their 'lies'? It seems to me that the major topic of them ways, really, 'Though they live in fortifications and some Nephilim are in their midst, through the power of God they will become bread for our teeth'. It could be very strange that those two faithful men did not grasp the opportunity to show how the other 10 spies did tell mere lies... – Saro Fedele Aug 11 '18 at 17:19
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    "It is presumed that one of the reasons God destroyed the earth was because of this Nephilim" Why? Genesis says God was angry with man in general, not the nephilim. Genesis 6:5 "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness *of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." – Sola Gratia Jan 26 '19 at 8:45

Great question!

Although, when discussing the Nephilim we are not afforded the luxury of certainty, we still have the capacity of right thinking.

Genesis 6:4 (HCSB)


Numbers 13:33 (HCSB)


In order that we might glean understanding, we must not force systematic theology where it is not needed, and even more importantly we must not assume we know something we simply do not.

So by removing all opinion, presuppositions, denominational doctrines, and assumptions, we can ask "what does the text say?".

Pre-flood the Nephilim are described as the children who were bore unto the sons of God who came to the daughters of mankind.

So if Nephilim emerge post-flood, it would be because the sons of God came unto the daughters of mankind and they bore children to them.

Do not become distracted with auxiliary questions, i.e. who are the sons of God? What does Nephilim mean? etc

Your question is simply how can they be pre and post-flood. The answer is in the text. They would have been post-flood in the same manner that they were pre-flood, that is to say, "the sons of God again came to the daughters of mankind who again bore children to them".

I hope this answer serves as a blessing to you.

  • Thanks this answer seems good to me . I particularly appreciate your approach and reasoning to unraveling the mystery of the reappearing Nephilim – Dr.Apell Aug 14 '18 at 13:00
  • @Dr.Apell, I’m very thankful you found it helpful. I enjoyed your question. – N.Ish Aug 14 '18 at 13:48

There are a few possible approaches to answering this question, and they are based on disproving one of two assumptions in the question, which I will list and provide alternatives to:

Assumption #1. The Nephilim from after the flood must have descended from the Nephilim that existed before the flood.

As noted above by N. Ish, this is not necessarily the case. Nephilim may have come from post-flood unions of sorts, whether as posited above, by unions between angels and men, or other unions (as per this discussion.)

Assumption #2 - No Nephilim survived the flood.

This too is highly debatable. Especially if Nephilim are understood to be regular humans (i.e. Noah's family) or aliens from the skies, there is no reason to assume that they all died out.

The Talmud (Zevachim 113b) actually suggests that Og, one of these Nephilim/giants actually clung to the Noah's ark and lived through the flood, while other opinions suggest that the flood did not affect the entire world (see here as well), and Nephilim survived in the parts of the world that were not affected by the flood.

(Bonus material, courtesy of Nigel J in the comments above:

A third assumption that could be challenged is that Nephilim existed after the flood at all. The only time elsewhere (in the Hebrew Bible) that Nephilim are referred to is in Numbers 13, as part of the testimony of the spies. As Nigel noted, it is possible that they spies were not entirely honest in reporting what they saw. Dr. Apell's response follows the standard understanding that Nephilim, Rephaim, and Anakim are from the same family of beings (which is the basis of the report in Numbers above), but can still be challenged by noting that the giants of Canaan/Rephaim were not necessarily literally Nephilim/Anakim.

I could go on and on, but I'll stop here.)

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    This answer seems to be a compilation of other answers and comments on the subject. Not that it is unhelpful, but it’s not strictly an answer. This is a discussion or a thought provoking comment perhaps, but I do not think it should be offered as an answer. I appreciate your input nonetheless. – N.Ish Aug 13 '18 at 15:16
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    @n.ish it is actually a number of good answers, organized and explained, without making the post unreadably long... If you feel it should not be an answer, feel free to flag it in that way, and one of the moderators will decide whether or not it should be here. – user22655 Aug 13 '18 at 17:11
  • I did not wish to be hasty and flag it. It is concise and well rounded. I think it would be nice if you offered an answer as sort of a way to conclude your take in light of the different ways of thinking, but I don’t think it’s necessary, just desirable. – N.Ish Aug 13 '18 at 17:17
  • Re:assumption1 - "I confirm my covenant with you: Never again will all living things be wiped out by the waters of a flood; never again will a flood destroy the earth." Gen 9:11 NET – Neville Aug 14 '18 at 19:29
  • @neville I'm not sure what that verse has to do with my first assumption... – user22655 Aug 14 '18 at 20:03

From the Bible account we may conclude that the Nephilim existed before the Flood, as well for a time period after that cataclysm. In fact Genesis 6:4 says: "In that period [בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם], the Nephilim happened on the earth, and, similarly, in the next one [וְגַם אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן], namely, all the time in which the sons of the true God introduced themselves to the men’s daughters, who generated them these ones: the Powerful-Ones, who were considered, from a past, unsighted time, the men of renown" (my provisional translation).

As you see, the two expressions I've quoted by B19 (Codex Leningradensis) imply an important - evidently - happening put on the centre of the discussion. On the basis of the context of this passage we may easily infer that that happening was the Flood. This was considered an unforgettable temporal divide, so the ancient peoples made difference between 'before' or 'after' the Flood. For an example, the Assyrian king Asshurbanipal declared (in a commemorative stela of him) he was able to read 'stone inscriptions, written in the epoch before the Flood'.

Correctly, The Companion Bible (Appendix 25) wrote: "So that 'after that' [Genesis 6:4], that is to say, after the Flood, there was a second irruption of these fallen angels".

The over 600 Flood's ancients traditions tell us that the ancient people never forgot this cataclysm along with its repercussions on human life. Some of these same traditions tell us that a second wave of giants appeared after the Deluge.

Moreover, like I've commented before, if the 10 spies did tell lies to the Israelites (triggering with them fear and lacking of faith) why Joshua and Caleb did not counterargument their 'lies'? Why they didn't say to the other 10 spies (before all the congregation of Israel): "What are you saying? Where and when we have seen the Nephlilim? You're lying!"


A last point. The Bible (Num 14:36) doesn't speak about a false (שׁקר) report, but about an undermining, disparaging (דבה) report.

In fact, see, please, the way in which this term is translated, in various translations: "evil report" (ASV); "bad account" (BBE); "evil words" (Brenton); "bad news" (CEV); "bad report" (ESV); "ill report" (Alter); "discouraging reports" (NAB, NJB).



To answer this question, let's consider Nick's point. "Genesis 6:4 reads as follows: The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them; the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown."

The act of the Sons of God did not bring about the giants (Nephilim) but made the "mighty". That's the Nephilim existed before the fall of Sons.

So then, to understand how they reappeared [or existence of a new generation with similar traits], we should seek to understand how they appeared in the first place from the creation and descendants of Adam...

I don't know or have the answers but I think this would guide us in search for the truth... My Candid Opinion...

  • Welcome to BHSX. Thanks for your contribution. This reads more like a comment than an answer. Please try to use references for your answers. – user25930 Nov 5 '18 at 8:16


There are several hypotheticals. Some are mentioned in the other responses, two I didn’t see mentioned yet at all.

1) There was elohim seed in the water animals which were not destroyed by the flood. 2) The daughters in law of Noah had elohim DNA and were therefore nephilim themselves.

I will only be addressing the latter as a potential and will resort to using Bible verses only, so as not to be accused of using extrabiblical sources.

Cliff Notes Style Background

As a quick background sons of G-d are the elohim of psalm 82 and Job 1&2 and Deu 32:8 LXX & DSS. The Bible mentions that although “angels” do not marry and are not given in marriage Matthew 22:30 in Genesis 3:15 we read

“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:15‬ ‭NASB‬

So clearly this speaking serpentine entity had seed and Revelation calls him the Serpent of Old, satan. Satan being a cherub or a seraph depending if you are reading Babylonian or Egyptian origin is identified as having SEED and by seed one understands in essence DNA because that’s what is transferred in a seed, the blue print to the life to be procreated.

Genesis 6:1-4 speaks of the sons of G-d and they clearly copulate with women because they have children. We are going to assume (even if you don’t want to agree) that they are not humans for this explanation. I’m not being dogmatic about this response but I’m sharing some knowledge for what it’s worth.


There is much more to be said but Jude and 2 Peter describe those that have left their abode are kept in chains. It is for this reason that I don’t have sufficient confidence to believe another son of G-d would repeat Genesis 6:4 especially knowing what these first are enduring for their disobedience.

Let’s Begin

If we pay attention to the language of those boarding Noah’s ark we will notice that every group is followed with the words “after their kind”


This passage was already mentioned in Chapter 6 and that phrase “after its kind” is mentioned only after the animals but not after Noah’s family. The implication being that The eight souls are not all of the same kind.

We read that Noah was tamiym, translated as perfect or without blemish undefiled. Genesis 6:9

Noah and his wife being echâd G-d would say the same of both of them. I’m not going to side track on this. Both being undefiled their sons could likewise not have been corrupted with the seed of the elohim. So why couldn’t the Bible add after their kind to Noah’s family? The implication is that the wives of the sons were corrupted and given the verse

“God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭6:12‬ ‭NASB‬‬

That would infer that all flesh other than the animals G-d kept undefiled and Noah and his immediate family. But the daughters in law were not included as blood relations to Noah.

Cursing the Grandson

This is where it gets curious. Noah plants a vine and gets drunk and the Bible drops an “Easter egg” when it uses the phrase “saw the nakedness of his father”

“Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭9:22‬ ‭NASB‬‬

That is the same phrase used in several other places to describe sexual union but not that Ham united with his father but with his mother as per

“You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother; you shall not approach his wife, she is your aunt.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭18:14‬ ‭NASB‬‬

This language is highly cryptic and for good reasons but it becomes evident that Noah understood something. Instead of cursing Ham who tried to lay with his own mother Noah curses his grandchild Canaan

“So he said, "Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers."” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭9:25‬ ‭NASB‬‬

That is most peculiar. But it seems to make sense in this light. Ham after knowing his nephil wife gave birth to a child and the child had nephil traits. Maybe his wife didn’t outwardly display any phenotypic traits but the child made it perfectly evident that she had nephilim DNA. So any other children he would have with her would very likely also be carriers of nephilim DNA. Seeing he had little to no chance convincing his brothers to share their wives to raise up a house for himself, when his father had become drunk he saw an opportunity in a pure/tamiym mother.

Noah blames the grandchild for Ham’s behavior, he was desperate.

If we follow Canaan’s progeny it has many with nephilim traits.

This is one way that the nephilim seed passed over the flood.

Beside this method there is also the possibility that gnostic witchcraft of the gods was employed for trans human and animal genetic mutants but the key remains, elohim seed had to survive somehow in order that it be used.

Example of Nephilim after the Flood

Here are three examples of nephilim in the Bible after the flood

“"Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, Though his height was like the height of cedars And he was strong as the oaks; I even destroyed his fruit above and his root below.” ‭‭Amos‬ ‭2:9‬ ‭NASB‬‬

A mature cedar today grows anywhere from 20’ - 65+’ these are the giants Israel saw when they went spying the land. If they were only 7-9’ tall I don’t think they would have been that scared of them.

“Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth; even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭23:10‬ ‭NASB‬‬

The name Ephron meant fawn-like and names generally had meanings back then, descriptive meaning like Esau. Efron was pet human and part goat. The Hittite have a really interesting ancient artifacts of human animal hybrid drawings.

“Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭11:22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

That is part human and part lion. And so you don’t confuse things the same verse has two humans, Benaia and his father, the one lion and the two lionlike men.

There are obviously other examples

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    I have to say that I am in sixes and nines about what to to make of this answer. My dogmatic proclivities was to reject outrightly the trend of DNA reasoning but I cannot deny that somehow this aberration of humanoids existed. Therefore I have to reluctantly muse upon your answers and the possibility that you could be on to something here – Dr.Apell Jul 24 '19 at 17:58
  • Hahaha @Dr.Apell it’s all about the seed in the Bible. I appreciate your comment. Here is a verse that speaks of end times. “And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.” ‭‭Daniel‬ ‭2:43‬ ‭Also consider the name Beast. Whatever mark it has will disqualify a person from salvation. The only qualifier for salvation is a person must be human. The beast will remove human markers and mark them with its own genetic marker. I’m not being dogmatic. Just exploring. – Nihil Sine Deo Jul 24 '19 at 18:56

Three words: demon sex rituals.

Canaan, where the Nephilim were concentrated after the Flood, was a hotspot for idolatry. The immorality of Canaanite society gradually grew, reaching its apex right before Joshua's conquest after the Exodus (Genesis 15:13-21).

Shocking that this would attract demons who wish to do nefarious things with humans (1 Corinthians 10:20).


I believe that Genesis 6:4 not only explains the "mechanism," if you will, of their first appearance, but also the subsequent "outbreak."


I don't see any warrant for the proposition that nephilim survived the Flood:


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    Nick Uva, I’m trying to see what you’re offering that differs or improves upon my answer.. – N.Ish Aug 13 '18 at 14:55
  • Not much except to provide the chapter 7 quote that there were no survivors. – Nick Uva Aug 13 '18 at 15:01
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    I've downvoted, as this doesn't really attempt to answer the real question being asked: If the Nephilim were all killed in the flood, why do they reappear after it? You don't even acknowledge the verse in Numbers 13. – user2910 Aug 14 '18 at 15:12
  • @ Mark Edward: The Nephilim did not reappear after the flood, in Num.14:36-37 we read that the 10 spies who brought a bad /evil report. in other words they lied about the reappearance of the nephilim, died by a plague brought on them direct by God. Centuries after the deluge Peter inspired by God writes:1 Peter 3:20 "who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water." – Ozzie Ozzie Jan 27 '19 at 20:18
  • @OzzieNicolas The bad report was bad not because it was a lie but because it discouraged the people. There are definite references to giants and Anakim in Joshua and 1 Samuel. So there were rephaim present. – Nick Uva Jan 27 '19 at 20:29
