(Updated June 8, 2025)
This Study Bank on the giants in Scripture is part of the Becoming Catholic series. These “giants” are also called “Nephilim” and descendants of “Anak” (the plural of which is “Anakim”).
When preparing articles, I typically engage in a substantial amount of research, and often organize it in separate documents I then use as a reference when writing the article. Sometimes these are Scripture word studies, other times they are compilations of verses or patristic and other quotes on particular subjects, etc. I have found that organizing the data often leads to a better understanding of the topic at hand.
A Study Bank, therefore, is in no way an article, or presenting an argument. It is simply a compilation of data on a particular topic that we hope can be helpful to others as they dig deeper into the Great Tradition.
The giants/Nephilim are mentioned in 22 verses in Scripture. In each citation, I specify the verse in which the word “grace” is used in the parenthetical. However, to provide a reasonable amount of context in a way that does not depend on my own subjective judgment, I generally include the full paragraph in which the verse is contained—no matter how long, or short—as well as provide the same heading as the section it comes from in Scripture (the RSVCE).
List of Citations
- Genesis (1) | 6:4
- Number (3) | 13:22, 28, 33
- Deuteronomy (1) | 9:2
- Joshua (3) | 15:13-14; 21:11
- Judges (1) | 1:20
- 2 Samuel (4) | 21:16, 18, 20, 22
- 1 Chronicles (3) | 20:4, 6, 8
- Judith (1) | 16:7
- Wisdom (1) | 14:6
- Sirach (1) | 16:7
- Baruch (3) | 3:26-28
Genesis
The Wickedness of Mankind (Gen. 6:1-8)
4 The Nephilim were 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. These were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.
Numbers
Spies Sent into Canaan (Num. 13:1-24)
21 So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath. 22 They went up into the Negeb, and came to Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they brought also some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down from there.
The Report of the Spies (Num. 13:25-33)
25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Yet the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”
30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once, and occupy it; for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” 32 So they brought to the people of Israel an evil report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim); and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”
Deuteronomy
The Consequences of Rebelling Against God (Deut. 9:1-29)
“Hear, O Israel; you are to pass over the Jordan this day, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves, cities great and fortified up to heaven, 2 a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?’ 3 Know therefore this day that he who goes over before you as a devouring fire is the Lord your God; he will destroy them and subdue them before you; so you shall drive them out, and make them perish quickly, as the Lord has promised you.
Joshua
Caleb Occupies His Portion (Josh. 15:13-19)
13 According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the people of Judah, Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak). 14 And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the descendants of Anak.
Cities Allotted to the Levites
9 Out of the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Simeon they gave the following cities mentioned by name, 10 which went to the descendants of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites who belonged to the Levites; since the lot fell to them first. 11 They gave them Kiriath-arba (Arba being the father of Anak), that is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with the pasture lands round about it. 12 But the fields of the city and its villages had been given to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his possession.
Judges
Israel’s Failure to Complete the Conquest of Canaan (Judges 1:1-36)
16 And the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the Negeb near Arad; and they went and settled with the people. 17 And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they defeated the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. So the name of the city was called Hormah. 18 Judah also took Gaza with its territory, and Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory. 19 And the Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain, because they had chariots of iron. 20 And Hebron was given to Caleb, as Moses had said; and he drove out from it the three sons of Anak. 21 But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who dwelt in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have dwelt with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
2 Samuel
Exploits of David’s Men (2 Sam. 21:15-22)
15 The Philistines had war again with Israel, and David went down together with his servants, and they fought against the Philistines; and David grew weary. 16 And Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and who was girded with a new sword, thought to kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men adjured him, “You shall no more go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”
18 After this there was again war with the Philistines at Gob; then Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giants. 19 And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, slew Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 20 And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was descended from the giants. 21 And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shime-i, David’s brother, slew him. 22 These four were descended from the giants in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
1 Chronicles
Exploits Against the Philistines (1 Chron. 20:4-8)
4 And after this there arose war with the Philistines at Gezer; then Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Sippai, who was one of the descendants of the giants; and the Philistines were subdued. 5 And there was again war with the Philistines; and Elha′nan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 6 And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was descended from the giants. 7 And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shim′e-a, David’s brother, slew him. 8 These were descended from the giants in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
Judith
Judith Offers Her Hymn of Praise (Jud. 16:1-20)
6 But the Lord Almighty has foiled them
by the hand of a woman.
7 For their mighty one did not fall by the hands of the young men,
nor did the sons of the Titans smite him,
nor did tall giants set upon him;
but Judith the daughter of Merari undid him
with the beauty of her countenance.
Wisdom
Folly of a Navigator Praying to an Idol (Wis. 14:1-11)
5 It is thy will that works of thy wisdom should not be without effect;
therefore men trust their lives even to the smallest piece of wood,
and passing through the billows on a raft they come safely to land.
6 For even in the beginning, when arrogant giants were perishing,
the hope of the world took refuge on a raft,
and guided by thy hand left to the world the seed of a new generation.
7 For blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes.
Sirach
God’s Punishment of Sinners (Sir. 16:1-23)
6 In an assembly of sinners a fire will be kindled,
and in a disobedient nation wrath was kindled.
7 He was not propitiated for the ancient giants
who revolted in their might.
Baruch
In Praise of Wisdom (Bar. 3:9-37)
24 O Israel, how great is the house of God!
And how vast the territory that he possesses!
25 It is great and has no bounds;
it is high and immeasurable.
26 The giants were born there, who were famous of old,
great in stature, expert in war.
27 God did not choose them,
nor give them the way to knowledge;
28 so they perished because they had no wisdom,
they perished through their folly.
