Leviticus 22:17-33

Leviticus 22:17-33 MKJV  And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,  18  Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel, and say to them: Any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, who offers his sacrifices for his vows, for all his free-will offerings, which they will offer to Jehovah for a burnt offering,  19  you shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the cattle, of the sheep, or of the goats.  20  You shall not offer that which has a blemish. For it shall not be acceptable for you.  21  And when a man offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to Jehovah to carry out his vow, or a free-will offering in cattle or sheep, it shall be without blemish to be accepted. There shall be no blemish in them.  22  Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a running sore, or having scurvy, or scabbed, you shall not offer these to Jehovah, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to Jehovah.  23  As to a young bull or a sheep that is deformed or dwarfed, you may offer that for a free-will offering. But for a vow it shall not be accepted.  24  You shall not offer to Jehovah that which is bruised or crushed, or broken or cut. You shall not make any offering of it in your land.  25  And you shall not offer the bread of your God out of the hand of a son of a stranger, or any of these, because their uncleanness is in them, and blemishes are in them. They shall not be accepted for you.  26  And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,  27  When a bull or a lamb or a goat is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam. And from the eighth day and from then on, it shall be accepted for a fire offering to Jehovah.  28  But a bull or sheep, it and its young one, you shall not kill it in one day.  29  And when you will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Jehovah, offer it at your own will.  30  On the same day it shall be eaten up. You shall leave none of it until morning. I am Jehovah.  31  And you shall keep My commandments, and do them. I am Jehovah.  32  And you shall not profane My holy name. But I will be holy among the sons of Israel. I am Jehovah who is sanctifying you,  33  who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. I am Jehovah.

Other translation:

Leviticus 22:17-33 ESV  And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,  18  “Speak to Aaron and his sons and all the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of the house of Israel or of the sojourners in Israel presents a burnt offering as his offering, for any of their vows or freewill offerings that they offer to the LORD,  19  if it is to be accepted for you it shall be a male without blemish, of the bulls or the sheep or the goats.  20  You shall not offer anything that has a blemish, for it will not be acceptable for you.  21  And when anyone offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the herd or from the flock, to be accepted it must be perfect; there shall be no blemish in it.  22  Animals blind or disabled or mutilated or having a discharge or an itch or scabs you shall not offer to the LORD or give them to the LORD as a food offering on the altar.  23  You may present a bull or a lamb that has a part too long or too short for a freewill offering, but for a vow offering it cannot be accepted.  24  Any animal that has its testicles bruised or crushed or torn or cut you shall not offer to the LORD; you shall not do it within your land,  25  neither shall you offer as the bread of your God any such animals gotten from a foreigner. Since there is a blemish in them, because of their mutilation, they will not be accepted for you.”  26  And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,  27  “When an ox or sheep or goat is born, it shall remain seven days with its mother, and from the eighth day on it shall be acceptable as a food offering to the LORD.  28  But you shall not kill an ox or a sheep and her young in one day.  29  And when you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted.  30  It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until morning: I am the LORD.  31  “So you shall keep my commandments and do them: I am the LORD.  32  And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you,  33  who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD.”

"Whatever was offered in sacrifice to God should be without blemish, otherwise it should not be accepted. This had often been mentioned in the particular institutions of the several sorts of offerings. Now here they are told what was to be accounted a blemish which rendered a beast unfit for sacrifice: if it was blind, or lame, had a wen, or the mange (Leviticus 22:22), - if it was bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut (Leviticus 22:24), that is, as the Jewish writers understand it, if it was, in any of these ways, castrated, if bulls and rams were made into oxen and weathers, they might not be offered. Moreover a difference is made between what was brought as a free-will offering and what was brought as a vow, Leviticus 22:23. And, though none that had any of the forementioned blemishes might be brought for either, yet if a beast had any thing superfluous or lacking (that is, as the Jews understand it, if there was a disproportion or inequality between those parts that are pairs, when one eye, or ear, or leg, was bigger than it should be, or less than it should be) - if there was no other blemish than this, it might be accepted for a free-will offering, to which a man had not before laid himself, nor had the divine law laid him, under any particular obligation; but for a vow it might not be accepted. Thus God would teach us to make conscience of performing our promises to him very exactly, and not afterwards to abate in quantity or value of what we had solemnly engaged to devote to him. What was, before the vow, in our own power, as in the case of a free-will offering, afterwards is not, Acts 5:4. It is again and again declared that no sacrifice should be accepted if it was thus blemished, Leviticus 22:20, Leviticus 22:21." - Matthew Henry's Commentary

Deuteronomy 15:21 BSB But if an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.

Let's look at these verses a little more closely:
Leviticus 22:27-28  27  “When an ox or sheep or goat is born, it shall remain seven days with its mother, and from the eighth day on it shall be acceptable as a food offering to the LORD.  28  But you shall not kill an ox or a sheep and her young in one day.

"The reason for this was, that the young animal had not attained to a mature and self-sustained life during the first week of its existence.
(Note: For this reason the following rule was also laid down by the Romans: Suis faetus sacrificio die quinto purus est, pecoris die octavo, bovis tricesimo (Plin. h. n. 8, 51).)
This maturity was not reached till after the lapse of a week, that period of time sanctified by the creation." - Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

"The command not to kill an ox or sheep at the same time as its young is related to the law in Exodus 23:19 and Deuteronomy 22:6-7, and was intended to lay it down as a duty on the part of the Israelites to keep sacred the relation which God had established between parent and offspring." - Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Jesus Christ, the sacrificial Lamb, was without sin. He was perfect God and perfect Man without spot or blemish.

John 1:29-34 MKJV  The next day John (the Baptist) sees Jesus coming to him and says, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  30  This is He of whom I said, After me comes a Man who has been before me, for He preceded me.  31  And I did not know Him, but that He be revealed to Israel, therefore I have come baptizing with water.  32  And John bore record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven like a dove, and He abode on Him.  33  And I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water, that One said to me, Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon Him, He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.  34  And I saw and bore record that this is the Son of God.

Isaiah 53:4-8 MKJV  Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  5  But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed.  6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each one to his own way; and Jehovah has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.  7  He was oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth.  8  He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was stricken.

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 BBE  This pride of yours is not good. Do you not see that a little leaven makes a change in all the mass?  7  Take away, then, the old leaven, so that you may be a new mass, even as you are without leaven. For Christ has been put to death as our Passover.  8  Let us then keep the feast, not with old leaven, and not with the leaven of evil thoughts and acts, but with the unleavened bread of true thoughts and right feelings.
ESV: For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  

1 Peter 1:17-21 MKJV  And if you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judges according to the work of each one, pass the time of your earthly residence in fear,  18  knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers,  19  but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot;  20  indeed having been foreknown before the foundation of the world, but revealed in the last times for you,  21  those believing in God through Him, He who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.

Revelation 5:6-14 MKJV  And I looked, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, amidst the elders, a Lamb stood, as if it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.  7  And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him sitting on the throne.  8  And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having harps and golden vials full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  9  And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation.  10  And You made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign over the earth.  11  And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and the living creatures and the elders. And the number of them was myriads and myriads, and thousands of thousands,  12  saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.  13  And I heard every creature which is in the Heaven and on the earth, and under the earth, and those that are in the sea, and all who are in them, saying, Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever.  14  And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the One living forever and ever.

The Twelve Tribes of Israel - Simeon/Simon

Simeon

Simeon means "who hears or obeys" and "is heard".

He was associated with Levi in the terrible act of vengeance against Hamor, Shechem and the Shechemites. 

Genesis 34 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And when Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and humbled her. And his soul clung to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke to the heart of the girl. And Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, Get me this girl for a wife. And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. And his sons were with his cattle in the field. And Jacob kept silent until they had come. And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard. And the men were furious, and they were very angry, because he had done folly in Israel, in lying with the daughter of Jacob. And it ought not to be done so. And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him for a wife. And you make marriages with us, giving your daughters to us, and taking our daughters to you. And you shall live with us. And the land shall be before you. Live and trade in it, and get possessions in it. And Shechem said to her father and to her brothers, Let me find grace in your eyes, and whatever you shall say to me I will give. Heap upon me ever so much price and dowry, and I will give according as you shall say to me. But give me the girl for a wife. And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, speaking with deceit because he had defiled Dinah their sister. And they said to them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised. For it is a reproach to us. But in this we will agree with you, if you will be as we are, that every male of you be circumcised, then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will live with you, and we will become one people. But if you will not listen to us, to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will go. And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor's son. And the young man did not hesitate to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter. And he was more honorable than all the house of his father. And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and talked with the men of their city, saying, These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them live in the land, and trade in it. For behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters. Only on this condition will the men agree to us, to live with us, to be one people, if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. Shall not their cattle and their substance and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will live with us. And all that went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to Shechem his son. And every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city. And it happened on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took each his sword and came upon the city boldly, and killed all the males. And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. They took their sheep and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field. And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives, they took captive, and plundered even all that was in the house. And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, You have troubled me, to make me stink among those who live in the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. And I, being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and kill me. And I shall be destroyed, my house and I. And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with a harlot?

The Hivites descended from Canaan son of Ham. Abraham, on his first migration to the Land of Promise, pitched his tent and built an altar under the oak, or terebinth tree, of Moreh at Shechem. By the time Jacob came to the area, Shechem was a Hivite city. To the East of the city Jacob pitched his tent in a “parcel of ground” which he had bought from Hamor, Shechem's father (Genesis 33:19). Here he raised an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel, “God, the God of Israel” (Genesis 33:20). Jacob subsequently bequeathed it, as a special patrimony, to his son Joseph. Genesis 33:19; Joshua 24:32; John 4:5. The field lay undoubtedly on the rich plain of the Mukhna, and its value was greater because of the well which Jacob had dug there, so as not to be dependent on his neighbors for a supply of water. Then follows the story of Dinah's rape by Shechem, son of the city's chief, Hamor. Dinah is the only daughter of Jacob named so she may have been the only daughter he had. She would have been between 13-15 yrs old and they would have been living in the area for 7-8 years. Dinah may have felt safe and maybe had gone visiting the town before. She either had girlfriends there or wanted to make new girlfriends. It's possible that there was a special occasion like a festival or party. But for those times, and in the Middle East, it's doubtful that it was normal for young girls to go alone and unchaperoned to town. It's possible that she sneaked away from her father's tents and went off on her own as some teenage girls do today. Or, it could have been more sinister because it's possible that Shechem had already seen her and enticed her away from the safety of her father's camp by having girls her age invite her. Was she flirting with Shechem? Was she seduced? Was she raped? Either way, she was no longer a virgin and it was serious. Shechem took advantage of her and her unprotected situation. Even in the best case scenario, she was younger, inexperienced, immature and not capable of making sound decisions and he took advantage of that. He was the adult, a male in a male driven society, he had experience in the world and he should have been the one to control himself. In the worst case scenario, he lured her out and raped her. The consequences were the same, she was no longer a virgin and this could have branded her and kept her from making a good marriage. Some say the child begotten in this act of fornication was Asenath, who was brought up by Potipherah's (probably not Potiphar's wife) wife in Egypt, as her daughter, and afterwards married to Joseph. Other scholars deny this. When Jacob heard what happened, he kept his mouth shut. His sons were away from home at the time and he and his family were surrounded by tribes that could be strong enemies. He could have reacted impulsively and gotten into trouble but he used the wisdom of his years to wait. He discussed it with his sons when they came home. Naturally they were angry and upset. Not only had their sister been degraded but the whole family was humiliated. The younger men didn't think carefully as their father had. They wanted revenge, public revenge, so others would think twice about mistreating their family in this way. Simon and Levi wanted to make an example of Hamor, Shechem and the men of Shechem. Simon and Levi plotted revenge. The brothers went with their father to meet with Hamor and Shechem. It seems that Shechem had decided he wanted to marry her. In Hamor's eyes this was a good solution. Hamor was the head of the Hivites and an important figure in their tribe so he thought she would be making a good marriage. Jacob and his sons met with Hamor and Shekem to discuss what happened and Hamor offered the solution of joining the two tribes by marriage. Shechem offered any amount of dowry that Jacob requested for Dinah and a peace treaty between the families for peaceful trade, solidified by intermarriages. But Abraham's servant was told by Abraham not to take a wife from one of the Canaanite tribes to be the wife of his son Isaac; and the same charge was given to Jacob by Isaac (Genesis 24:3). Jacob would never agree to intermarrying with any of a pagan nation. (Marriages with the pagan Canaanite tribes were afterwards forbidden by the law of Moses in Deuteronomy 7:3.) So, in order for Shekem to marry Dinah, he and his family would have to be circumcised and convert to the belief system that Jacob and his family followed. Hamor and Shekem went back to town and talked the men into doing it. Simon and Levi deceived the Hivites by making the agreement with them with no intention of sticking to the agreement. They were not men of their word. Once the Hivites fulfilled their part of the bargain (be circumcised), Simon and Levi went in and killed them all, even the other men who had not been a part of Dinah's rape.

  

And they took the spoils. Since Simon and Levi were Dinah's full brothers, they felt it was up to them to lead in order to get Dinah back and revenge her defilement. Their vindication of Jacob/Israel's sacred calling to be separate from the Gentiles, was right; and their refusal to sacrifice Jehovah's promises for the Hivite prince's offers of a dowry was right. But the way they went about it was treacherous, cruel, and wicked. The innocent townsmen were punished too, and all Jacob's sons joined in plundering the town.

At this time, I wonder how Dinah felt? Was she also in love with Shechem? If she was, she would have been devastated that her brothers killed her lover. Or, maybe, she wasn't in love but knew she had lost her chances of making another good marriage and was willing to marry Shechem in order to be married and have children in one of the most important families in the area. What her brothers did robbed her of that. She might have been really mad at them knowing they had caused her to have to spend the rest of her life a spinster! Or was she so glad to see them! Maybe she hated Shechem and was scared to death of being married off to someone who was violent enough to rape her. Maybe she just wanted to go home and her brothers were her rescuers. How did she feel knowing that all those men were dead because of her?

Little did she realize the consequences of her day out for pleasure! She is not mentioned again except to say that she went down to Egypt with her family.

Jacob/Israel was angry with them because they had let him make a covenant with the Hivites with no intention of honoring it. It ruined the reputation and integrity of their family. Who would make a covenant with a tribe who might not honor it? And, what if the other pagans decided to exact revenge on Jacob/Israel and attacked the family? This could have been an "international incident". In their youth and anger, they had endangered their whole family and possibly their way of making a living (if avengers attacked their flocks or drove them from the land, etc). They had gone of "half-cocked" as the saying goes without thinking out all the consequences. It was wrong for Shechem to do what he did. God was not pleased with what happened to Dinah! But, at least in their eyes, Hamor and Shechem had tried to make it right. It was wrong for the descendants of Abraham to intermarry with pagan tribes. God had specifically made that clear. But God has a way of dealing with wrongs. He is the only fair and righteous Judge. The brothers should have taken this problem to God and followed God's instructions rather than making their own decisions and doing things in their own way. It's possible that God would have told them to do exactly what they did. But they never asked God. They did it in their own strength and in their own wisdom. Their deceitfulness, treachery, their cruelty was also wrong. And they knew better! They knew they should go before God, wait for His Words and obey Him. But they wanted to do what they wanted to do.

Later, when the brothers go to Egypt for food during the famine, Simon was detained by Joseph in Egypt as a hostage (Genesis 42:24).

His father, Jacob, pronounced this against him when dying:

Genesis 49:5-7 Simeon and Levi, you are brothers, each a gruesome sword. I never want to take part in your plans or deeds. You slaughtered people in your anger, and you crippled cattle for no reason. Now I place a curse on you because of your fierce anger. Your descendants will be scattered among the tribes of Israel.

The tribes of Judah and Simeon joined together in the conquest of southern Canaan in Judges 1:3, 17 Simon's families are enumerated in Genesis 46:10; Numbers 26:12-14; and, 1 Chronicles 4:24-43. At the census at Sinai, Simeon numbered 59,300 (Numbers 1:23); it was then the most numerous after Judah. At Shittim it had become the smallest, numbering 22,200. The mortality was a consequent of the idolatry of Peor (Numbers 25:9; Numbers 25:14). Zimri, slain in the act, was a prince of Simeon (Numbers 26:14).

Simeon was the "remnant" with Judah and Benjamin, which constituted Rehoboam's forces (1 Kings 12:23). Still Simeon remained strong enough in Hezekiah's days to smite the men of Ham with an expedition under 13 Simeonite princes, and to occupy their dwellings "at the entrance of Gedor to the E. side of the valley" (1 Chronicles 4:34-43).

The Simeonites "found the Meunim" there besides the Hamites. The Meunim were connected with Maan, a city near Petra, "nomads". Five hundred Simeonites undertook a second expedition under four chiefs, sons of Shimei, against the remnant of Amalek that had escaped from Saul and David (1 Samuel 14:48; 1 Samuel 15:7; 2 Samuel 8:12) to the mountains of Idumea; they smote them utterly, and dwelt in their place, and were there at the date of the composition of 1 Chronicles, i.e. after the return from Babylon.

 

Simeon is omitted in Moses' blessing, possibly because of the idolatry of Peor.

Simeon in the wilderness marched south of the tabernacle, with Reuben and Gad, sons of Zilpah, maid of Leah, Simeon's mother. The Canaanitess, mother of Shaul (Genesis 46:10), and the Horite father of Shaphat, the spy from Simeon (Numbers 13:5), indicate the laxness of Simeon in marriage connections. It was forbidden to marry outside the Israelite tribes because of the fear of falling into the pagan worship of those they intermarried with. Their villages and 18 or 19 cities lay round the well of Beersheba in Judah's extreme south.

Simeon stands first of the tribes appointed to bless the people on Mount Gerizim (Deuteronomy 27:12).

Though cities of Simeon were among those to which David sent presents of the Amalekite spoils, and though Ziklag was David's own property, received from Achish king of the Philistines who had wrested it from Simeon (1 Samuel 27:6; 1 Samuel 30:26), yet Simeon and Judah were few in numbers at his installation at Hebron (1 Chronicles 12:23-37). Some men of Simeon were apparently settled in the northern kingdom of Israel after the disruption (2 Chronicles 15:9; 2 Chronicles 34:6). Simeon is between Issachar and Benjamin, not beside Judah, in Ezekial 48:25.

Simeon is also in Revelation 7:7.

Giants In The Bible

 Did you know there are giants mentioned in the Bible? Surely that would make thinking people pause and say, "I guess the Bible is a bunch of myths, legends and fables." But you would be wrong! I believe the Bible is true even to it's least word. We call it the "inerrant Word of God", i.e. it is without error. I believe this with my whole heart and the more I study the Bible the more I find it true! Of course, as a believer in Jesus Christ, I started with the faith that the Bible is inerrant. Without having studied the Bible yet, I still believed it was true, which is "faith". But once I became a believer I wanted to know more about God and there was no better source than His Word. It was written to His People and reveals Him in His Splendor and His Mercy, His Majesty and His Grace. If you don't want to expend the energy and time to study the Word of God, then stop reading NOW! But don't utter re-used phrases like, "The Bible is just a bunch of fairy tales." You haven't read it, you haven't studied it, you haven't attempted to find out why each scripture is in the Bible... i.e. you don't know it!

I was raised in a Christian family and so was taken to church where I learned the Bible stories of Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, Mary and Joseph, etc. I was saved at 8 yrs old. I've always been a prolific reader and many times I would try to sit down and read the Holy Bible just as I would any book. I turned to page 1 (which is Genesis 1:1) and by the time I got to chapter 3 it was so over my childish head that I stopped. I couldn't understand why I couldn't understand it. I could read Nancy Drew couldn't I? But, as a young cousin once told me, "it's just a bunch of little scriptures". He was as confused as I was. But we have to remember that a child's mind cannot fathom the complex, deep things. For instance, a 2 year old can ask you a hundred times how much further it is. You can answer, "about 2 more hours" and that has no meaning to them. They cannot conceive time. You can explain how rain is formed via evaporation to a 4 year old but they would only stare at you because they don't have the mental capacity yet to understand simple scientific explanations. And a teenager cannot mentally understand future consequences because their mind simply has not grown enough and experienced enough to understand the consequences to their actions (which means, no matter how snooty they are, they still need their parent's guidance because they truly are not adults yet).

I re-dedicated my life at 17 years old and about the same time, my Aunt Judy got each of us a new Bible called The Living Bible. It is a paraphrase in modern English. A paraphrase is different from a translation. A translation actually takes the original language that the Bible was written in and translates it word for word. Each word has many shadings which is why we have many translations. For instance, the word "abode" means "home", "house", "dwelling", "place where you live", etc. But a paraphrase is when you take the gist of the meaning and tell it in modern English. For instance, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures..." becomes "You, LORD, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. You let me rest in fields of green grass." We must remember that the King James Version was written for the English peaople at that time and it was written in the way they talked. It was modern to them and was something they could understand. The Bible was originally written in Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament). It had been translated into Latin which was a common language during the Roman times. But by the Middle ages, only highly educated people were educated in the classical languages of Greek and Latin which meant the common man couldn't read the Bible. It had to be read to him by his Priest until King James decided to sponsor scholars to translate the Bible into the King's English. So, today, we need new translations so that we can understand the Bible in our own language. We no longer use "thees" and "thous". The Living Bible was perfect for a young reader's first time to read through the Bible and I can never thank my Aunt Judy enough for giving me that experience!!! I have tried to give my teenage nieces and nephews Bibles appropriate to their age so, hopefully, they could have the experience I had.



I read the Bible all the way through when I was 17 years old. Then I got another Bible. This time I got a translation rather than a paraphrase and I read through the Bible again. It was the American Standard Version (ASV). Then I went to a little harder translation called the Modern King James Version (MKJV), etc. So I'd read straight through the Bible several times before I really began any Bible studies. And, let me tell you, I still didn't understand half of what I was reading. It was interesting! It was enthralling! It was beautiful! But I didn't understand why this story didn't have a happy ending or why that person was blessed by God even when he did a bad thing or why there were GIANTS IN THE BIBLE! So we've come back around to my Bible study today.

You see, it takes time and effort to dig and study, read and contemplate, listen to teaching tapes or videos, take Bible study lessons, etc. That's what is so fascinating about God's Word. You can read it and re-read it, study it and learn from it and it never gets old!! You can become an expert in the Bible and think you know all there is to know and God will reveal something else! But that is if you are a Christian! An unbeliever can make themselves read the Bible and even become a scholar of the Bible and still not be a believer. Just like someone can become an expert on Shakespeare or Jane Austin. But as a believer, you have the Holy Spirit living within you and He teaches you throughout your life using the Word of God as His textbook. And you cannot exhaust the depths of God!!!

So let's look at the giants in the Holy Bible. First, we need to know a little bit about the origin of Satan. I've talked about this in other postings so you could skip this part if you've read my other posts about Satan and his fall.

Satan was a created being, created by God. He was a musician, some even say his body was a musical instrument much like a singer uses her voice or a musician uses his hands. He may have even led the worship of God. How do I know this? Let's look at

Ezekiel 28:11-19 (King James Version - KJV) Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me (Ezekiel), saying, (12) Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. (13) Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. (14) Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. (15) ;Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. (16) By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. (17) Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. (18) Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. (19) All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

Ezekiel 28 (Literal Translation Of The Bible - LITV) (13) You have been in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone was your covering; the ruby, the topaz, and the jasper, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the turquoise, and the carbuncle, and gold; the workmanship of your tambourines and of your flutes in you. In the day you were created, they were prepared. (14) You were the anointed cherub that covers, and I had put you in the holy heights of God, where you were. You walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. (15) You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, until iniquity was found in you. (16) By the multitude of your trade, they filled your midst with violence, and you sinned. So I cast you defiled from the height of God, and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from among the stones of fire. (17) Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. I have cast you to the ground. I will put you before kings, that they may see you. (18) By the host of your iniquities, by the iniquity of your trade, you have defiled your holy places. So I brought a fire from your midst and it shall devour you, and I will give you for ashes on the earth in the sight of all who see you. (19) All who know you among the peoples shall be appalled at you. You shall be terrors, and you will not be forever.

and, finally,

Ezekiel 28:13-19 (Easy To Read Version) You were in Eden, the garden of God. You had every precious stone-- rubies, topaz, and diamonds, beryls, onyx, and jasper, sapphires, turquoise, and emeralds. And each of these stones was set in gold. You were given this beauty on the day you were created. God made you strong. (14) You were one of the chosen Cherubs who spread your wings over my throne. I put you on the holy mountain of God. You walked among the jewels that sparkled like fire. (15) You were good and honest when I created you, but then you became evil. (16) Your business brought you many riches. But they also put cruelty inside you, and you sinned. So I treated you like something unclean and threw you off the mountain of God. You were one of the chosen Cherubs who spread your wings over my throne. But I forced you to leave the jewels that sparkled like fire. (17) Your beauty made you proud. Your glory ruined your wisdom. So I threw you down to the ground, and now other kings stare at you. (18) You did many wrong things. You were a very crooked merchant. In this way you made the holy places unclean. So I brought fire from inside you. It burned you! You burned to ashes on the ground. Now everyone can see your shame. (19) "'All the people in other nations were shocked about what happened to you. What happened to you will make people very afraid. You are finished!'"

Who was this King of Tyre? Well, there literally was a King or Prince of Tyre named Ethbaal, or Ithobal. God is giving a literal description of an event. But there is also the description of Adam's fall from the Garden of Eden and the description of Satan's fall from Heaven. So God is using a real story to also tell us of what happened to Adam and to Satan.

Mathew Henry's Commentary - This is commonly understood of the prince who then reigned over Tyre, spoken to, Ezekiel 28:2. His name was Ethbaal, or Ithobalus, as Diodorus Siculus calls him that was king of Tyre when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it. He was, it seems, upon all external accounts an accomplished man, very great and famous; but his iniquity was his ruin. Many expositors have suggested that besides the literal sense of this lamentation there is an allegory in it, and that it is an allusion to the fall of the angels that sinned, who undid themselves by their pride.

Ezekiel 28:1-9 (Easy To Read Version - ERV) The word of the LORD came to me (Ezekiel). He said, (2) "Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: "'You are very proud! And you say, "I am a god! I sit on the seat of gods in the middle of the seas." "'But you are a man and not God! You only think you are a god. (3) You think you are wiser than Daniel and no secret is hidden from you. (4) Through your wisdom and understanding you have gotten riches for yourself. And you put gold and silver in your treasuries. (5) Through your great wisdom and trade, you have made your riches grow. And now you are proud because of those riches. (6) 'So this is what the Lord GOD says: Tyre, you thought you were like a god. (7) I will bring strangers to fight against you. They are most terrible among the nations! They will pull out their swords and use them against the beautiful things your wisdom brought you. They will ruin your glory. (8) They will bring you down to the grave. You will be like a sailor who died at sea. (9) That person will kill you. Will you still say, "I am a god"? No, he will have you in his power! You will see that you are a man, not God!

Here is another description of what happened to Babylon but also refers to what happened to Satan.

Isaiah 14:4-17 (KJV) That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! (5) The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. (6) He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.(7) The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. (8) Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. (9) Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. (10) All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? (11) Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. (12) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! (13) ;For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: (14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. (15) Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. (16) They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; (17) That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

Isaiah 14:4-17 (Contemporary English Version - CEV) Then you will make fun of the King of Babylonia by singing this song: That cruel monster is done for! He won't attack us again. (5) The LORD has crushed the power of those evil kings, (6) who were furious and never stopped abusing the people of other nations. (7) Now all the world is at peace; its people are celebrating with joyful songs. (8) King of Babylonia, even the cypress trees and the cedars of Lebanon celebrate and say, "Since you were put down, no one comes along to chop us down." (9) The world of the dead eagerly waits for you. With great excitement, the spirits of ancient rulers hear about your coming. (10) Each one of them will say, "Now you are just as weak as any of us! (11) Your pride and your music have ended here in the world of the dead. Worms are your blanket, maggots are your bed." 12) You, the bright morning star, have fallen from the sky! You brought down other nations; now you are brought down. (13) You said to yourself, "I'll climb to heaven and place my throne above the highest stars. I'll sit there with the gods far away in the north. (14) I'll be above the clouds, just like God Most High." (15) But now you are deep in the world of the dead. (16) Those who see you will stare and wonder, "Is this the man who made the world tremble and shook up kingdoms? (17) Did he capture every city and make earth a desert? Is he the one who refused to let prisoners go home?"

So Satan began as a created Angel, a son of God, but he had pride and thought he could be God. Same thing happened to Adam and Eve. They were created by God to be His companions and Satan deceived Eve and they thought they could be like God.

Genesis 3:4-6 (LITV) And the serpent said to the woman, Dying! you shall not die, (5) for God knows that in the day you eat of it, even your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as God, knowing good and evil. (6) And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise. And she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18) Is a wise saying based on what happened to Satan and his demons and Adam and Eve. When we begin to think that we know better than God, that we could do a much better job of running everything, then we are developing the same pride that was the downfall of Satan and of humanity.

In Job we find Satan listed as an angel, or "son of God".
Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

When Satan was cast out of Heaven, he had managed to convince 1/3 of the angels to follow him so they were also cast out of Heaven. These "sons of God" here are clearly Angelic beings who are presenting themselves before The Lord (in Heaven). And Satan is among them. These fallen angels are what we call "demons" now. The Devil and most of his fallen angels are on Earth doing spiritual warfare and will not be sent to Hell until their time of Judgment. But there were obviously some angels who had relations with “the daughters of men” (human women) and they are now chained so it can't happen again.

Jude 1:6 (CEV) You also know about the angels who didn't do their work and left their proper places. God chained them with everlasting chains and is now keeping them in dark pits until the great day of judgment.

Smith's Bible Dictionary - We conclude, therefore, that (Satan) was of angelic nature, a rational and spiritual creature, superhuman in power, wisdom and energy; and not only so, but an archangel, one of the "princes" of heaven. We cannot, of course, conceive that anything essentially and originally evil was created by God. We can only conjecture, therefore, that Satan is a fallen angel, who once had a time of probation, but whose condemnation is now irrevocably fixed.

2 Peter 2:4-5 (CEV) God did not have pity on the angels that sinned. He had them tied up and thrown into the dark pits of hell until the time of judgment. (5) And during Noah's time, God did not have pity on the ungodly people of the world. He destroyed them with a flood, though he did save eight people, including Noah, who preached the truth.

Satan is not only the Prince of Demons but the Prince of This World. Parenthesis are mine.

Luke 4:2-13 (CEV) For forty days Jesus was tested by the devil, and during that time he went without eating. When it was all over, he was hungry. (3) The devil said to Jesus, "If you are God's Son, tell this stone to turn into bread." (4) Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say, 'No one can live only on food.' "(5) Then the devil led Jesus up to a high place and quickly showed him all the nations on earth. (6) The devil said, "I will give all this power and glory to you. It has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. (7) Just worship me, and you can have it all." (8) Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him!' " (9) Finally, the devil took Jesus to Jerusalem and had him stand on top of the temple. The devil said, "If you are God's Son, jump off. (10) The Scriptures say: 'God will tell his angels to take care of you. They will catch you in their arms, and you will not hurt your feet on the stones.' " (11) (12) Jesus answered, "The Scriptures also say, 'Don't try to test the Lord your God!' " (13) After the devil had finished testing Jesus in every way possible, he left him for a while.

John 12:31-32 (CEV) This world's people are now being judged, and the ruler of this world is already being thrown out! (32) If I am lifted up above the earth (on the cross), I will make everyone want to come to me."

John 16:11 (CEV) And they are wrong about the judgment, because God has already judged the ruler of this world.

John 14:29-31 (CEV) I am telling you this before I leave, so that when it does happen, you will have faith in me. (30) I cannot speak with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming (to try to kill Him). But he has no power over me. (31) I obey my Father, so that everyone in the world might know that I love him. It is time for us to go now.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (CEV) If there is anything hidden about our message, it is hidden only to someone who is lost. (4) The god who rules this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They cannot see the light, which is the good news about our glorious Christ, who shows what God is like.

Ephesians 6:11-13 (CEV) Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. (12) We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. (13) So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm.

Smith's Bible Dictionary - (Satan's) general object is to break the bonds of communion between God and man, and the bonds of truth and love, which bind men to each other.

His methods are temptation, deception, possession, flattery, appealing to our pride. He will even use scripture to twist it to mean something it doesn't as he did when he tempted Jesus. He will try to appeal to our pride, flattering us, deceiving us so that what is rotten looks beautiful. He completely turns our heads upside down, suddenly we see darkness as light or light as darkness. He is our adversary, our accuser, just as in the book of Job where he stands by God and whispers accusations against us. He hates both God and man. Why does he hate man? Because God created mankind to be His companions, His Children, His People. We have the very breath of God in us and we are made in His Image. God saw us as so valuable to Himself that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross so we could be saved from our sins. Satan hates God, therefore he hates us. There are people whom Satan uses to try and thwart God's Plans or hurt God's People. These people are victims of Satan. He has deceived them although they have allowed themselves to be deceived. Satan's power consists principally in his ability to deceive. Satan is fundamentally a liar and his kingdom is a kingdom founded upon lies and deceit.

Matthew 12:22-24 (ERV) Then some people brought a man to Jesus. This man was blind and could not talk, because he had a demon inside him. Jesus healed the man, and he could talk and see. (23) All the people were amazed at what Jesus did. They said, "Maybe he is the promised Son of David!" (24) When the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man uses the power of Satan to force demons out of people. Satan is the ruler of demons."

1 Peter 5:8-9a (ERV) Control yourselves and be careful! The devil is your enemy, and he goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to attack and eat. (9) Refuse to follow the devil. Stand strong in your faith.

2 Timothy 2:25-26 (ERV) You must gently teach those who don't agree with you. Maybe God will let them change their hearts so that they can accept the truth. (26) The devil has trapped them and now makes them do what he wants. But maybe they can wake up to see what is happening and free themselves from the devil's trap.

Those who are given over to evil and who persuade others to evil are children and servants of Satan.

In replying to the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, Jesus says,
John 8:42-45 (ERV) Jesus said to them, "If God were really your Father, you would love me. I came from God, and now I am here. I did not come by my own authority. God sent me. (43) You don't understand the things I say, because you cannot accept my teaching. (44) Your father is the devil. You belong to him. You want to do what he wants. He was a murderer from the beginning. He was always against the truth. There is no truth in him. He is like the lies he tells. Yes, the devil is a liar. He is the father of lies. (45) "I am telling you the truth, and that's why you don't believe me.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (ERV) The ruler of this world has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They cannot see the light of the Good News--the message about the divine greatness of Christ. Christ is the one who is exactly like God.

So what happened to Satan and his demons?
2 Peter 2:4-5 (MKJV) For if God did not spare sinning angels, but thrust them down into Tartarus, and delivered them into chains of darkness, being reserved to judgment. (5) And He did not spare the old world, but saved Noah the eighth one, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

2 Peter 2:4-5 (ERV) When angels sinned, God did not let them go free without punishment. He sent them to hell. He put those angels in caves of darkness, where they are being held until the time when God will judge them. (5) And God punished the evil people who lived long ago. He brought a flood to the world that was full of people who were against God. But he saved Noah and seven other people with him. Noah was a man who told people about living right.

Jude 1:6 (MKJV) And those angels not having kept their first place, but having deserted their dwelling-place, He has kept in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of a great Day;

Hebrew 2:14-15 (MKJV) Since then the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same; that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death (that is, the Devil), (15) and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Hebrews 2:14-15 (Bible in Basic English - BBE) And because the children are flesh and blood, he took a body himself and became like them; so that by his death he might put an end to him who had the power of death, that is to say, the Evil One; (15) And let those who all their lives were in chains because of their fear of death, go free.

Those of us who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior are saved and the Devil has been defeated!!! We don't have to be afraid of him! As lost, we do not have the power to save ourselves or protect ourselves from Satan. This is why Jesus came and saved us. But we have to accept Him and trust that He saves us. We must have faith in something that we can't see - the belief that Jesus is the Son of God (not son of God as in the angels, but the real Son of God) and his work on the cross saved us. We no longer have to fear Hell in punishment of our sins. But we have to believe and accept and trust.

1 John 3:8 (LITV) The one practicing sin is of the devil, because the devil sins from the beginning. For this the Son of God was revealed, that He might undo the works of the devil.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - The outcome is certain though the process may be tedious and slow. The victory of Christ is the defeat of Satan; first, for Himself as Leader and Saviour of men (John 14:30); then, for believers (Luke 22:31; Acts 26:18; Romans 16:20; James 4:7; 1 John 2:13; 1 John 5:4, 1 John 5:18); and, finally, for the whole world (Revelation 20:10). The work of Christ has already destroyed the empire of Satan.

Revelation 20:1-15 (CEV) I saw an angel come down from heaven, carrying the key to the deep pit and a big chain. (2) He chained the dragon for a thousand years. It is that old snake, who is also known as the devil and Satan. (3) Then the angel threw the dragon into the pit. He locked and sealed it, so that a thousand years would go by before the dragon could fool the nations again. But after that, it would have to be set free for a little while. (4) I saw thrones, and sitting on those thrones were the ones who had been given the right to judge. I also saw the souls of the people who had their heads cut off because they had told about Jesus and preached God's message. They were the same ones who had not worshiped the beast or the idol, and they had refused to let its mark be put on their hands or foreheads. They will come to life and rule with Christ for a thousand years. (5) These people are the first to be raised to life, and they are especially blessed and holy. The second death has no power over them. They will be priests for God and Christ and will rule with them for a thousand years. No other dead people were raised to life until a thousand years later. (6) (SEE 20:5) (7)At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be set free. (8) He will fool the countries of Gog and Magog, which are at the far ends of the earth, and their people will follow him into battle. They will have as many followers as there are grains of sand along the beach, (9) and they will march all the way across the earth. They will surround the camp of God's people and the city that his people love. But fire will come down from heaven and destroy the whole army. (10) Then the devil who fooled them will be thrown into the lake of fire and burning sulfur. He will be there with the beast and the false prophet, and they will be in pain day and night forever and ever. (11) I saw a great white throne with someone sitting on it. Earth and heaven tried to run away, but there was no place for them to go. (12) I also saw all the dead people standing in front of that throne. Every one of them was there, no matter who they had once been. Several books were opened, and then the book of life was opened. The dead were judged by what those books said they had done. (13) The sea gave up the dead people who were in it, and death and its kingdom also gave up their dead. Then everyone was judged by what they had done. (14) Afterwards, death and its kingdom were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  (15) Anyone whose name wasn't written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.


Now that we have the basics of Lucifer, Satan, Beelzebub, Belial, the Accuser, the Tempter, lets see how he comes into the giants. Yes, it's time to talk about the Giants. We needed the background of Satan to see how giants once walked the earth.

Nephilim is translated "giants".

Genesis 6:1-5 (MKJV)(Parenthesis are mine) And it happened, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and when daughters were born to them, (2) the sons of God(fallen angels) saw the daughters of men, that they were good. And they took wives for themselves from all whom they chose. (3) And Jehovah said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, in his erring; he is flesh. Yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. (4) There were giants in the earth in those days. And also after that, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore to them, they were mighty men who existed of old, men of renown. (5) And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

So the fallen angels, the demons, mated with human women to create halflings, hybrids, half demon and half human.

Jude 1:5-6 (LITV) But I intend to remind you, you once knowing these things, that the Lord having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, in the second place destroyed the ones not believing. (6) And those angels not having kept their first place, but having deserted their dwelling-place, He has kept in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of a great Day;

Jude 1:5-6 (CEV) Don't forget what happened to those people that the Lord rescued from Egypt. Some of them did not have faith, and he later destroyed them. (6) You also know about the angels who didn't do their work and left their proper places. God chained them with everlasting chains and is now keeping them in dark pits until the great day of judgment.

These halflings were the giants. The old myths and fables of mythology, godlike beings, may have kernels of truth. For instance, there may have been giants named Zeus, Mercury, Jupiter, etc. Or at least the idea of superhumans doing things on the earth. These halflings began to take over the world so that there were fewer and fewer real human beings. And they did evil all the time. The world must have been a pretty horrible place during this time! Noah was born to Lamech. The times in which Noah was born were degenerate, depraved, and this finds pathetic expression in Lamech's saying at the birth of Noah, “This same shall comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, which cometh because of the ground which Yahweh hath cursed.”

Genesis 5:26-32 (MKJV) And after he fathered Lamech, Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years. And he fathered sons and daughters. (27) And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years. And he died. (28) And Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years and fathered a son. (29) And he called his name Noah, saying, This one shall comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which Jehovah has cursed. (30) And after he fathered Noah, Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years. And he fathered sons and daughters. (31) And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years. And he died. (32) And Noah was five hundred years old. And Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 6:6-10 (MKJV) And Jehovah repented that He had made man on the earth, and He was angry to His heart. (7) And Jehovah said, I will destroy man whom I have created, from the face of the earth, both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air. For I repent that I have made them. (8) But Noah found grace in the eyes of Jehovah. (9) These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. (10) ;And Noah fathered three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 6:8-9 LIT) And Noah found grace in the eyes of Jehovah. (9) These are the generations of Noah. Noah, a righteous man, had been perfected among his family. Noah walked with God.

Genesis 6:8-9 (RV) But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (9) These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, and perfect in his generations: Noah walked with God.

Genesis 6:8-9 (Young's Literal Translation - YLT) And Noah found grace in the eyes of Jehovah. (9) These are births of Noah: Noah is a righteous man; perfect he hath been among his generations; with God hath Noah walked habitually.

Genesis 6:9-10 (English Standard Version - ESV) These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.  (10)  And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The genealogy of Noah was perfect and blameless, i.e. he was not a halfling or giant! By the time of Noah, it seems that there were only a few people who were NOT halflings or giants... Noah, his wife, his 3 sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth and possibly their wives. So God didn't send a flood to destroy mankind but to save mankind! God had to rescue the pure human strain so that we could be saved through Jesus Christ.

When Adam and Even fell, God gave a prophecy that, although Satan would deal a blow, her SEED (Jesus) would crush Satan. A heel bruise is not a mortal wound, but a head blow is mortal.

Genesis 3:14-15 (ESV) The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. (15) I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

Genesis 3:15 (MKJV) And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.

Satan had this prophecy going through his head and he kept trying to thwart God's plan. By corrupting the seed of the woman, Satan could prevent the birth of the Messiah. When Adam and Eve had their two sons, Cain and Able, Satan worked on Cain who murdered his brother, Able. He was trying to kill the SEED. When he sent his demons to mate with the human race, he was trying to keep the SEED from being born. When Jesus was born, Pharaoh tried to kill all the male babies 2 yrs old and younger. It was Satan trying to kill the SEED. But it didn't work!!!

BeginningAndEnd.com - But the one seed spoken of from a woman is Jesus Christ (“Behold a virgin shall conceive a son and His Name shall be Emmanuel.”). The only way we could be saved was through a virgin birth with The Lord providing the baby to a virgin woman. Jesus being both 100% man and 100% God allowed him to take all sins of humanity and save us all.

God made the plan to save Noah, his wife and sons and their wives and wipe out all the halflings and giants. It was a way to people the earth again with human beings.

BeginningAndEnd.com - The flood served 3 chief purposes: 1) To destroy the Nephilim giants. 2) To punish the angels who committed the illicit relations with women and make an example of them so that no other angels would ever attempt this again and 3) to save humanity from certain destruction.

Unfortunately, after the Flood, there were still some Nephilim - giants - found in the world possibly due to genes in Noah's daughter-in-laws.

The Bible provides a specific geneaology and bloodline of the Nephilim giants after the flood.

Genesis 9:18-19 (CEV) Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, came out of the boat. Ham later had a son named Canaan. (19) All people on earth are descendants of Noah's three sons.

Ham - Ham was the son of Noah and the father of Canaan. Ham means hot; heat; brown.

Genesis 9:20-26 (CEV) Noah farmed the land and was the first to plant a vineyard. (21) One day he got drunk and was lying naked in his tent. (22) Ham entered the tent and saw him naked, then went back outside and told his brothers. (23) Shem and Japheth put a robe over their shoulders and walked backwards into the tent. Without looking at their father, they placed it over his body. (24) When Noah woke up and learned what his youngest son had done, (25) he said, "I now put a curse on Canaan! He will be the lowest slave of his brothers. (26) I ask the LORD my God to bless Shem and make Canaan his slave.

Descendants of Ham formed four main races; Cush (Ethiopia), Mizraim (Egypt), Phut (Nubia), and Canaan, comprising six chief tribes, the Hittites, Hivites, Amorites, Jebusites, Perizzites, and Girgashites. The four Hamitic races occupied a continuous tract comprising the Nile valley, Palestine, S. Arabia, Babylonia, and Kissia. Ham and his brothers were pure human and raised by their father, Noah, who was a preacher of righteousness. But he also grew up in a horrible, weird, pagan, sinful, violent world and could have been influenced in the wrong way which showed up after the flood when he saw his father in his tent.

BeginningAndEnd.com - We can never forget that when looking at any Biblical account. God could have certainly killed Ham’s wife or told Ham “she’s corrupted” but it is this author’s thinking that Ham did not care about what God had to say because Ham was not a follower of God. Ham had a choice. And he chose to reject God.

Canaan - Canaan means merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues. He was the son of Ham. Only one of Ham's sons, Canaan, was cursed. Why? We are not told but it may have something to do with Canaan already showing signs of the Nephilim or of his father's sinfulness? Canaan had a son named Nimrod.

Genesis 10:6 (CEV) Ham's descendants had their own languages, tribes, and land. They were Ethiopia, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. Cush was the ancestor of Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. Raamah was the ancestor of Sheba and Dedan. Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, a mighty warrior whose strength came from the LORD. Nimrod is the reason for the saying, "You hunt like Nimrod with the strength of the LORD!" Nimrod first ruled in Babylon, Erech, and Accad, all of which were in Babylonia. From there Nimrod went to Assyria and built the great city of Nineveh. He also built Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, as well as Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah. Egypt was the ancestor of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, Casluhim, and Caphtorim, the ancestor of the Philistines. Canaan's sons were Sidon and Heth. He was also the ancestor of the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Later the Canaanites spread from the territory of Sidon and went as far as Gaza in the direction of Gerar. They also went as far as Lasha in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim.

BeginningAndEnd.com - Ham’s son Mizaraim also contributed to the Nephilim lineage. In verse 14 we have the first mention of the Philistines (whose forefather was Phillistim), the nation of the giant Goliath. Calshuhim was the father of Phillistim and his family later resided in Capthor in the Promised Land. So we see the direct origins of the Philistines, one of the most heated enemies of the Israelites, who also carried the Nephilim gene.

Mizaraim also contributed to the Nephilim lineage. How do we know? Well, remember the story of David and Goliath? Goliath was a Philistine and he was a giant.

Genesis 10:13-19 (LITV) And Mizraim fathered Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, (14) and Pathrusim, and Casluhim, from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim. (15) And Canaan fathered his first-born Sidon, and Heth, (16) and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite, (17) and the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, (18) and the Arvadite and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. And afterward the families of the Canaanites were dispersed. (19) And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as you come to Gerar, as far as Gaza, as you go in towards Sodom and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even to Lasha.


Nimrod - Nimrod means rebellion. He was rebellious against God.

BeginningAndEnd.com - Nimrod was the first murderer and conqueror in the post-flood world. He was the founder of the city of Babylon which became a center of pagan, satanic idolatry, much of it with various versions of Nimrod himself being worshiped as a god. Nimrod was the founder of Babylon and may have spearheaded the building of the Tower of Babel. This Tower of Babel was a huge tower raised to try to reach Heaven.

Genesis 11:4 (LITV) And they said, Come, let us build a city and a tower with its head in the heavens, and make a name for ourselves, that we not be scattered on the face of all the earth.

It was the people's attempt to reach the spiritual realm without God. Once again trying to BE God. To do it their way. The same pride that brought down Satan and his angels and what had brought down Adam and Eve. God saw their attempts and confused their language so that they could no longer cooperate to build the tower. It was abandoned.

Genesis 11:8-9 (LITV) And Jehovah scattered them from there, over the face of all the earth. And they stopped building the city. (9) On account of this its name is called Babel, because Jehovah confused the language of all the earth there. And Jehovah scattered them abroad from there on the face of all the earth.

More sons of Canaan became the Jebusites, the Amorites and Gegusites, and are mentioned a lot when the Israelites went to capture the Promised Land. These families were usurpers in the Promised Land and carried the Nephilim gene.

Amos 2:9 (MKJV) Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from below.

When the Israelites got to the Promised Land, they were instructed by God:
Deuteronomy 7 (MKJV) When Jehovah your God shall bring you into the land where you go to possess it, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you, (2) and Jehovah your God shall deliver them before you, you shall crush them, completely destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them. (3) Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to his son, nor shall you take his daughter to your son. (4) For they will turn away your son from following Me, so that they may serve other gods. So the anger of Jehovah will be kindled against you and will destroy you suddenly. (5) But you shall deal with them in this way: you shall destroy their altars and break down their images, and cut down their groves and burn their graven images with fire. (6) For you are a holy people to Jehovah your God. Jehovah your God has chosen you to be a special people to Himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth. (7) Jehovah did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people, for you were the fewest of all people. (8) But because Jehovah loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn to your fathers, Jehovah has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of slaves, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (9) Therefore, know that Jehovah your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations. (10) And He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slow to repay him who hates Him. He will repay him to his face. (11) And you shall keep the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which I command you today, to do them. (12) And it shall be, because you listen to these judgments and keep and do them, Jehovah your God shall keep to you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers. (13) And He will love you and bless you and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb, and the fruit of your land, your grain, and your wine, and your oil, the increase of your cattle, and the flocks of your sheep, in the land which He swore to your fathers to give you. (14) You shall be blessed above all people. There shall not be male or female barren among you or among your cattle. (15) And Jehovah will take away from you all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt which you know upon you. But He will lay them upon all who hate you. (16) And you shall destroy all the people which Jehovah your God shall deliver you. Your eye shall have no pity upon them, neither shall you serve their gods, for they will be a snare to you. (17) If you shall say in your heart, These nations are more than I; how can I throw them out? (18) You shall not be afraid of them, but shall well remember what Jehovah your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. (19) Remember the great temptations which your eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched-out arm by which the Lord your God brought you out. So shall Jehovah your God do to all the people of whom you are afraid. (20) And Jehovah your God will send the hornet among them, until the ones who are left, and who hide themselves from you, are destroyed. (21) You shall not be afraid of them, for Jehovah your God is among you, a mighty and terrible God. (22) And Jehovah your God will put out those nations before you by little and little. You may not destroy them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon you. (23) And Jehovah your God shall deliver them to you, and shall destroy them with a mighty ruin until they are destroyed. (24) And He shall deliver their kings into your hand, and you shall destroy their name from under the heavens. No man shall be able to stand before you until you have destroyed them. (25) You shall burn the graven images of their gods with fire. You shall not desire the silver or gold on them, nor take it for yourself, so that you may not be snared in it. For it is an abomination to Jehovah your God. (26) And you shall not bring an abomination into your house, lest you be a cursed thing like it. You shall utterly hate it, and you shall utterly despise it. For it is a cursed thing.

God instructs them to destroy them all. He says, "You shall not be afraid of them, for Jehovah your God is among you, a mighty and terrible God." It sounded so cruel to just go into this land and kill everyone and take over. It was genocide. But there was a reason! They had the Nephilim gene. They were the descendants of Ham and Canaan. God sought to destroy these superhuman hybrids, these halflings, these giants! He wanted to insure a pure human race from which Jesus, the Messiah, could be born.

Anakim
Anakim means long necked ones.

The first war in scripture involved giants:
Scofield Reference Notes - The occasion of this war was the revolt of the five kings from under the government of Chedorlaomer. Twelve years they served him...In the thirteenth year, beginning to be weary of their subjection, they rebelled, denied their tribute, and attempted to shake off the yoke and retrieve their ancient liberties. In the fourteenth year, after some pause and preparation, Chedorlaomer, in conjunction with his allies, set himself to chastise and reduce the rebels, and, since he could not have it otherwise, to fetch his tribute from them on the point of his sword. Note, Pride, covetousness, and ambition, are the lusts from which wars and fightings come. To these insatiable idols the blood of thousands has been sacrificed. The four kings laid the neighbouring countries waste and enriched themselves with the spoil of them.

Genesis 14:5-6 (MKJV) And in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and struck the giants in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, (6) and the Horites in their Mount Seir, as far as the oak of Paran, which is by the wilderness.

The 4 kings then came against Sodom and Gomorrha. They captured Lot and his family. His uncle, Abraham, went after them to rescue Lot. And eventually Sodom and Gomorrha were destroyed by fire and brimstone. That's another story.

Anakim are the descendants of Anak who was the son of Arba. They dwelt in the south of Palestine, in the neighbourhood of Hebron, Kirjath Arba, i.e. city of Arba. In the days of Abraham they inhabited the region afterwards known as Edom and Moab, east of the Jordan. They were probably a remnant of the original inhabitants of Palestine before the Canaanites, a Cushite tribe from Babel, and of the same race as the Phoenicians and the Egyptian shepherd kings. There were various tribes of Anakim.

Joshua 15:14 (MKJV) And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the sons of Anak.

Rephaim
The Rephaim means the dead ones.

They were a people defeated by Chedorlaomer at Ashteroth Karnaim (Genesis 14:5), occupying the N.E. of the Jordan valley (Peraea) before the Canaanites came. Og, the giant king of Bashan, was the last of them. Sihon and Og had ruled Amorite kingdoms east of the Jordan River. Their land stretched from the Arnon River gorge in the south to Mount Hermon in the north.

Deuteronomy 3:8-12 (CEV)(Parenthesis mine) Sihon and Og had ruled Amorite kingdoms east of the Jordan River. Their land stretched from the Arnon River gorge in the south to Mount Hermon in the north, and we captured it all. (9) Mount Hermon is called Mount Sirion by the people of Sidon, and it is called Mount Senir by the Amorites. (10) We captured all the towns in the highlands, all of Gilead, and all of Bashan as far as Salecah and Edrei, two of the towns that Og had ruled. (11) King Og was the last of the Rephaim, and his coffin (or sarcophagus or bedstead) is in the town of Rabbah in Ammon. It is made of hard black rock and is thirteen and a half feet long and six feet wide. (12) I gave some of the land and towns we captured to the tribes of Reuben and Gad. Their share started at the Arnon River gorge in the south, took in the town of Aroer on the edge of the gorge, and went far enough north to include the southern half of the Gilead region. The northern part of their land went as far east as the upper Jabbok River gorge, which formed their border with the Ammonites. I also gave them the eastern side of the Jordan River valley, from Lake Galilee south to the Dead Sea below the slopes of Mount Pisgah. I gave the northern half of Gilead and all of the Bashan region to half the tribe of Manasseh. Bashan had belonged to King Og, and the Argob region in Bashan used to be called the Land of the Rephaim. Jair from the Manasseh tribe conquered the Argob region as far west as the kingdoms of Geshur and Maacah. The Israelites even started calling Bashan by the name "Villages of Jair," and that is still its name. I gave the northern half of Gilead to the Machir clan.

Og would have been approximately 13' 5" tall.


They once extended to the S.W., for the valley of "Rephaim" was near the valley of Hinnom and Bethlehem, S. of Jerusalem, "the valley of the giants" (Joshua 15:8; Joshua 18:16; 2 Samuel 5:18-22; 2 Samuel 23:13). Rephaim was used for "the dead," or their "ghosts" (Job 26:5, translated "the souls of the dead tremble; (the places) under the waters, and their inhabitants (tremble)"; Psalm 88:11; Proverbs 2:18; Proverbs 21:16; Isaiah 14:9; Isaiah 26:14-19) perhaps because scheol (Sheol) or hades (Hades) was thought the abode of the buried giants.

Emim "terrors".
Deuteronomy 2:10-11 (CEV) Before the LORD gave the Moabites their land, a large and powerful tribe lived there. They were the Emim, and they were as tall as the Anakim. (11) The Moabites called them Emim, though others sometimes used the name Rephaim for both the Anakim and the Emim.

The Zuzim of Ham were a northern tribe of Rephaim between the Arnon and Jabbok, smitten by Chedorlaomer. The Ammonites who supplanted them called them Zamzummim. Zuz "to wander."

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When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and they finally got to the Promised Land, he sent spies to see what the land was like and what they were up against. Out of the 12 spies, 10 came back scared to death. But, two, Caleb and Joshua, gave a good report saying it was a wonderful land and they could take it with God's help. Unfortunately, the people listened to the 10 spies who were afraid and they didn't trust in God.

Numbers 13:1-2 (YLT) And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, (2) `Send for thee men, and they spy the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel; one man, one man for the tribe of his fathers ye do send, every one a prince among them.'

Numbers 13:31-33 (MKJV) But the men that went up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we. (32) And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched to the sons of Israel, saying, The land through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eats up those who live in it. And all the people whom we saw in it were men of stature. (33) And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, of the giants. And we were in our own sight like grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Numbers 13:31-33 (CEV) But the other men replied, "Those people are much too strong for us." (32) Then they started spreading rumors and saying, "We won't be able to grow anything in that soil.And the people are like giants.(33) In fact, we saw the Nephilim who are the ancestors of the Anakim. They were so big that we felt as small as grasshoppers."

They were destroyed by Joshua, except a remnant who escaped to the Philistine cities, Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod (Joshua 11:21-22). Caleb, who brought tidings as a spy concerning them, was eventually their destroyer (Joshua 15:14).
Joshua 11:21-23 (CEV) During this same time, Joshua and his army killed the Anakim from the northern and southern hill country. They also destroyed the towns where the Anakim had lived, including Hebron, Debir, and Anab. (22) There were not any Anakim left in the regions where the Israelites lived, although there were still some in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. (23) That's how Joshua captured the land, just as the LORD had commanded Moses, and Joshua divided it up among the tribes. Finally, there was peace in the land.

When Joshua, was sent to conquer the Promised Land, God commands him to kill all of the men, women and children of these giant races. They were to be wiped out because any remnant of their kind would pose a great danger. So when you read that God told the Israelites to commit genocide by killing every man, woman and child of a race, He was saving mankind rather than destroying mankind. God always has a reason whether it was to preserve a pure human race for the SEED (Jesus) or to preserve their spiritual purity by destroying those peoples who worshiped idols. God knows each and every human being and knows those whose hearts would turn to the Lord and those whose hearts never will.

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In King David's youth, we find a giant race among the Philistines, and in Gath. You may remember the story of David and Goliath.

1 Samuel 17:1-7 (MKJV) And the Philistines gathered their armies for battle, and gathered at Socoh of Judah, and pitched between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. (2) And Saul and the men of Israel had gathered and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in order against the Philistines. (3)And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side. And there was a valley between them. (4) And a champion named Goliath came out of the Philistines camp; he was from Gath. His height was six cubits and a span. (5) And a bronze helmet was on his head, and he was armed with scaled armor. And the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.(one hundred twenty-five pounds.) (6) And greaves of bronze were on his legs, and a bronze javelin was between his shoulders. (7) And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam. And his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron.(more than 15 lbs) And the shield bearer went in front of him.

1 Samuel 17:23-26 (MKJV) And he was speaking with them. And, behold, the champion man, named Goliath, the Philistine of Gath, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke according to these words. And David heard. (24) And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, they ran from him and were very much afraid. (25)And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man that has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And it shall be, the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. (26)And David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine and takes away this shame from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?

1 Samuel 17:40-51 (MKJV) And he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones out of the brook for himself, and put them in a shepherd's vessel which he had, even in a bag. And his sling was in his hand. And he drew near the Philistine. (41) And the Philistine came on and drew near David. And the man who bore the shield was before him. (42) And the Philistine looked and saw David, and disdained him. For he was only a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. (43) And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.(44) And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field. (45) And David said to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. (46) Jehovah will deliver you into my hand today, and I will strike you and take your head from you and give the bodies of the army of the Philistines to the birds of the air today, and to the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. (47) And all this multitude shall know that Jehovah does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is Jehovah's, and He will give you into our hands.(48) And it happened when the Philistine rose and went and drew near to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the ranks to meet the Philistine.(49) And David put his hand into his bag and took a stone from there, and slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead. And he fell on his face to the earth. 50) And David was stronger than the Philistine with a sling and with a stone. And he struck the Philistine, and killed him. But no sword was in the hand of David. (51) And David ran and stood on the Philistine, and took out his sword and drew it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, and fled.

Goliath was 9' 6" tall according to the Bible.

Just as I believed in Jesus as the Son of God and salvation through what He did on the cross... Just as I believe in the inerrant Word of God... I believe that there were giants roaming the earth who were hybrids, being born of demonic fallen angels and human women. I believe it because the Bible says it, as I've proven. Have we ever found skeletons or archaeological evidence of such giants? I don't know. If there never is a giant skeleton found, I still believe what the Bible teaches. But some believe that there have been remains found but they are hidden away by museums much like the "alien" bodies of Area 51 are being kept hidden from the public. Whether these kinds of conspiracies are true or false, I know what I believe. There has been one skeleton found that seems to be real - the Giant of Castelnau - whose bones were discovered by the anthropologist Georges Vacher de Lapouge at the Bronze Age cemetery of Castelnau-le-Lez, France in the winter of 1890. He was 11' 6". The tallest known modern man was Robert Wadlow who was 8' 11". He was born in 1918 and died in 1940 at 22 years old. There have been many hoaxes whether it was doctored photographs or fake bodies. It seems when someone is abnormally tall, they tend to die at a younger age. Then there is gigantism but that is very rare. It's where your body doesn't stop growing. These things show that it can happen. I believe it did.

The Tabernacle - The Holy of Holies

 The Veil

Exodus 26:31-34 And you shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined bleached linen of embroidered work. It shall be made with cherubs. And you shall hang it upon four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. And you shall hang up the veil under the clasps, that you may bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall divide for you between the holy place and the Holy of Holies. And you shall put the mercy-seat upon the ark of the testimony in the Holy of Holies.

This veil was between the Holy Place (aka Inner Court) and the Holy of Holies which contained the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat. The light from the lampstand, on the side of the Holy Place (aka Inner Court), shining upon it would reveal how beautiful it was. It was woven or embroidered with cherubim. The word "Cherubim" is plural for cherub and they do not resemble the sappy little fat babies with wings on Valentine's cards. We will look at Cherubim a little farther down. One side of the Veil was seen by human eyes, as the Levites ministered in the Sanctuary; the other side was beheld only by Jehovah. The object of a veil is to hide because sinful man cannot come near a holy God. It symbolized how far fallen man was from God. We are separated from our Creator, our God, our King because of our sins. How can we, sinners, get to God? Only through Jesus Christ! His work on the cross saved us from our sins if we will only accept His gift. We can have a brand new spirit (born again) and the Holy Spirit residing in us to teach us the way. We don't have to be separated from God any more!

Mattew 27:50-51 And crying again with a loud voice, Jesus released His spirit. And, behold! The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the earth quaked, and the rocks were sheared,

Hebrews 10:19-20 Therefore, brothers, having boldness to enter into the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He has consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh;

The perfect Manhood of Christ exhibited the only humanity which can approach God and live in His presence. The perfect Manhood of Christ exhibited the only humanity which can dwell in the blazing light of His manifested glory. Men might admire the beauty of the Veil; as men may today admire the human character of Christ and His teachings. And yet, the more perfect the Man, the more man realizes that we cannot ever be that perfect. Even though God had a dwelling place with His People at the Tabernacle, He was still separated from His People by the Veil. Jehovah gave instructions as to how Israel’s high priests might go behind the Veil into the Holy of Holies, and that was, by the blood of sacrifice (Lev. 16:19). The only way for sinful man to go to God was by sacrifice and that through the High Priest only. The common man nor the other priests could enter into this part of the Tabernacle. And if the High Priest entered in a way that was not prescribed by God, He would die on the spot. There were little bells on the hem of his High Priestly garment that would tinkle as long as he was still moving. He also wore a rope so that if the other priests heard the bells stop tinkling they could pull out the body of the High Priest without going behind the Veil into the Holy of Holies.

Exodus 28:31-35 And you shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. And there shall be a hole in the top of it, in its middle; a binding shall be all around its mouth, of woven work. It shall be like the mouth of a corselet; it may not be torn. And on its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, all around its hem. And bells of gold shall be amidst them all around. There shall be a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe all around. And it shall be on Aaron to serve. And his sound shall be heard when he goes in to the holy place before Jehovah, and when he comes out, so that he will not die.

The blood sacrifices that the High Priest made only foreshadowed the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. There was need of a veil until His Work was completed. His death, His blood, has opened up the way to His presence. The perfect sacrifice had now been made and those who are saved now have access to the Father. We have no need for the Veil any more!

Let's take a deeper look at Cherubim. The first time they are mentioned is in Genesis when God banishes Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. He places a cherub at the entrance with a flaming sword to keep them out. The reason God did this was so that Adam and Eve would not eat of the Tree of Life and live forever in their sin. He wanted mankind to be saved and restored to a relationship with Him. Sin brings death but, through death, those who are saved through Jesus Christ, can live again for eternity with God. But if Adam and Eve had eaten of the Tree of Life they would live forever in their sin and not have the chance to be set free from sin and an earthly body of death. So, even though God's discipline seemed harsh in banishing them from the Garden of Eden, it was really an act of mercy and love. The Cherub guarded it, not against, but for man, against the time when man will be fit to enjoy it and never lose it.

Here, on the Veil, these cherubim taught the same lesson; sinful man, cannot approach the holy God! And, yet, God's mercy provides a better way through Jesus Christ. Although it looked like God was harsh and we would never be accepted, it really was to remind us that, although He was holy and unapproachable, He would provide a way through the sacrifice of His Son. What mercy! What love! What grace!

"The purpose of God has now been accomplished. The Corn of wheat, having fallen into the ground and died, now bringeth forth much fruit (John 12:24). The Blood has been shed, the Sacrifice has been offered, the Veil has been rent; and Christ, an the Forerunner of His people, has passed into the Holiest. We then may draw near. Because Christ received the wages of sin which were due us, we share the reward which was due Him. We may boldly enter in. By faith we have unhindered access into the Heavenly Sanctuary. Every barrier haying been removed, the believing worshipper may, with perfect liberty, draw near to the Throne of Grace. Then 'let us draw near, with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience' (Hebrews 10:22)." - Gleanings in Exodus, Providence Baptist Ministries

There is a good description of Cherubim in Ezekiel 1. I encourage you to read this chapter thoroughly. Don't skip it!

Ezekiel 1:1-28 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
3 the word of Jehovah came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him.
4 And I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire infolding itself, and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst thereof as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire.
5 And out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
6 And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings.
7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass.
8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings thus:
9 their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle.
11 And their faces and their wings were separate above; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; they turned not when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: the fire went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces thereof.
16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto a beryl: and they four had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.
17 When they went, they went in their four directions: they turned not when they went.
18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes round about.
19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went; thither was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
22 And over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the terrible crystal to look upon, stretched forth over their heads above.
23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two which covered on this side, and every one had two which covered on that side, their bodies.
24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of a host: when they stood, they let down their wings.
25 And there was a voice above the firmament that was over their heads: when they stood, they let down their wings.
26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above.
27 And I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward; and from the appearance of his loins and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness round about him.
28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

The ox form represents tame animals, of which he is chief; the lion represents wild animals; the eagle represents birds; man, representing the head of all. The 4 faces could also represent the 4 Gospels: Matthew the Lion, Mark the Ox, Luke the Man, and John the Eagle. It also could show that God's glory shines on all 4 corners of the earth. Then there is this interpretation:

(1) kingly righteousness with hatred of evil, as "the lion springing terribly on the victim";
(2) laborious diligence in duty, as the "ox bound to the soil";
(3) human sympathy, as "the man";
(4) sublime contemplation of heavenly things, as "the eagle."

But, who are we to ascertain the heavenly things? It could be one or some or all of these, OR none. These heavenly beings were created by God to do His Will. The wings suggest the rapidity with which they perform His Will and Commands. Angels are "round about the throne," but the living creatures, Cherubim, occupy the innermost circle next it and Him. They are referred to as "the living creatures" 30 times in the Bible. They are full of life, zeal, and ceaseless untiring motion.

Revelation 4:5-11 And out of the throne came lightnings and thunderings and voices. And seven lamps of fire were burning in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And a sea of glass was in front of the throne, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind. And the first living creature was like a lion, and the second living creature like a calf, and the third living creature had the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. And each one of the four living creatures had six wings about him, and within being full of eyes. And they had no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was and is and is to come. And whenever the living creatures gave glory and honor and thanks to Him who sat on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fell down before the One sitting on the throne. And they worshiped Him who lives for ever and ever, and threw their crowns before the throne, saying, O Lord, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You created all things, and for Your will they are and were created.

Revelation 5:8-14 And when [Jesus] had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having harps and golden vials full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. And You made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign over the earth. And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and the living creatures and the elders. And the number of them was myriads and myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. And I heard every creature which is in the Heaven and on the earth, and under the earth, and those that are in the sea, and all who are in them, saying, Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever. And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the One living forever and ever.

The Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat

Exodus 25:10-22 And they shall make an ark of acacia-wood. Two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide and a cubit and a half high. And you shall overlay it with pure gold. You shall overlay it inside and out, and shall make on it a crown of gold all around. And you shall cast four rings of gold for it, and shall put it on its four feet. And two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. And you shall make staves of acacia-wood, and overlay them with gold. And you shall put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, so that the ark may be carried with them. And the staves shall be in the rings of the ark. They shall not be taken from it. And you shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you. And you shall make a mercy-seat of pure gold. Two and a half cubits shall be the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it. And you shall make two cherubs of gold; of beaten work you shall make them, in the two ends of the mercy-seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end. From the mercy-seat you shall make the cherubs, on the two ends of it. And the cherubs shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, and their faces each toward the other; toward the mercy-seat shall the cherubs' faces be. And you shall put the mercy-seat above, upon the ark. And in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. And I will meet with you there, and I will talk with you from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubs on the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give you in commandment to the sons of Israel.

Hebrews 9:1-15 Then truly the first tabernacle had also ordinances of divine service and an earthly sanctuary. For the first tabernacle was prepared, in which was both the lampstand, and the table, and the setting out of the loaves, which is called Holies. And after the second veil was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid all around with gold, in which was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. And over it were the cherubs of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat (about which we cannot now speak piece by piece. Now when these things were ordained in this way, the priests always went into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But once in the year into the second the high priest goes alone, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people) the Holy Spirit signifying by this that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. For it was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him who did the service perfect as regards the conscience, which stood only in meats and drinks, and different kinds of washings and fleshly ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But when Christ had become a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building nor by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered once for all into the Holies, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ (who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God) purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause He is the Mediator of the new covenant, so that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, those who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

The Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat are mentioned separately in the Old Testament although they are united in one with the Mercy Seat being the lid to the Ark. The Mercy Seat was the throne of God on earth. In Heaven, His Throne was attended by Cherubim and so, He directed the same for the Mercy Seat. This was the place that God met with the High Priest, the representative of His People. It symbolized His Presence among His people.

The Ark of the Covenant was called by several names:

The Ark of the Covenant

The Ark of Testimony

The Ark of the Lord

The Ark of God

The Ark of our Lord God

The Holy Ark

The Ark of Thy Strength

It was made of accacia (or shittim) wood overlaid with gold, the two natures of our Lord: the human and the Divine. The accacia tree has 3 characteristics that make it particularly effective to symbolize Christ. "First it is a tree that can thrive in a very dry soil. Second, it has very long, sharp thorns. Third, it is the tree from which is obtained the gum arabic so largely used in medicinal preparations, which is procured simply by piercing the tree at nightfall, and that which oozes out is, without any preparation, the gum-arabic of commerce. To the spiritual mind these facts are sweetly suggestive of Him who, in a dry and thirsty land, where surely there was naught to sustain His spirit, was in the constant freshness of communion with God, for other than an earthly stream sustained Him. Though indeed crowned now with glory, a crown of thorns was all this world had for Him. And we remember too that it was He who was pierced for us in that blackest night of guilt, when the blood flowed forth from His side, to be the only balm for the troubled soul and sin-burdened conscience" (Mr. C. H. Bright).

The contents of the Ark of the Covenant were Moses' Tablets of Stone with the Ten Commandments written by God, a pot of the heavenly food called manna, and Aaron's (the first High Priest) rod that budded with almond blooms and even yielded almonds.

The manna was the food which God gave to Israel while they were moving from the the slavery of Egypt to the Promised Land. It foreshadowed Christ as the Bread of life, the food of His pilgrim people. The Manna was the grace of God meeting the need of His people in the wilderness. Jesus is the golden pot, pure and holy, that could hold the grace of God for His needy people.

The rod that blossomed is in Numbers 17. The people began complaining and questioning why was Aaron so special that only he could be the High Priest and his descendants the priests. So God instructed Moses to take rods (straight branches cut from trees) from each of the 12 Tribes. One was Aaron's rod as the rod from the Levite tribe. He placed them before the Ark of the Covenant overnight. The next morning, only Aaron's rod developed almond blossoms and even almonds. The matter was taken out of the hands of man and was to be decided by God alone. The question of the priesthood was determined solely by God. Those rods were dead limbs. They had been cut off from the trees. The mighty power of the living God intervened, a miracle was wrought, the dead rod became alive, and resurrection-life and fruit appeared. Man may rebel against God and complain. They may seek other ways to salvation and claim other "gods" are the way to life eternal. But Jesus was put to death. He was dead! And God raised Him from the dead, gave Him life and we are His fruit! The disciples entering the empty sepulcher and beholding the signs that Christ had risen from the dead is the same as Moses entering the Holy of Holies and seeing Aaron's flowering rod. Moses bringing out the rods and showing them to the people (v. 9), is like the resurrection of Christ established before many witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6).

The tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments written by the finger of God were also placed in the Ark of the Covenant. God gave Moses the first set of the Ten Commandments but when Moses descended from the Mount to see the Israelites cavorting in festivities around the idol they made, the golden calf, He dashed the stone tablets to the ground. Later, God gave Moses a second set. It is this set that is in the Ark of the Covenant. The first set being dashed represents how sinful man cannot keep God's commandments. But God's plan is never thwarted despite what man does. So He gave Moses a second set. Christ has answered every requirement of God’s law for His people. Christ's has the Law of God in His Heart and He fulfilled all the Law. The Law was given so that mankind would know that it is impossible for us to keep it. We have an evil nature and we cannot be holy. But Christ could keep it and was holy and He fulfilled the Law. He was the perfect sacrifice.

This part of the Tabernacle was dark. There was no natural light from the sun, there was no light from a lampstand. It was only lighted by the very presence of God. You see, when someone first enters the Outer Court they must be saved at the Brazen Altar with the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We have a new spirit, newly born and have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. But we are babes in Christ. We still walk by our own natural inclinations and intelligence. Represented by the natural light of the sun in the Outer Court. But the Holy Spirit in us has the job of growing and maturing and teaching our spirit. Just as our human body grows up, so our spirit man should grow up. We should not remain a child. Unfortunately, many Christians remain walking around in the Outer Court like babies in a playpen. We don't realize that there is more! So much more! So next we approach the Brazen Laver and, through repentance, we wash ourselves in the blood of Jesus. Then, saved and cleansed, we go into the next stage of our spiritual life...the Inner Court or Holy Place. It is here that we begin to receive light from the Bible though the work of the Holy Spirit. It is illumined to us and the Holy Spirit helps us begin to understand it. "The Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path." We aren't just reading the Bible but we study the Word and get something out of it. It begins to change our life. We also partake in the Lord's Supper at the Table of the Shewbread. I don't mean just eating the little cracker and drinking the little plastic cup of grape juice. I mean you really partake. It becomes very real to you and a precious ceremony because it reminds you of your Savior, Jesus Christ. We do it reverently. We also begin spending time in prayer and worship as represented by the Altar of Incense. Many Christians stay here. They are satisfied to go no further. They are afraid to go further. Or maybe they don't know there is more. So much more! But we can go behind the Veil and into the Holy of Holies, the Most Holy Place and commune with God, our Father. We can fall before Him and let the love flow freely from our heart to His and receive His love. Our gratitude, our humble thanks, our love and worship that flows more from the heart rather than from the lips. This is the place where we receive His touch, His Love. I can't describe it! It may knock you off your feet or it may be a quiet revelation but it is here that you worship because it's is all that is left in your heart. The more He touches you, the more you can't help but worship. It flows so naturally. You know that you've connected with God. It's an experience that you desire and you thirst for more. It's all you want! It is so wonderful that you hate it when your body gets tired, or the telephone rings, or the church service is over, or you have to pick up the kids at school. And it makes me long for the day when I will no longer be bound on earth by a body, with a schedule, and work to do. One day I will be able to worship Him without getting tired, hungry or weak. I will be able to bask in His love without a clock or schedule. I will be able to love Him and receive His love without having to worry if dinner is done or the dogs need to go out. It's so wonderful that I thirst and hunger for that time! I don't want anyone to mourn over my death because it just means that I have been released to go be with my Father and to worship and love Him for eternity and in everything I do! It's what I want with my whole heart!

Sources:

For this study on the Tabernacle, I drew from several sources: The Bible, Easton's Bible Dictionary, Fausset's Bible Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Smith's Bible Dictionary, Matthew Henry's Commentary, Jamison, Faucet, Brown Commentary, Adam Clark's Commentary, John Gill's Exposition of the Bible all through esword. I also did some research on the Internet. I found one really good site that really taught me a lot! http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Gleanings_Exodus/exodus.htm