The Bible Chat’s mission includes, “to spread the Word of God. We connect hundreds of thousands of users to the Bible through millions of meaningful conversations. Our journey started with the vision to enable anyone, anywhere, to ask questions and receive scripturally-based answers within seconds.”
Let us see what, “scripturally-based answers” they have to the question Are the Anakim related to the Nephilim in biblical texts?
Right off the bat, the reply seems like an AI copy and paste job due to that the AI ubiquitously spits out replies about Nephilim related stuff such as, “a fascinating inquiry that delves into the mysterious and often debated passages…we must explore…consider the interpretations offered by scholars and theologians” which inevitably go unnamed, unquoted and uncited as well as, “intrigued and puzzled readers…Some interpretations…point of contention, with interpretations ranging from” and the utterly asserted generic assertion, “Nephilim are depicted as beings of significant stature and strength, contributing to the corruption and violence that precipitated the Flood.”
Such is the stuff of which AI replies are made and I’ve already run across way too many of them being passed off as articles.
So, let’s see just how intelligent the AI is—granting that I’m guessing it’s AI generated but it’s an educated guess.
It’s noted, “The term ‘Nephilim’ is often translated as ‘giants,’ though its exact meaning is uncertain”: that’s not a translation, it’s a rendering and one which begs these key questions:
What’s the usage of the vague, generic, subjective, multi-usage and modern English word “giants” in English Bibles?
What’s the article’s author’s usage of the vague, generic, subjective, multi-usage and modern English word “giants”?
Do those two usages agree?
We’re told, “Nephilim are depicted as beings of significant stature” but that’s only in one single sentence from an, “evil report” by 10 unreliable guys whom God rebuked: the dirty little secret is that since we’ve no reliable physical description of Nephilim then their height is a non-issue and that alone debunks 99% of un-biblical Nephilology–the modern branch of which is just un-biblical neo-theo sci-fi tall-tales.
It’s noted, “The first reference to the Anakim is in Numbers 13:33, where the Israelite spies sent by Moses report seeing giants in the land of Canaan: ‘And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them’ (Numbers 13:33, ESV). This passage explicitly links the Anakim to the Nephilim, suggesting a direct relationship.”
Right on schedule, we’re expected to actually believe an “evil report” by 10 unreliable guys whom God rebuked in part because these facts were left out of the mere assertion that, “This passage explicitly links” as if it’s gospel truth.
It’s also not noted that it’s actually, “The first reference to the Anakim” in non-LXX versions since the LXX lacks reference to Anakim in that verse.
It’s also not generically, “the Israelite spies” but, again, only the 10 unreliable ones whom God rebuked who told that literally impossible tall-tale: impossible since any concept of post-flood Nephilim implies that God failed: He meant to be rid of them via the flood but couldn’t get the job done, He must have missed a loophole, the flood was much of a waste, etc. See, fallacious Nephilology negatively effects theology proper. Also, post-flood Nephilologists have to just invent un-biblical tall-tales about how they made it past the flood.
This describes 100% of pop-Nephilologists. And those who claim they survived the flood contradict the Bible five times (Genesis 7:7, 23; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20; and 2 Peter 2:5).
I’ve written whole books debunking them such as, Nephilim and Giants: Believe It or Not!: Ancient and Neo-Theo-Sci-Fi Tall Tales and, Nephilim and Giants as per Pop-Researchers: A Comprehensive Consideration of the claims of I.D.E. Thomas, Chuck Missler, Dante Fortson, Derek Gilbert, Brian Godawa, Patrick Heron, Thomas Horn, Ken Johnson, L.A. Marzulli, Josh Peck, CK Quarterman, Steve Quayle, Rob Skiba, Gary Wayne, Jim Wilhelmsen, et al.
We will have to see how the article’s author, whoever or whatever it may be, gets Nephilim past the flood, past God.
We’re told, “The text in Deuteronomy [2] notes that the Anakim were considered a powerful and fearsome race, comparable to the Rephaim” which isn’t that explicitly stated but they were like a clan of that tribe. That statement continues thusly, “…Rephaim, another group of giants” but that’s just a generic statement and biblically contextually, “Rephaim, another group of giants” means, “Rephaim, another group of Rephaim” so it’s redundant.
It’s then emphasized that, “The connection between the Anakim and the Nephilim is primarily based on the account in Numbers 13:33, where the spies’ report suggests a lineage or association.” Yet, 1) that’s the only such basis, 2) it wasn’t, “the spies’” generically, 3) it’s unreliable, 4) and it can only be from non-LXX versions.
The article goes on to note, “However, this connection is not elaborated upon in other biblical texts, leaving room for interpretation” since, “Some,” unnamed, unquoted, and uncited, “scholars propose that the reference to the Nephilim in Numbers is metaphorical, used by the” 12 unreliable, “spies to emphasize the daunting nature of the Canaanite inhabitants” which is much ado about nothing. And, “Others argue for a more literal connection, suggesting that the Anakim were descendants of the Nephilim or shared a similar origin” which is literally impossible since Anakim were named after Abra’s son Anak, there’s zero indication they have anything to do with Nephilim and God didn’t fail, didn’t miss a loophole, the flood wasn’t much of a waste, etc., etc., etc.
Due to the generic terminology, we also don’t know what’s being referred to by, “The presence of giants in the land of Canaan.” Yet, we’re told that whatever that means, “serves as a test of faith for the Israelites, challenging them to trust in God’s promises despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles” which is exactly how and why the 10 showed themselves to be unfaithful and disloyal—as well as contradictory and embellishers—see my post Chapter sample: On the Post Flood Nephilim Proposal.
It’s also noted, “From a theological perspective, the accounts of the Nephilim and Anakim can be seen as part of the Bible’s broader narrative of spiritual warfare.” Actually, it’s a case of that from a theological perspective, the accounts of the Nephilim and Anakim within that evil report can be seen as part of the Bible’s broader narrative of spiritual warfare since it was a failure thereof and is why that failure haunts us to this day when the un-biblical tall-tales sold to Christians by pop-Nephilologists (and many scholarly ones, see my book The Scholarly Academic Nephilim and Giants: What do Scholarly Academics Say About Nephilim Giants?) has become a very lucrative cottage industry.
BTW: this sort of defeating the giants in your life type of sermonizing is also AI Nephilology 101, “a test of faith for the Israelites, challenging them to trust in God’s promises…the ongoing struggle between good and evil…reminding readers of the reality of spiritual conflict,” etc.
It’s punted that,, “the question of whether the Anakim are related to the Nephilim invites reflection on the mysterious and complex nature of biblical revelation” which is the stuff of which watered down kumbaya is made since Biblically it’s very simple: Nephilim didn’t make it past the flood in any way, shape, form, nor by any other name or relationship but centuries post-flood 10 unreliable guys made up a fear-mongering scare-tactic tall-tale about seeing them and were rebuked by God.
100% of post-flood Nephilology is premised on siding with those guys rather than with the God who rebuked them.
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