Giants in the Torah: Did They Really Exist?

Giants in the Torah and Ancient History

The Torah clearly documents the existence of giants in ancient times. One of the earliest references appears in the Book of Genesis, which states: “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days” (Genesis 6:4). The Nephilim are described as descendants of giants who lived before the Flood.

Giants After the Flood

Additional Torah sources describe entire regions inhabited by giants. The Torah mentions the kingdom of the Rephaim, whose people were known for their extraordinary size (Deuteronomy 2:11). One of the most famous figures from this group was Og, King of Bashan, who ruled over a vast territory east of the Jordan River (Deuteronomy 3:11).

Later, when the Jewish spies entered the Land of Israel, they reported seeing giants in the area of Hebron (Numbers 13:22). Their presence frightened the spies and played a major role in the people’s hesitation to enter the land.

Giants in the Era of the Prophets

The Tanach also records encounters with giants during the era of King David. The most famous of these is Goliath, whom David defeated. In addition, the Book of Samuel recounts battles against Goliath’s brothers, who are also described as giants (2 Samuel 21:18–22). These warriors are identified as descendants of “Rapha,” linking them to the ancient Rephaim kingdom (see 1 Chronicles 20:4 and the commentary of the Radak).

Ancient Historical Testimony

These Torah accounts align with traditions preserved in other ancient civilizations. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that the giants were remarkable for their unusual body proportions and inspired fear among those who encountered them. He notes that even in his time, massive bones attributed to giants were still being displayed, differing greatly from those of ordinary humans.

Egyptian Records of Giants

An intriguing parallel appears in an Egyptian papyrus known as the Anastasi Papyrus, written in the 13th century BCE by a military scribe named Chori. The document describes conditions in the Land of Israel and notes individuals whose height reached four or five cubits “from their heels to their mouths.”

This description closely resembles the Torah’s account of Goliath, whose height is given as six cubits (1 Samuel 17:4). The similarity between the Egyptian and Torah measurements suggests a shared historical memory of unusually tall individuals in the region.

Og, King of Bashan, and His Bed

The Torah describes Og, King of Bashan, as owning an iron bed that was nine cubits long (Deuteronomy 3:11). Since a bed is generally longer than the height of the person who sleeps on it, Og’s actual height would have been less than nine cubits.

The Rambam explains that a bed is typically longer than a person by about one third of their height. Based on this proportion, a bed measuring nine cubits would suggest a person approximately six cubits tall, or slightly more. When the Torah states that the bed was measured “according to the standard of a man,” it refers to the ordinary human cubit, not to Og’s proportions. This indicates that Og’s size was an extraordinary deviation, but not an impossibility.

Were Giants Impossible?

A cubit measures approximately half a meter. Based on Torah descriptions, the giants mentioned would have stood between 2.5 and 3.5 meters tall. As the Rambam emphasizes, such height represents an extreme exception within the human race, but it is “in no way impossible.”