I think that’s enormously strained. When it says the Nephilim were around “at this time, and also after”, in the actual flood narrative, it’s very clear that it’s talking about people who were around before and after the flood. That’s the “after” which is being spoken of. That’s exactly why it was interpreted that way by the early commentators I cited previously. Otherwise you have to explain what the “after” is supposed to mean. After what? The context tells us it’s “after” the flood.
After? My dear sir, you are stretching things beyond imagination …
[… the details of my corrected response appears below…]
Genesis 6:
5 But the LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time.
6 The LORD regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was highly offended.
7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe humankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth - everything from humankind to animals, including creatures that move on the ground and birds of the air, for I regret that I have made them.”
8 But Noah found favor in the sight of the LORD.
17 I am about to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy from under the sky all the living creatures that have the breath of life in them.
Ha… I see my memory is declining… I should have checked on which chapter Noah was in … My apologies to you, Jonathan.
My next post will get back to the Nephilim …and the answer I should have made.
Okay, @Jonathan_Burke, here are your 2 quotes:
Gen 6:4
There were giants [nĕphiyl H5303] in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
Num 13:33
And there we saw the giants [nĕphiyl, H5303] the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: [nĕphiyl H5303] and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
So you use this to prove that Genesis 7:23 is wrong?
Gen 7:23 says: “And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.”
And this is my point exactly!!! The Genesis account is WRONG!
You insist (rightly?) that MORE than Noah’s family survived. In fact, I would suggest that the Priestly-adaptation of the Babylonian flood story was introduced into the legendary traditions without realizing how it conflicts with other parts of the legendary tradition.
No. Genesis 7:23 is correct once we understand the idioms being used. In the Ancient Near East, language such as “the entire universe” could be used of a single kingdom. The Old Testament has similarly apparently global language which, in context, is clearly local in scope.
This is called question begging.
I think the better term is “rationalization” . . . . we clearly have a text that says “NOAH ONLY REMAINED ALIVE, AND THEY THAT WERE WITH HIM IN THE ARK.”
You either have to claim that Genesis skipped over the part where a couple of giants strolled onto the Ark (violating the very premise of the story, that God intended to punish everyone except Noah’s family)…
… or you have to accept the flawed transmission of Old Testament legend.
I do not think many Evangelicals would accept your position (OR MINE) … and that is the problem with such Evangelicals.
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