GIANTS

     In Greek, Gigas, in Hebrew, Nephel, or Nephilim; which may signify a monster, or a terrible man, who beats and bears down other men.  The Scripture speaks of Giants who lived before the flood; they are called Nephilim, “mighty men which were of old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:4).  Aquila, instead of Gigantes, translates this word Nephilim, men who attack, who fall with impetuosity upon their enemies; a translation, says one, which renders very well the whole force of he Hebrew term.  Symmachus translates it violent men, cruel, whose only rule of their actions is violence, and force of arms.

     The Scripture calls them sometimes Rephaims.  For example; Chedorlaomer and his allies beat the Rephaims or giants at Asheroth Karnaim (Genesis 14:5).  The Emims, ancient inhabitants of the land of Moab, were of a gigantic stature, they were of the number of Rephaims or giants (Deuteronomy 2:10-11).  The Rephaims and the Perizzites are joined together as old inhabitants of the land of Canaan (Genesis 15:20).  Job says that the ancient Rephaims mourn or groan under the waters (Job 26:5).  These giants of the old world, who once carried themselves insolently towards God and men, but were quickly subdued by the Divine power, and drowned with a deluge, do now mourn and groan, from under the waters where they were buried, or in their subterranean and infernal habitations.  But this passage is otherwise explained by some.  Solomon, in Proverbs 2:18, says that the paths of a debauched woman lead to the Rephaims, that is, to hell, where the rebellious giants are; and that he who deviates from the ways of wisdom, shall go and dwell in the assembly of the giants in hell (Proverbs 21:16).

     The Anakims, or the sons of Anak, were the most famous giants of Palestine.  They dwelt at Hebron, and thereabouts.  There stature was so much above what was common, that the Israelites, who were sent to view the Promised Land, told the people at their return, that they had seen giants of the race of Anak in this country, who were of so monstrous a size, that the Israelites, in comparison, were but grasshoppers to them (Numbers 13:33).

     The Septuagint sometimes translate the Hebrew word Gibbor, giant, though literally it signifies no more than a strong man, a man of valor and bravery, a warrior.  For example; they say that Nimrod was a giant before the Lord (Genesis 10:8-9); that the sun rises like a giant to run its course (Psalm 19:5); that the Lord will destroy the giant and warlike man (Isaiah 3:2); that he will call his giants in his wrath, to take vengeance of his enemies (Isaiah 13:3); and that he will destroy the power of Egypt by the sword of his giants; that is, of his warriors (Ezekiel 32:12, 21, 27).

     As to the existence of giants, several writers, both ancient and modern, have imagined, that the giants spoken of in Scripture were indeed men of an extraordinary stature, but not so much above what was common as they have fancied, who describe giants as three or four times larger than men at the present.  They were, say they, men famous for the violences which they committed, and for their crimes rather than for their strength, or the greatness of their stature.

     It is very probable, that the first men were all of a strength and stature much superior to those of mankind at present, since they lived a much longer time; long life being commonly the effect of a strong and vigorous constitution.  And that formerly there were men of a stature much above that of common men cannot be denied, at least not without contradicting the Holy Scriptures.  The Israelites who traversed the Holy Land, told their brethren, that they had seen giants in this country of Anak’s race, who were so unmeasureably large, that other men were but grasshoppers in comparison to them (Numbers 13:33).  Moses speaks of Og the king of Bashan’s bed, which was nine cubits long, and four wide; that is, fifteen feet four inches and a half long (Deuteronomy 3:11).  Goliath was six cubits and a span in height, that is to say, ten feet seven inches (1 Samuel 17:4).  These sorts of giants were still common in Joshua’s and David’s times, when the life of men was already so much shortened, and as may be presumed, the size and strength of human bodies were very much diminished.  Besides the giants, mentioned in Scripture, several historians make mention of giants; as Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, Pliny, Homer, Plutarch, etc.[CRUDEN’S DICTIONARY OF BIBLE TERMS]

·  Hebrew Nephilim, meaning "violent" or "causing to fall" (Genesis 6:4).  These were the violent tyrants of those days, those who fell upon others.  The word may also be derived from a root signifying "wonder", and hence "monsters" or "prodigies".  In Numbers 13:33 this name is given to a Canaanitish tribe, a race of large stature, "the sons of Anak".  The Revised Version, in these passages, simply transliterates the original, and reads "Nephilim".

·  Hebrew Rephaim, a race of giants (Deuteronomy 3:11) who lived on the east of Jordan, from whom Og was descended.  They were probably the original inhabitants of the land before the immigration of the Canaanites.  They were conquered by Chedorlaomer (Genesis 14:5), and their territories were promised as a possession to Abraham (15:20).  The Anakim, Zuzim, and Emim were branches of this stock.

In Job 26:5 (RSV, "they that are deceased"; marg., "the shades", the "Rephaim") and Isaiah 14:9 this Hebrew word is rendered (A.V.) "dead".   It means here "the shades," the departed spirits in Sheol.   In 2 Samuel 21:16, 18, 20, 33, "the giant" is (A.V.) the rendering of the singular form Ha raphah , Which may possibly be the name of the father of the four giants referred to here, or of the founder of the Rephaim.  The Vulgate here reads "Arapha," whence Milton (in Samson Agonistes) has borrowed the name "Harapha".  (See also 1 Chronicles 20:5, 6, 8; Deuteronomy 2:11, 20; 3:13; Joshua 15:8, etc., where the word is similarly rendered "giant".)   It is rendered "dead" in (A.V.) Psalm 88:10; Proverbs 2:18, 9:18, 21:16: in all these places the Revised Version margin has "the shades".   (See also Isaiah 26:14.)

·  Hebrew 'Anakim (Deuteronomy 2:10, 11, 21; Joshua 11:21, 22; 14:12, 15; called "sons of Anak", Numbers 13:33; "children of Anak", 13:22; Joshua 15:14), a nomad race of giants descended from Arba (Joshua 14:15), the father of Anak, that dwelt in the south of Palestine near Hebron (Genesis 23:2; Joshua 15:13).   They were a Cushite tribe of the same race as the Philistines and the Egyptian shepherd kings. David on several occasions encountered them (2 Samuel 21:15-22).   From this race sprung Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4).

·  Hebrew 'Emin, a warlike tribe of the ancient Canaanites.   They were "great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims" (Genesis 14:5; Deuteronomy 2:10, 11).

·  Hebrew Zamzummim (q.v.), Deuteronomy 2:20 so called by the Amorites.

·  Hebrew gibbor (Job 16:14), a mighty one, i.e., a champion or hero.  In its plural form (gibborim) it is rendered "mighty men" (2 Samuel 23:8-39; 1 Kings 1:8; 1 Chronicles 11:9-47; 29:24.)  The band of six hundred, whom David gathered around him when he was a fugitive, was so designated.   They were divided into three divisions of two hundred each, and thirty divisions of twenty each.   The captains of the thirty divisions were called "the thirty", the captains of the two hundred "the three", and the captain over the whole was called "chief among the captains" (2 Samuel 23:8).  The sons born of the marriages mentioned in Genesis 6:4 are also called by this Hebrew name.[EASTON’S BIBLE DICTIONARY]