Biblical-style painting of David and Goliath, illustrating post-Flood giants like the Anakim and Rephaim described in Scripture.

Giants Or Nephilim

Were There Giants After the Flood?

The Bible presents a fascinating picture of giants existing both before and after the Flood. While Genesis introduces the first giants, later books of Scripture show that these strange beings continued to appear long after Noah’s time.

Interestingly, many Christians assume that the Nephilim, the giants mentioned in Genesis 6, ceased to exist after the Flood. However, a closer reading of Scripture shows that giants persisted in the world.

Giants Before and After the Flood

Genesis 6:4 mentions the earliest giants:

“There were giants on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the mighty men of old, men of renown.”

Notice the phrase “and also afterward”. Many readers assume that this means the Nephilim disappeared with the Flood. But the text itself says they existed afterward, implying that extraordinary people, perhaps in a similar line, appeared in post-Flood history.

Some translations, like the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament), actually render Nephilim rather than simply “giants” in some passages, which has influenced modern English versions. The NKJV typically translates the term as “giants” in Numbers 13:33 and related passages, but the Hebrew word is Nephilim.

Giants in the Land of Canaan

When the Israelites approached Canaan, they encountered descendants of these giants:

  • Numbers 13:33 (NKJV) – “There we saw the Nephilim (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

Here, NKJV explicitly mentions Nephilim, connecting them to the Anakim. Some translations simply say “giants,” but the Hebrew word is the same as in Genesis 6.

  • Deuteronomy 2:11 – The Emim were considered giants like the Anakim.

  • Deuteronomy 2:20 – The Zamzummim, another giant people, lived in the land in ancient times.

  • Deuteronomy 9:2 – The Anakim were great and tall, intimidating all who saw them.

Even after the Flood, these giant peoples were real, living in specific territories and posing a serious challenge to Israel.

The Rephaim: Another Line of Giants

The Rephaim were yet another group of post-Flood giants:

  • Deuteronomy 3:11 – Only Og, king of Bashan, remained of the Rephaim. His iron bedstead measured over 13 feet long and 6 feet wide, emphasizing his extraordinary size.

  • Rephaim lived primarily east of the Jordan River and were renowned warriors.

The NKJV consistently translates these figures as giants, but the underlying Hebrew term is Rephaim, a word that often refers to an ancient race of giants. The Septuagint (Greek) sometimes renders Rephaim as “giants” as well, though the original term carries the idea of “mighty dead” or “shades,” showing the ambiguity in translation.

Joshua’s Conquest of the Giants

Joshua’s campaigns provide clear evidence of giants in Canaan:

  • Joshua 11:21–22 – Joshua destroyed many Anakims, leaving only a few in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.

  • Joshua 14:12 – Caleb requested the mountain region inhabited by the Anakim.

  • Joshua 14:15 – Hebron, formerly called Kirjath-arba, was named after Arba, a great man among the Anakim.

These verses show that the Anakim survived the Flood and thrived in certain areas, reinforcing that giants were present long after Noah.

Goliath and Giants in David’s Time

The most famous giant, Goliath of Gath, descended from these post-Flood lines—likely Anakim or Rephaim:

  • 1 Samuel 17:4 – Goliath’s height: six cubits and a span (~9 feet).

  • Other giants in Gath, recorded in 2 Samuel 21:16–22 and 1 Chronicles 20:4–8, had extra fingers and toes.

Important distinction: Goliath is not described as having extra digits; the Bible emphasizes his enormous height and strength. Other descendants of giants sometimes had polydactyly, highlighting the unique nature of these post-Flood lines.

Translation Notes: Nephilim vs. Giants

  • Genesis 6:4 – Hebrew: Nephilim → NKJV: “giants,” Septuagint: sometimes transliterated as Nephilim.

  • Numbers 13:33 – NKJV: “Nephilim” (acknowledging the original Hebrew term).

  • Other passages (Joshua, Deuteronomy, 1 Samuel) mostly use Anakim, Rephaim, or giants, depending on context.

This shows that translation choices can influence understanding. Some Christians argue there were no Nephilim after the Flood, but the NKJV and the Hebrew text suggest otherwise: giants continued to exist, even if they were not always called Nephilim.

Conclusion

While many Christians assume giants disappeared with the Flood, Scripture itself — especially when compared across translations — indicates otherwise. From the Anakim, Emim, Zamzummim, and Rephaim to Goliath and other giants in Gath, the Bible records these strange beings living after the Flood.

Some giants had unique traits, like extra fingers and toes, further emphasizing their unusual nature. Understanding the terms Nephilim, giants, and Rephaim across Hebrew, Greek, and English translations clarifies that these were real individuals, not myths.

Giants were a persistent part of biblical history, bridging the antediluvian world and post-Flood humanity.

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