We continued, from part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, considering the issue of the Nephilim via the 1879 AD book The Fallen Angels and the Heroes of Mythology, the Same with “The Sons Of God” And “The Mighty Men” of the Sixth Chapter of the First Book Of Moses (Dublin: Hodges, Foster, And Figgis, Publishers To The University, 1879 AD) by Rev. John Fleming, A.B. Incumbent of Ventry And Kildrum, Diocese of Ardfert; Rural Dean; and Irish Society’s Missionary.
Genesis 4:26b reads as follows:
KJV …then began men to call upon the name of the LORD. NKJV …Then men began to call on the name of the LORD. NLT …At that time people first began to worship the LORD by name. NIV …At that time people began to call on [or, to proclaim] the name of the LORD. ESV …At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD. HCSB …At that time people began to call on the name of Yahweh. NASB …Then men began to call [or, by] upon the name of the LORD. NET …At that time people began to worship the LORD. RSV …At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD. ASV …Then began men to call upon the name of Jehovah. YLT …then a beginning was made of preaching in the name of Jehovah. DBY …Then people began to call on the name of Jehovah. WEB …then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
HNV …Then men began to call on the LORD’s name.
Well, there is certainly much agreement with the more modern versions. However, Rabbi Shlomo ben Itzaki aka Solomon son of Isaac aka Rashi (1040-1105) is quoted as paraphrasing thusly, “Then was it begun to call the names of men and the names of images after that of the Holy and Blessed One—to make idols, and to call them gods” (Pent. With Raschi’s Comm. Amsterd., published 1721 AD).
Also the 1590 AD Latin Bible published by Immanuel Tremellius and François du Jon aka Franciscus Junius reads, “Tunc coeptum est profanari in invocando nomine Jehovae” which mirrors Henry Ainsworth (1571-1622 AD) who translated the verse as “Then began men profanely to call on the name of the Lord.”
Dr. Maitland connects the whole of the heathen belief with the events of which our passage contains the record. He believes that the first false worship was introduced by the sinning angels, and that they were themselves the first objects of it (p. 20). It should, however, be observed that if, as tradition relates, and as is not improbable, the fallen angels appeared in the world some hundreds of years before the Deluge (see§ 17), false worship; admitting it to have been first introduced by them, might have been widely prevalent long before that event. [P. 60]
If Genesis 4 does tell us of the beginnings of idolatry, we can see why by the Genesis 6 affair humans were primed to interact in such a way with fallen Angels.
One of the most difficult, as it is one of the most important, questions to be answered by the interpreter of this portion of Scripture is, Are the giants (Nephilim), the Sons of God (Bne-Elohim), and the mighty men (Gibborim), three distinct classes? or, can the first-mentioned be shewn to be identical with either of the others?…
The etymology of the word, [lexicographer Wilhelm] Gesenius says, is uncertain. Some derive it from…to separate or distinguish, taking it to denote those who were in some way distinguished above other men : but, by the greater number…is regarded as the root, different significations, however, being affixed to the term Nephilim, according to the various senses in which that verb may be taken….
Dr. Delitzsch, who believes that the beings called Nephilim and Gibborim were, all, the sons of the Bne-Elohim [so the sons of the sons of God], although brought into existence at different periods, and who takes the Hebrew expression, or combination of particles above referred to, in the signification of postea, quum =afterwards, when, not postquam =after that, gives the following as his translation of the verse—a translation, it may be observed, which agrees with that of the Authorized Version—
“The giants were (i.e., were living, were present) on the earth in those days (i.e., at the time when God appointed the respite of 120 years): and also, after that (i.e., after sentence of condemnation had been pronounced, and during the progress of those years), when the Sons of God joined themselves to the daughters of men, and they bare children to them (giants arose likewise): and these (i.e., the later-born) are the heroes, who from old time have been men of name.” [PP. 96-97, 105]
Fleming is of the opinion that “we will be of opinion, that these beings must have been in the world for a considerable time before the commencement of the 120 years” (P. 124).
Interestingly, John Fleming references, “the testimony of ancient writers, and partly on the discovery of colossal bones, supposed to be human, but which in reality were those of elephants or other animals of large size” (P. 110) which is something about which I wrote in Adrienne Mayor “The First Fossil Hunters”.
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