Who Were the Nephilim, the Giants Mentioned in Genesis?

Brief Overview

• The Nephilim appear in Genesis 6:4 as mysterious beings born from the union of “the sons of God” and human women, and they represent one of the most debated passages in Scripture regarding the nature of angelic rebellion and human corruption.
• The term “Nephilim” likely derives from Hebrew origins meaning “those who fall” or “those who cause others to fall,” and they inhabited the earth both before and after the great flood described in Genesis.
• Catholic and Jewish interpretative traditions offer multiple understandings of the Nephilim, ranging from interpretations involving fallen angels to explanations involving human pride and intermarriage between different groups of people.
• The Nephilim also appear in the books of Numbers and later accounts, where giants like Goliath continue the tradition of these mighty warriors who challenge the people of Israel throughout biblical history.
• The Catholic Church teaches that angels are purely spiritual beings incapable of biological reproduction, which shapes how the Church understands and interprets the Genesis passage in relation to theological truth.
• Understanding the Nephilim requires careful attention to how Scripture uses metaphorical and symbolic language, combined with knowledge of ancient Near Eastern culture and legitimate theological reflection on the text.

The Genesis Account and Its Context

The passage describing the Nephilim appears in Genesis 6:1-4, a brief section that has generated significant theological discussion for centuries. Moses writes that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair and took them as wives, and from this union the Nephilim emerged. The text specifies that these giants were on the earth in those days and also afterward, after the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and had children by them. This passage sits immediately before the account of Noah and the flood, suggesting that the presence of the Nephilim contributed to God’s decision to send the deluge upon the earth. Genesis 6:4 concludes by noting that the Nephilim became mighty men who were of old, men of renown. The context matters greatly for understanding this passage because the flood narrative immediately follows, indicating a direct connection between the corruption of humanity and God’s judgment. The early chapters of Genesis establish God’s concern about humanity’s moral state, with Adam’s fall and Cain’s murder of Abel showing escalating sin. The Nephilim passage represents a significant development in the corruption of human society as the created order falls into disorder. This placement in the narrative structure signals the seriousness with which Scripture treats the Nephilim and the conditions that produced them. The text presents these beings as part of a larger picture of human and cosmic rebellion against God’s design. Understanding the Nephilim therefore requires seeing them within the broader theological themes of Genesis concerning obedience, disobedience, and divine judgment.

Who Were the “Sons of God”

The Hebrew phrase translated as “sons of God” appears in the Old Testament and typically refers to various categories of beings, creating ambiguity about the Genesis 6 passage. In other biblical passages, the term refers to righteous descendants of Seth who walked with God and maintained faith in the true God. Some early Jewish and Christian interpreters understood the sons of God as angels who rebelled against their proper nature and descended to earth to mate with human women. The book of Jude makes a reference to angels who did not keep their proper dwelling but abandoned their own abode, which some scholars connect to the Genesis 6 account. Catholic theology affirms that angels are purely spiritual beings created by God to serve as messengers and ministers, existing in a form entirely different from physical matter. Because angels are spiritual rather than physical, Catholic teaching holds that angels cannot engage in biological reproduction or sexual activity. The Church’s understanding of angelic nature therefore shapes how Catholic interpreters read the Genesis 6 passage. Pope Clement of Alexandria and other early Church Fathers offered interpretations that acknowledged the difficulty of understanding how spiritual beings could produce offspring with humans. The alternative interpretation, favored by many modern Catholic scholars, sees the sons of God as descendants of Seth who intermarried with Cain’s descendants or other humans who had turned away from God. This interpretation maintains theological consistency while still explaining the moral corruption that prompted God’s action in sending the flood. The identification of the sons of God remains an area where legitimate Catholic interpretation permits various understandings of the text.

The Nephilim Before the Flood

The first explicit mention of the Nephilim occurs when the sons of God took human wives and produced offspring who became the Nephilim, the mighty men of old with names and reputations that spread among ancient peoples. The text indicates that these beings possessed physical strength and power that distinguished them from ordinary humans, and they became famous or renowned throughout the antediluvian world. Moses identifies them as being present on the earth in those days, suggesting they lived during the centuries between creation and the great flood. The genealogies in Genesis provide names of patriarchs who lived for hundreds of years, and the Nephilim existed during this same epoch when human lifespans far exceeded modern lengths. Some traditions suggest that the Nephilim represented a mixing of human and divine elements, though Catholic teaching maintains that God alone possesses divinity and that created beings cannot truly merge with God’s nature. The appearance of the Nephilim alarmed many early interpreters who saw them as monsters or abominations that violated the proper order of creation. Genesis 6:5 immediately follows the Nephilim account with God’s observation that the wickedness of mankind was great and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. This connection suggests that the Nephilim and their origins symbolized or represented the broader corruption and rebellion that filled the earth before the flood. The text makes clear that their existence contributed to the moral and spiritual state that warranted God’s dramatic intervention through the flood. The pre-flood Nephilim thus serve as a sign of human and cosmic disorder that reached a breaking point requiring divine judgment.

The Nephilim After the Flood

The presence of Nephilim after the flood presents an interesting puzzle in Scripture, since one might expect the deluge to have destroyed all such beings completely. Numbers 13:33 records that the Israelite spies sent to scout Canaan report seeing Nephilim in the land, claiming that they appeared small compared to the giants they observed there. This indicates that either some Nephilim survived the flood or similar giants existed among the Canaanite peoples after the deluge. The most straightforward explanation accepts that some lines producing giants persisted beyond the flood, though on a much smaller scale than before. Other giants appear throughout the Old Testament accounts, including Og of Bashan and Goliath of Gath, suggesting that unusual height and strength persisted as characteristics in certain populations. The Philistines, who produced Goliath and other giants, lived in the same region as Canaan and may have represented a population with genetic factors producing larger individuals. The emergence of giants after the flood demonstrates that the flood judgment, while severe, did not eliminate all unusual phenomena or all rebellion against God’s order. First Samuel records David’s victory over Goliath, the famous giant whose height exceeded nine feet, showing that even in the time of kings, giants remained a concern for Israel. The post-flood giants seem to have lost the widespread influence and renown attributed to the pre-flood Nephilim in Genesis. This difference suggests that God’s judgment through the flood significantly reduced or limited the scope and power of such beings in human affairs.

Catholic Theological Interpretation

The Catholic Church recognizes that Genesis 6:1-4 presents interpretive challenges and permits faithful Catholics to hold various understandings of the passage within certain boundaries. The Catechism of the Catholic Church does not provide extensive specific teaching about the Nephilim, reflecting the Church’s awareness that this passage allows for multiple legitimate interpretations among scholars and theologians. The Church affirms that angels are purely spiritual creatures created by God, which excludes the possibility that angels could physically reproduce with humans through normal means. However, the Church also acknowledges the symbolic and metaphorical dimensions of biblical language, understanding that Genesis uses theological language to communicate truth rather than operating as a modern scientific text. Many Catholic commentators favor an interpretation where the sons of God represent human descendants of Seth or other righteous lines who fell into sin through intermarriage with those far from God. This interpretation emphasizes the human dimension of the rebellion described in Genesis 6 without requiring extraordinary claims about spiritual beings violating their nature. Other Catholic scholars maintain that the passage describes a genuine angelic rebellion, drawing on references in Jude and Second Peter that seem to allude to angels who exceeded their proper boundaries. The Church teaches that such rebellion occurred, as evidenced by Satan and demons who fell from grace, and Genesis 6 might represent another manifestation of angelic opposition to God’s design. Whatever specific interpretation Catholics adopt, the passage clearly communicates that the mixing of sinful elements, whether supernatural or purely human, corrupted creation and prompted God’s judgment. The diversity of Catholic interpretation reflects the Church’s commitment to taking Scripture seriously while acknowledging interpretive complexity and maintaining doctrinal coherence.

Hebrew Language and Etymology

The Hebrew word nephilim appears only a few times in Scripture, and its etymology offers clues about its meaning and the intent of the authors who used it. The word likely derives from the Hebrew root naphal, which means “to fall” or “to cause to fall,” suggesting that Nephilim might mean “those who fall” or “those who cause falling.” Some scholars propose that the name carries connotations of moral or spiritual falling, linking the Nephilim to the corruption and rebellion they represented or caused. The Hebrew language of Genesis uses concrete imagery and physical language to communicate spiritual realities, a pattern throughout Scripture where material and spiritual dimensions interweave. Understanding the Nephilim requires attention to how ancient Hebrew expresses complex ideas through evocative language that modern readers must interpret carefully. The Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of Hebrew Scripture, renders nephilim as gigantes, introducing the idea of physical height and size that influenced later interpretation. This Greek translation shift shaped how medieval and modern readers understood the Nephilim, emphasizing their physical stature. The King James Version translated the term as giants, further cementing in English readers’ minds the picture of physically large beings. Modern scholarship recognizes that both the physical and moral dimensions conveyed by the Hebrew term probably matter simultaneously. The Nephilim were not merely tall but also symbolized moral and spiritual falling away from God’s intent. Careful attention to the original Hebrew helps readers recognize the multifaceted nature of what Genesis communicates through this term.

Comparative Study with Ancient Near Eastern Texts

The ancient Near East produced numerous texts describing giants, divine beings, and hybrid creatures, providing cultural context for the Genesis account that Catholic scholars find helpful. Mesopotamian and Egyptian texts describe gods who took human form and engaged with humans in various ways, suggesting that the concept of divine-human interaction held cultural resonance in the ancient world. The Babylonian flood accounts share structural similarities with Genesis, including the presence of antediluvian giants and the catastrophic flood that reset human society. However, Catholic scholars note important differences between Genesis and these surrounding texts regarding the moral framework and theological significance of these events. Genesis presents the Nephilim and related corruption as serious violations of God’s design that warrant judgment, whereas pagan texts often treat such unions casually or even celebrate them. The Genesis account maintains strict monotheism and moral accountability in a way that distinguished Israel’s understanding from surrounding pagan narratives. Scholars examining these comparative texts recognize that the biblical writers engaged with cultural knowledge of their world while infusing these accounts with distinctive theological truth. The existence of giants in other ancient texts does not explain away the Genesis account but rather shows that the concept held widespread cultural awareness. Understanding this context helps modern readers recognize that Genesis adopted familiar ancient motifs and transformed them through biblical theology. The Nephilim passage thus reflects ancient Near Eastern awareness of size variations and legendary figures while communicating specifically biblical themes of obedience, rebellion, and judgment.

The Role of the Nephilim in the Flood Narrative

The connection between the Nephilim and the flood narrative cannot be overlooked because Genesis places these accounts in direct proximity with theological intentionality. Genesis 6:1-4 describes the emergence and prominence of the Nephilim, and Genesis 6:5 immediately transitions to God’s assessment that humanity’s wickedness had become great and pervasive. This structural arrangement suggests that the Nephilim and the corruption they represented or exemplified contributed to the situation that prompted God to send the flood. The text does not explicitly claim that the Nephilim caused God to send the flood, but the narrative sequence implies a connection between their presence and the judgment that followed. Some commentators see the Nephilim as symbols of human rebellion and the distortion of God’s created order into something ugly and corrupt. The appearance of the Nephilim might represent the point at which humanity’s corruption reached a critical threshold requiring divine intervention. Before the flood account, the narrative emphasizes that every intention of human thoughts turned toward evil continually, and this pervasive moral failure necessitated the flood’s cleansing judgment. The preservation of Noah and his family represented God’s preservation of righteous people despite the widespread rebellion and corruption. The flood’s role in wiping away the old creation and permitting a new beginning aligns with the theological significance of removing or drastically limiting the Nephilim. The connection between the Nephilim and the flood illustrates how Genesis uses these accounts to communicate theological truth about sin, judgment, and God’s righteous responses to human corruption.

Jewish Interpretive Traditions

Jewish interpretive traditions offer rich and varied understandings of the Nephilim passage that Catholic scholars have engaged with throughout history. Rabbinic commentaries like the Midrash explore the identity of the sons of God, with some traditions identifying them as descendants of Seth who maintained righteousness and faith. Other Jewish sources view the passage as describing genuine angelic rebellion, drawing connections to other biblical references to fallen supernatural beings. The Talmud discusses the Nephilim in ways that recognize their strength and renown while maintaining theological concerns about the proper boundaries between spiritual and physical realms. Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish philosopher, offered interpretations that influenced both Jewish and Christian thought on this passage. Medieval Jewish commentators like Rashi and Ibn Ezra provided interpretations that emphasized the moral and spiritual dimensions of the Nephilim’s origins. Some Jewish traditions viewed the Nephilim as warnings about the dangers of intermarriage and spiritual compromise that could corrupt righteous lineages. Other traditions saw them as examples of how power and physical strength could become corrupted when separated from proper relationship with God. Jewish interpretations often emphasized that whatever the Nephilim were, their existence represented a violation of God’s proper order and contributed to the spiritual state that necessitated the flood. Catholic scholars have found Jewish interpretive traditions helpful for understanding the various ways the Genesis passage could be read consistently with theological truth. Engaging with Jewish scholarship provides Catholic interpreters with centuries of Jewish reflection on these difficult biblical passages.

The Post-Flood Giants in Scripture

After the flood, Scripture mentions several giants by name and description, providing specific examples of the larger figures who appeared among ancient peoples. Goliath of Gath appears in First Samuel as the most famous biblical giant, and his height of over nine feet made him a formidable warrior who challenged the Israeli armies. Og of Bashan ruled a kingdom east of the Jordan River and possessed unusual stature and strength that distinguished him among ordinary human rulers. Sihon, king of the Amorites, and other giants mentioned in Old Testament accounts show that larger individuals existed among various peoples in the ancient Near East. The Anakim represented a group of giants who inhabited Canaan, and the Israelite spies reported fearing these warriors when scouting the promised land. The giant brothers, including Lahmi and others, appear in accounts of David’s wars as warriors of unusual size and strength. These biblical giants, while clearly exceptional, appear to have been individual people rather than a separate species or superhuman category. Their depiction focuses on their strength and military prowess rather than portraying them as supernatural or incomprehensible beings. The biblical accounts treat these giants as formidable but ultimately defeatable enemies who could be overcome through faith, courage, and God’s assistance. First Samuel emphasizes that David, despite his youth and lack of armor, defeated Goliath through faith in God rather than through physical strength or military experience. The post-flood giants demonstrate that unusual size and strength could emerge in human populations without necessarily involving the supernatural elements suggested by some interpretations of the pre-flood Nephilim.

Theological Significance of the Nephilim

The Nephilim hold theological significance in Scripture as symbols or manifestations of human and cosmic corruption that threatens God’s created order. Their presence represents the infiltration of rebellion and perversion into God’s design for creation, whether understood as literal angelic interference or metaphorical human corruption. The Nephilim narrative illustrates how various forces resist God’s purposes and attempt to distort creation in ways opposed to divine will. Their existence challenged God’s authority and threatened the purity and proper functioning of human society, prompting divine response. The appearance of the Nephilim demonstrates that God takes seriously threats to the integrity of creation and will not allow corruption to continue unchecked. God’s actions in sending the flood, despite the judgment’s severity, show the seriousness with which God maintains the created order and human moral and spiritual accountability. The Nephilim also illustrate the consequences of rebellion against God’s proper boundaries and the mixing of elements that should remain distinct. Whether understood as angels violating their nature or humans rejecting proper relationships, the Nephilim embody the result of choosing rebellion over obedience. The judgment against the Nephilim and the world that tolerated them shows that God will ultimately triumph over all rebellion and corruption. The presence of giants even after the flood illustrates that while God’s judgment is thorough, it also permits continued human history and the opportunity for repentance and proper relationship with God.

The Nature of Giants in Human History

Giants appear throughout human history and in various cultures, suggesting that unusual height and strength have always existed as natural variations among human populations. Modern science recognizes that genetic variations and hormonal conditions can produce individuals of exceptional height and strength compared to average people. Ancient peoples, less familiar with scientific explanations and encountering truly exceptional individuals, might have viewed such people with greater awe and attributed extraordinary significance to them. The ancient Near Eastern world spoke of heroes and men of renown in ways that celebrated physical power and military prowess. Cultures surrounding Israel produced legends of giants and heroes, suggesting that the existence of tall, strong individuals captured ancient imagination across different societies. The biblical accounts of giants do not necessarily require understanding them as something other than exceptionally large humans with notable physical capabilities. Their depiction in Scripture emphasizes their strength and military skill rather than claiming they possessed supernatural powers or differed essentially from ordinary humans. The famous defeat of Goliath by a young man armed with faith and a sling suggests that despite his impressive size, he remained a human being subject to human limitations and vulnerabilities. Ancient texts emphasizing giants’ stature and strength reflected the value ancient societies placed on physical prowess and martial capability. Understanding giants as notably large humans does not eliminate the theological significance of the biblical accounts but rather focuses attention on how Scripture uses human examples to communicate moral and spiritual lessons.

Angels and Created Nature According to Catholic Teaching

The Catholic Church teaches that angels are purely spiritual beings created by God to serve as messengers, protectors, and ministers in God’s creation and providence. The Catechism of the Catholic Church addresses angels, explaining that they are spiritual creatures whose nature differs fundamentally from physical matter. Angels possess intelligence and free will, enabling them to understand truth and make moral choices between obedience and rebellion against God. The distinction between spiritual and physical natures remains fundamental to Catholic understanding of the created order, with matter and spirit representing different categories of being. Because angels are spiritual rather than physical, Catholic theology maintains that angels cannot engage in biological reproduction or produce offspring through mating with physical beings. The union of two physical beings produces offspring through processes involving matter and physical biology; spiritual beings cannot participate in these processes. Some early Christian writers struggled with this theological truth when reading Genesis 6, recognizing the apparent contradiction between angelic nature and the text’s account. Catholic theology developed increasingly sophisticated understandings that maintained both the spiritual nature of angels and the theological truth communicated by Genesis. The Church acknowledges that certain angels did rebel against God, as evidenced by Satan and demons, but maintains that such rebellion involved moral choice rather than violations of angelic nature itself. Understanding Catholic doctrine about angelic nature helps modern readers recognize why Church teaching shapes interpretation of the Genesis 6 passage.

Scriptural References and Theological Implications

Several biblical passages reference or allude to the Nephilim and the events of Genesis 6, providing broader scriptural context for understanding this account. The book of Jude makes cryptic reference to angels who did not keep their proper dwelling but abandoned their own abode, connecting to discussions of the Nephilim. Second Peter also addresses angels that sinned and were cast into hell, locked in chains of darkness, suggesting rebellion among supernatural beings. The book of Revelation describes ongoing spiritual warfare and the rebellion of Satan with his angels, showing that supernatural rebellion remains a theme throughout Scripture. Deuteronomy 2:10-11, 20-21 mentions giants among ancient peoples, confirming that various groups possessed individuals of unusual size and strength. First Samuel 17 provides the detailed account of Goliath and David, illustrating how biblical narrative treats giants as serious military opponents but ultimately defeatable enemies. Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 address the fall of Satan in symbolic language that communicates truth about spiritual rebellion. The consistency of biblical references to rebellion, judgment, and the maintenance of God’s order suggests that the Nephilim passage fits within a larger biblical framework addressing these themes. These scattered references do not definitively settle the question of the Nephilim’s nature but rather confirm that Scripture takes seriously the reality of rebellion among created beings. Understanding these passages in their broader context helps readers recognize that the Nephilim account communicates important theological truth regardless of specific interpretative details.

The Flood as Divine Judgment

God’s decision to send the great flood responded to the moral and spiritual corruption that had spread throughout the antediluvian world, reaching a critical point where patient forbearance could continue no longer. Genesis emphasizes that God saw the wickedness of mankind and that every intention of human thoughts turned toward evil continually, showing the pervasive and entrenched nature of human rebellion. The flood represented God’s decisive judgment against corruption, an action that reset human history and permitted a new beginning with Noah and his descendants. The presence of the Nephilim or their origins contributed to the situation that warranted such drastic divine action, though the text does not place blame solely on them. God preserved Noah and his family because Noah walked with God and maintained righteousness despite the surrounding corruption. The flood narrative emphasizes God’s justice in responding to human rebellion and God’s mercy in preserving a remnant through whom human history could continue. The flood demonstrates that while God permits human freedom and the possibility of rebellion, God ultimately will not allow corruption to endure indefinitely. God’s patience with human sin allows centuries for repentance, but God’s justice ultimately requires judgment when rebellion becomes entrenched and pervasive. The connection between the Nephilim or the events of Genesis 6 and the flood judgment shows how moral and spiritual corruption provokes divine response. The flood’s severity underscores the seriousness with which God maintains moral order and the consequences that corruption eventually brings upon those who reject God’s purposes.

Modern Understanding and Scientific Perspectives

Contemporary scientific understanding of human biology provides context for modern readers seeking to reconcile ancient biblical accounts with modern knowledge. Genetic variation produces individuals of exceptional height, occasionally exceeding eight or nine feet through conditions like gigantism, confirming that unusually tall humans have always existed. Ancient peoples, less accustomed to scientific explanation and encountering such exceptional individuals, might have viewed them with greater awe and cultural significance. The existence of giants in various ancient cultures and historical periods suggests that height variation has always characterized human populations. Modern medicine recognizes hormonal imbalances and genetic factors that can produce unusually large individuals, explaining the existence of giants without requiring supernatural explanations. Scientific understanding need not conflict with theological interpretation of Genesis, as the biblical text primarily communicates spiritual and moral truth rather than providing a scientific account of human development. Catholic teaching maintains that God works through natural processes and laws while remaining the ultimate cause of all creation and events. The compatibility of scientific knowledge with theological truth means that understanding giants as exceptionally large humans does not diminish the theological significance of biblical accounts. Modern readers can appreciate both scientific understanding and biblical theology without forcing conflict between disciplines serving different purposes. The synthesis of scientific knowledge with theological reflection enables contemporary Catholics to engage authentically with Scripture while maintaining intellectual integrity.

Interpreting Symbolism in Genesis

Genesis employs symbolic and theological language throughout, using concrete imagery to communicate spiritual realities in ways that ancient readers understood. The serpent in Genesis 3 represents deception and temptation while functioning as a character in the narrative, showing how Genesis combines literal and symbolic dimensions. The tower of Babel demonstrates God’s response to human pride and ambition, with the confusion of languages symbolizing the fragmentation of human society through rebellion. The covenant rainbow signifies God’s promise and mercy, using a natural phenomenon to communicate theological truth. The genealogies of Genesis combine literal historical information with theological significance about the consequences of sin and the preservation of righteous lineages. Understanding Genesis requires attention to how the text functions theologically as well as literally, recognizing that truth operates on multiple levels. The Nephilim passage similarly employs this theological language, using accounts of these giants to communicate truths about rebellion, corruption, and judgment. Modern readers need not choose between literal and spiritual interpretations but can recognize how Genesis operates through both dimensions simultaneously. The text intends to communicate theological truth about God’s concern for moral order and willingness to judge corruption, and this truth remains regardless of specific details about the Nephilim. This interpretive approach allows Catholic readers to take Genesis seriously as God’s word while engaging intelligently with ambiguous passages that permit multiple faithful interpretations.

Practical Implications for Catholic Understanding

The Nephilim passage, while presenting interpretive challenges, offers Catholics practical spiritual lessons about obedience, resistance to corruption, and reliance on God’s judgment and wisdom. The account demonstrates how corruption can spread through populations and societies when people reject God’s proper ordering of creation and human relationships. Catholics can reflect on how rebellion against God manifests in various forms throughout history and the present day, taking seriously God’s concern for moral and spiritual order. The preservation of Noah and his family despite widespread corruption shows God’s protection of the faithful and willingness to preserve a remnant of righteous people. The triumph of faith over physical power, illustrated in later accounts like David defeating Goliath, encourages Catholics to trust in God’s strength rather than relying solely on human power and capability. The flood narrative emphasizes God’s patience through centuries but also God’s ultimate justice when corruption becomes entrenched and pervasive. Catholics can draw from this account a deeper appreciation for God’s responses to human rebellion and renewed commitment to living in obedience to God’s purposes. The mysterious and difficult nature of the Nephilim passage itself teaches Catholics to approach Scripture with humility, recognizing that some passages challenge interpretation and permit multiple faithful understandings. The willingness to acknowledge interpretive complexity demonstrates intellectual honesty and prevents dogmatism about matters where Scripture permits legitimate diversity. Ultimately, the Nephilim passage invites Catholics into deeper engagement with Scripture and greater trust in God’s judgment and wisdom.

Conclusion and Summary of Catholic Perspectives

The Nephilim remain a fascinating and challenging biblical topic that has engaged Catholic scholars, theologians, and believers throughout the Church’s history. Multiple interpretations exist within Catholic teaching regarding the identity of the sons of God and the precise nature of the Nephilim, reflecting Scripture’s genuine interpretive complexity. The Church affirms that angels are purely spiritual beings incapable of biological reproduction, which shapes understanding of how the Genesis passage should be read theologically. Various Catholic scholars favor interpretations ranging from angelic rebellion to human corruption through intermarriage, and the Church permits such faithful disagreement on this difficult passage. The consistent thread through all interpretations maintains that the Nephilim and the conditions producing them represented violation of God’s proper ordering of creation and contributed to the moral corruption warranting the flood. The Nephilim passage communicates important theological truth about rebellion against God, the consequences of corruption, and God’s ultimate triumph over all opposition to divine purposes. Subsequent biblical references to giants confirm that exceptional human size and strength have always characterized human populations, whether understood as purely natural variations or symbolic of other spiritual concerns. Catholic understanding embraces both scientific knowledge and theological reflection, recognizing that truth operates on multiple levels and disciplines. The Nephilim challenge modern readers to engage seriously with Scripture while maintaining intellectual humility about interpretive matters not definitively settled by Scripture itself. Catholics can benefit spiritually from this passage by reflecting on obedience, resistance to corruption, and trust in God’s judgment, while respecting the interpretive complexity that continues to engage faithful scholars across generations.