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MORE RECENT VIEWS
The Nobility View
Summary: Dr. John H. Walton is a major proponent of the view that the nephilim were human
nobles who became corrupt. In this view, the "sons of G-d" are understood to be royalty (or
nobility), while the wives they take from the "sons of men" are women from among the
commonry.1 This is based on the usage of the "sons of _____" formula in other ANE literature of
the same general time period (13th -15th Century BCE), e.g. the "Epic of Gilgamesh."2 Egyptian
kings, for instance, referred to themselves as "sons of the gods."3
Strengths: The strengths of this view are [a] that it recognizes the weakness of the demon-
spawn argument, [b] that it makes use of ANE literature contemporary to it, and [c] that ANE
examples do exist (and fairly commonly).
Challenges: While this model does mesh well with the pagan literature, it does not adequately
explain how the offspring of royalty and commonry would be detestable to HaShem or result in
wickedness. Though ANE models of this type are legitimately present, Israel does not have in its
history a class structure which would support a prohibition against intermarriage between a
reigning Judahite (crowned member of the royal tribe) and an Israelite person not in royal
station.
The Alien View
Summary: A variation on the Enochian view of the nephilim is the view that the subject "race" is
the offspring produced by space aliens impregnating earth women. Chief proponents of this
view are Erich von Däniken4 and the late Zecharia Sitchin.5
Strengths: The sole value one can derive from this view is that it mirrors and thus exposes the
"science fiction" element of the Enochian demon-spawn theory.
Challenges: This theory is a fringe view at best, and draws chiefly on the "wheel in a wheel"
vision of Ezekiel and the nephilim passages for support (however tenuous). There is not any
valid archaeological evidence to support this premise, and quite untenable Biblical (or even
extra-canonical) evidence. The premise which undergirds it is rather fantastical.6
1John H. Walton, Genesis, (NIV Application Commentary; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan , 2001), 296.
2 Idem., “The Sons of God in Genesis 6:1-4,” in The Genesis Debate (ed. by Ronald Youngblood; Eugene, Ore.: Wipf
& Stock, 1999), 184-209. 3 Scott T. Carroll, HIStory (8 DVDs; Grand Haven, Mich.: Scriptorium, 2007).
4 Erich von Däniken, The Gods Were Astronauts: Evidence of the True Identities of the Old "Gods" (Vega Books,
2001); idem., Strategie der Götter: Das Achte Weltwunder (1982). 5 Zecharia Sitchin, There Were Giants Upon the Earth: Gods, Demigods, and Human Ancestry: The Evidence of Alien
DNA (Bear & Company, 2010). 6 Michael S. Heiser, "Zecharia Sitchin: Why You Can Safely Ignore Him," UFO Digest (2009; online:
http://ufodigest.com/news/0909/ignore-him.php) .