The common or short cubit was likely the measure which the Hebrew used for everyday measure, the Royal cubit was for priestly or governmental contruction projects and buildings. A common cubit was estimated at about 18 inches give or take a centimeter or two (18" corresponds perfectly to a 5 1/2 ft man; the cubit representing 27-28% of total stature). A span was the distance from thumb to smallest finger, or about 9 inches, half a cubit. Using standard measurements of the day, Goliath was basicaly 2 meters or more in stature: roughly 6'6-6'9, and this probably didn't include his helmet.
Yes, most ancient Semitic male skeletons excavated in Palestine have generally ranged from 5'3 to 5'7 from prehistoric to Roman times, with women about 4 inches shorter. This makes an average of 5'5. Even modern Jewish male populations have been measured by anthropologists through-out the years and the measurements are very much within this same range given geographic distrobution:
SAMARITANS OF PALESTINE: Mediterranean-caucasoid,tall, avg. 173cm [5'8]. JEWS OF PALESTININE C.1915: short stature of 159cm [5'3] and no blondism. JEWS OF NORTH AFRICA: taller than Palestinian Jews, avg. 164-166cm [5'5]. JEWS OF TURKESTAN & AFGHANISTAN: moderate stature of 166cm[5'5] JEWS OF THE CAUCASUS:163-166cm in stature [5'4-5'5]. THE KARAITE JEWS OF THE CRIMEA: 164.5 in stature [5'5]. ASHKENAZIM JEWS OF WESTERN EUROPE: ht varies from 162-167cm [5'4-5'6].
Basicaly my point is that the common male Jew or Semite of ancient and even relatively modern Palestine (and other geographic settings) were generally within the 5 1/2 ft range, give or take an inch. By comparison, a modern white American male is 1.77 meters tall (5'10) on the average according to http://www.halls.md/chart/men-height-w.htm
The relative tallness of Americans is largely because of better nutrition and/or constitutionally taller stature due to genetics. Obviously, as can be seen, there was likely a range of stature to be found throughout the ancient people of Palestine, as movements of caucasoid, semitic, and Amernoid types settled the land.
If you really want to know the truth about Nephilìm, the 'sons of Elohìm' and the 'daughters of men' you have to compare the ENTIRE BIBLE (not only Genesis) with the ancient traditions, along with the recent discoveries of extra-long human bones.
"If you really want to know the truth about Nephilìm, the 'sons of Elohìm' and the 'daughters of men' you have to compare the ENTIRE BIBLE (not only Genesis) with the ancient traditions, along with the recent discoveries of extra-long human bones."
That would be a wide interpretation of the Nephilim, spanning not only the mid-east but far and wide.
Extra long human bones can be interpreted as Nephilim in the eye of the beholder. You could then also say that the WWE's Great Khali (7'3 420 lbs) is of the Nephilim, as his stature is similar to alleged giant bone discoveries.
I was suggesting that in a sense, any large giant of a man, modern or ancient, could be considered Nephilim if we use a broad interpretaion.
WWE is America's World Wrestling Entertainment (proffesional wrestling) where they use big men for stunts and pre-arranged matches. Great Khali in metric units would be 2,20 m and 190 kgs, they also have another man named Big Show who is 2,15 m and 225 kgs.
The Nephilim were a product of the "sons of God" (i.e., "angels") that had sexual relations with human females. The Nephilim were the offspring that came from this evil. What the Nephilim were not were the sons of Seth. If the Nephilim were the sons of Seth then Genesis would have recorded "the sons of Seth" just as easy, but that is not what is written. The Nephilim no longer exist on earth today and pose no threat to our existence.
Hi, i havnt read all of the other replies so im guessing that these answers will be posted already. My father currently works at a church, and was a pastor, also a teacher at a bible college, his father was also a pastor. So in terms of biblical content they are very knowledgable. Now to start off, the nephilim existed BEFORE the flood, and they were the result of wickedness. Basically when lucifer left heaven, some angels followed him. These are what we know as demons. Not at this period in time man was very wicked and evil, and the flood was what was used to destroy this evil. These "sons of god" are demons, because as i was taught and told, the nephilim were the result of possesed men with the hunger of flesh of demons breeding with human females. The result was the nephilim, a society of physically massive cruel men. They can best be compared to spartan men in terms of ideals etc. I have been told that it is quite possible that if hercules existed, he was one of the nephilim. They were characterized as being huge and physically strong, agressive, merciless, and wicked. I belive in the bible and therefore the nephilim, although i must admit i do not claim to be a christain.
Its kind of an ambiguous phrasing. I would imagine there is a way, considering that lifting up one's head was a common turn of phrase
I meant to respond to this earlier, but lost track.
The above idea is highly unlikely; although Saul's Father was wealthy or a man of standing(1 Sam 9:1), Saul himself admits that he comes from the smallest Hebrew tribe (Benjamin) and that his family is the least significant (1 Sam 9:21). When viewed by the Israelites for the first time as their apointed king, He towered over them all, and Samuel points out his height, saying that there was no other among the Israelites like him (1 Sam 10:20-24). Plus When theProphet Samuel saw one of David's brothers (Eliab), he thought that he had found the next king of Israel due to his appraeance and physical height, which causes God to caution him about appearances (1 Sam 16:6-7).
Edited by LudoRephaim, : overkill
Edited by LudoRephaim, : No reason given.
"The Nephilim where in the Earth in those days..." Genesis 6:4