Thank you for another great article. I am a keen reader of the Bible and have dipped a toe into what Christians refer to as Old Testament traditions, folkore, etc. As far as I know, Goliath was never tied to the Anakim. And the presence of the Giants in Hebron also raises a question about how did they get there? According to Genesis, the "Sons of God" co-habitated with fallen humankind in the years after the Fall of Man, and this combo bred a race of "The Mighty Men of Old," but the flood in Noah's lifetime should have wiped them all out. So where did Anak come from? Hmmmmm....Inquiring minds want to know. Is there any hint from the folklore of ancient Israel?
Great question! The origins of the Anakim and their survival post-Flood have been debated for centuries, and the biblical and folkloric hints about them are fascinating.
You’re right that Goliath is not explicitly called an Anakite in the biblical texts. However, he is linked to the Rephaim, another race of giants mentioned in Deuteronomy and Joshua, and there’s some overlap between these groups. The Anakim are first mentioned in Numbers 13:33, when the Israelite spies report seeing them in Canaan, describing them as towering figures descended from the Nephilim—those "mighty men of old" from Genesis 6:4.
The big mystery, as you pointed out, is how giants like Anak and his descendants could exist after the flood, which should have wiped out the Nephilim entirely. There are a few explanations that emerge from biblical interpretation and ancient folklore:
A Second Incursion? Some traditions suggest that the "Sons of God" (interpreted as divine beings, fallen angels, or simply a powerful ruling class) may have repeated their actions after the flood, leading to another generation of giants.
Survivors of the Flood? A more controversial idea is that some Nephilim (or their descendants) somehow survived—perhaps through one of Noah’s family lines. Some later Jewish traditions speculate that one of Noah’s sons’ wives might have carried Nephilim ancestry.
The Term "Nephilim" as a Later Association? It’s possible that the Anakim and Rephaim were simply formidable warrior clans of great stature, and later biblical writers linked them to the legendary Nephilim because of their strength and reputation.
Hebron, where the Anakim were found, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Book of Joshua tells us that Caleb eventually drove them out (Joshua 15:13-14), but the Bible doesn’t say what happened to them afterward—except that remnants of giant-like peoples (such as the Rephaim and Goliath's people, the Philistines of Gath) continued to appear.
So, while there’s no definitive answer, ancient Israelite folklore suggests the legend of giants persisted long after the flood, whether through supernatural means, survival stories, or just powerful warrior clans whose reputation grew over time.
Thanks for the thought-provoking question! It’s always a joy to dig into these ancient mysteries.
Biblical Sources:
Genesis 6:4 – The passage that introduces the Nephilim, describing them as the offspring of the "sons of God" and human women. These beings are called the "mighty men of old."
Numbers 13:33 – The Israelite spies report seeing the Anakim in Canaan, explicitly linking them to the Nephilim:
“We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim).”
Deuteronomy 2:10-11, 20-21 – Describes the Rephaim as a race of giants, stating that the Anakim were considered Rephaim, but the Moabites called them "Emim."
Joshua 11:21-22 – Joshua is said to have driven the Anakim out of Canaan, except for those who remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod—notably, Gath was the home of Goliath.
Joshua 15:13-14 – Caleb is credited with expelling the remaining Anakim from Hebron, including figures like Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
1 Samuel 17:4 – Goliath, described as a Philistine champion from Gath, is later linked to the Rephaim/Anakim tradition due to his immense size.
Historical and Theological Sources:
Michael Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible
Heiser argues that the biblical authors saw the Nephilim as supernatural beings and discusses theories about their survival after the flood.
John H. Walton, The Lost World of the Flood: Mythology, Theology, and the Deluge Debate
Examines the flood narrative and how ancient Israelites may have understood pre-flood beings like the Nephilim in a post-flood world.
Amar Annus, On the Origin of Watchers: A Comparative Study of the Antediluvian Wisdom in Mesopotamian and Jewish Traditions
Explores connections between the Nephilim and Mesopotamian Apkallu (semi-divine sages), suggesting a broader Near Eastern mythological influence.
Jewish Midrashic Traditions (Genesis Rabbah 26:7, Targum Jonathan on Genesis 6:4)
Some rabbinic commentaries suggest that the Nephilim lineage may have persisted through one of Noah’s daughters-in-law.
Archaeological and Cultural Context:
K. van der Toorn et al., Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible
Discusses the Anakim, Rephaim, and other giant clans in relation to broader ancient Near Eastern mythology.
Wow! Thank you for such a precise and complete answer! I hope to look at these sources and read what I can get. Regrettably, I am a canccer patient and have some limits. It is such a joy to be able to read your daily articles. Thank you!
Thank you for another great article. I am a keen reader of the Bible and have dipped a toe into what Christians refer to as Old Testament traditions, folkore, etc. As far as I know, Goliath was never tied to the Anakim. And the presence of the Giants in Hebron also raises a question about how did they get there? According to Genesis, the "Sons of God" co-habitated with fallen humankind in the years after the Fall of Man, and this combo bred a race of "The Mighty Men of Old," but the flood in Noah's lifetime should have wiped them all out. So where did Anak come from? Hmmmmm....Inquiring minds want to know. Is there any hint from the folklore of ancient Israel?
Great question! The origins of the Anakim and their survival post-Flood have been debated for centuries, and the biblical and folkloric hints about them are fascinating.
You’re right that Goliath is not explicitly called an Anakite in the biblical texts. However, he is linked to the Rephaim, another race of giants mentioned in Deuteronomy and Joshua, and there’s some overlap between these groups. The Anakim are first mentioned in Numbers 13:33, when the Israelite spies report seeing them in Canaan, describing them as towering figures descended from the Nephilim—those "mighty men of old" from Genesis 6:4.
The big mystery, as you pointed out, is how giants like Anak and his descendants could exist after the flood, which should have wiped out the Nephilim entirely. There are a few explanations that emerge from biblical interpretation and ancient folklore:
A Second Incursion? Some traditions suggest that the "Sons of God" (interpreted as divine beings, fallen angels, or simply a powerful ruling class) may have repeated their actions after the flood, leading to another generation of giants.
Survivors of the Flood? A more controversial idea is that some Nephilim (or their descendants) somehow survived—perhaps through one of Noah’s family lines. Some later Jewish traditions speculate that one of Noah’s sons’ wives might have carried Nephilim ancestry.
The Term "Nephilim" as a Later Association? It’s possible that the Anakim and Rephaim were simply formidable warrior clans of great stature, and later biblical writers linked them to the legendary Nephilim because of their strength and reputation.
Hebron, where the Anakim were found, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Book of Joshua tells us that Caleb eventually drove them out (Joshua 15:13-14), but the Bible doesn’t say what happened to them afterward—except that remnants of giant-like peoples (such as the Rephaim and Goliath's people, the Philistines of Gath) continued to appear.
So, while there’s no definitive answer, ancient Israelite folklore suggests the legend of giants persisted long after the flood, whether through supernatural means, survival stories, or just powerful warrior clans whose reputation grew over time.
Thanks for the thought-provoking question! It’s always a joy to dig into these ancient mysteries.
Biblical Sources:
Genesis 6:4 – The passage that introduces the Nephilim, describing them as the offspring of the "sons of God" and human women. These beings are called the "mighty men of old."
Numbers 13:33 – The Israelite spies report seeing the Anakim in Canaan, explicitly linking them to the Nephilim:
“We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim).”
Deuteronomy 2:10-11, 20-21 – Describes the Rephaim as a race of giants, stating that the Anakim were considered Rephaim, but the Moabites called them "Emim."
Joshua 11:21-22 – Joshua is said to have driven the Anakim out of Canaan, except for those who remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod—notably, Gath was the home of Goliath.
Joshua 15:13-14 – Caleb is credited with expelling the remaining Anakim from Hebron, including figures like Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
1 Samuel 17:4 – Goliath, described as a Philistine champion from Gath, is later linked to the Rephaim/Anakim tradition due to his immense size.
Historical and Theological Sources:
Michael Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible
Heiser argues that the biblical authors saw the Nephilim as supernatural beings and discusses theories about their survival after the flood.
John H. Walton, The Lost World of the Flood: Mythology, Theology, and the Deluge Debate
Examines the flood narrative and how ancient Israelites may have understood pre-flood beings like the Nephilim in a post-flood world.
Amar Annus, On the Origin of Watchers: A Comparative Study of the Antediluvian Wisdom in Mesopotamian and Jewish Traditions
Explores connections between the Nephilim and Mesopotamian Apkallu (semi-divine sages), suggesting a broader Near Eastern mythological influence.
Jewish Midrashic Traditions (Genesis Rabbah 26:7, Targum Jonathan on Genesis 6:4)
Some rabbinic commentaries suggest that the Nephilim lineage may have persisted through one of Noah’s daughters-in-law.
Archaeological and Cultural Context:
K. van der Toorn et al., Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible
Discusses the Anakim, Rephaim, and other giant clans in relation to broader ancient Near Eastern mythology.
Tigay, Jeffrey H., Deuteronomy (JPS Torah Commentary, 1996)
Examines how the biblical text integrates older mythic elements about giants into the conquest narratives.
Wow! Thank you for such a precise and complete answer! I hope to look at these sources and read what I can get. Regrettably, I am a canccer patient and have some limits. It is such a joy to be able to read your daily articles. Thank you!
So sorry to hear you are ill! I hope you make a full recovery and shed those limits soon.
Have you ever covered the mighty Northern Wisconsin Hodag?
We have!
I hope we did it justice!
https://godsandmonsters.info/hodag/
Don't forget that it only eats white bulldogs. 😉
😁 😀