The Nephilim, Anunnaki and More: Four Common Mistakes Made When Interpreting Mythology
The 19th century gave us some of the best work on mythology, but much of it has been ignored over time. Since around the 1960s, when excitement was at its peak regarding space travel and the moon landing, a generation decided to look at mythology in a new light, giving way for the ancient astronaut theory. While a lot of good has come of it, many mistranslations have also plagued it. These are just a few prominent examples.
The Nephilim
Perhaps the most common mistake made by modern researchers is equating the Nephilim with the fallen angels. Gen. 6:2-5, OT states:
And it came to pass when men began to be numerous upon the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God having seen the daughters of men that they were beautiful, took to themselves wives of all whom they chose. And the Lord God said, My Spirit shall certainly not remain among these men for ever, because they are flesh, but their days shall be an hundred and twenty years. Now the giants were upon the earth in those days; and after that when the sons of God were wont to go in to the daughters of men, they bore children to them, whose were the giants of old, the men of renown.
The Sons of God Saw the Daughters of Men That They Were Fair, by Daniel Chester French, modeled by 1918, carved 1923 - Corcoran Gallery of Art. (CC0)
The gibbōrīm, “mightie men,” (NT) the “men of renown,” termed gigantes in Greek and anglicized as giants in the Septuagint (LXX) are the transliterated Hebrew word nephīlīm. The term is related to the Hebrew naphal, meaning “to fall,” but is not the same word. Such mistaken interpretations have led to the assumption of many that the Nephilim were the fallen angels who allied alongside Lucifer during the rebellion. Other giants include Emim, Rephaim, Gibborim, Zamzummim, Anakim and Ivvim. These were all different tribes of giants, not fallen angels or gods.
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‘Norandino and Lucina Discovered by the Ogre’ (1624) by Giovanni Lanfranco. (Public Domain)
The Anunnaki & Nibiru
Thanks to Zecharia Sitchin, most ancient astronaut theorists (and their fans) believe the Anunnaki are a mysterious race of beings who came from a planet called Nibiru. The term Anunnaki derives from an, “heaven,” and nuna-ke-ne, “princely offspring.” Thus, they are the offspring of Anu, father of Enki and Enlil. The first mention of Nibiru is in the Enûma Eliš, in Tablet V verse 6: “He founded the station of Nebiru to determine their (heavenly) bands”. The second mention is at the end of Tablet VII, verse 126: “Nebiru is the star which in the skies is brilliant.”
Image of the Sumerian god Enki. Modern reproduction of a detail of the Adda seal (c. 2300 BC). (Public Domain)
In both, translator E. A. Speiser clearly states Nibiru is Jupiter and L. W. King states the same in his translation. Nibiru derives from eberu, “to cross,” from which Sitchin dubbed his Nibiru as the “planet of crossing.” But the cross is that of the zodiac, upon which is the celestial Sun. The alleged orbit of Sitchin’s planet is 3,600 years. The number is a sar, the Sumerian unit of time equal to 3,600 earth years, generated by multiplying 6 by 10 (pur), arriving at 60 (soss); 60 X 10 gave 600 (ner), and 600 X 6 = 3,600 (sar). Nowhere in the creation epic does it associate this figure with Nibiru and nowhere else in Sumerian mythic literature is Nebiru mentioned. Thus, Anunnaki is simply a Sumerian term for the gods, who did not come from another planet.
Early Babylonian Kudurru-reliefs of zodiacal symbols within the heavenly circle surrounding an undulating serpent representing the Milky Way. Shown are three classic planetary symbols of Sumero-Mesopotamian religious art: the Moon (crescent), Sun (estoile) and Venus (octactinal star). (Author provided)
The Forbidden Fruit
For millennia people have assumed the forbidden fruit of Eden to be an apple. Genesis states:
Now the serpent was the most crafty of all the brutes on the earth, which the Lord God made, and the serpent said to the woman, Wherefore has God said, Eat not of every tree of the garden? And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Gen. 3:2-4, OT)
‘Eve Tempted by the Serpent’ (1799-1800) by William Blake. (Public Domain)
The assumed consensus has always been the image of the serpent handing Eve an apple, but the Bible (or any other source for that matter) does not mention an apple at all, but uses the generic term “fruit,” which obviously could mean any fruit. The association was made in the early history of the Church using a paronomasia when preaching to the ignorant masses. In Latin, the word for “bad” is malus and the word for “apple” is malum.
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This simple yet specious pun spawned an apple in every piece of artwork concerning the event. But the fruit is not an apple at all, it is described as “like the appearance of a bunch of grapes of the vine” (ApAb. 23:6) and “its fruit is like a cluster of white grapes.” (Orig. World 110)
‘The Fall and Expulsion from Garden of Eden’ by Michelangelo Buonarroti on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, bay 4. (Public Domain)
The Sumerian Tree of Life
Depictions of the Sumerian Tree of Life has befuddled ancient astronaut theorists, many of whom speculate every few months over what they call “handbags.” The Assyrian bas-relief from the walls of the Northwest Palace of Ashurbanipal II (reigned 883-859 BC) at Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), c. 870 – 860 BC, shows two Apkallu gods flanked, each with a pinecone and a situla (water bucket), representing the food and water of immortality. This simple yet definitive answer was known to the mythologists of the 19th century, well established decades before the appearance of ancient astronaut theory.
Assyrian relief carving from Nimrud, 883–859 BC, depicting a so-called handbag. ( Metropolitan Museum of Art )
Top Image: Many stories from mythology are misinterpreted. ‘Norandino and Lucina Discovered by the Ogre’ (1624) by Giovanni Lanfranco. (Public Domain) Image of the Sumerian god Enki. Modern reproduction of a detail of the Adda seal (c. 2300 BC). (Public Domain) Assyrian relief carving from Nimrud, 883–859 BC, depicting a so-called handbag. ( Metropolitan Museum of Art) ‘Eve Tempted by the Serpent’ (1799-1800) by William Blake. (Public Domain)
Priscilla Vogelbacher is an independent, autodidact fine artist, writer and researcher. She is the author of ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name: Lucifer, Origins & Revelation’, available on Amazon and at the Harvard University Library. She has been on shows and podcasts including Midnight in the Desert, Beyond the Darkness, Late Night in the Midlands and The Sage of Quay Radio Hour. Her expertise is Mesopotamian mythology, though she studies the myths and legends of all cultures. For more information and to see her work, visit www.beautifulnightmarestudios.com.
Comments
Hi Ms. Priscilla,
I don't think it is a mistake I do Believe that The Race of Giant's were Fathered by Angels.
See I've been reading The Book of Enoch and The Book of Jubilees and since I believe that the Bible to be God's Word then I believe these 2 Biblical Books are telling the Truth. First heard of Enoch when I was 12 years old but, I dismissed its significance now I know I wasn't ready for Enoch or Jubilees that Bible just yet.
Learning that Papal Rome and Protestant Reformation Movement kicked these Bible Books out from the Scripture that bothered me that Men took it upon themselves to change The Bible that's not Biblically Correct.
Because of Enoch and Jubilees I am able to understand Genesis 6 a little better now I'm know expert with These Special Book's in fact I am a fledgling but, I've learned a great deal from The Scriptures.
The Book of Enoch is made up of 3 Book's.
Enoch 1 is Hebrew translated Ethiopian Orthodox Bible Book.
Enoch 1 deals with Angels identified as Watchers 200 of them how they came from the Heaven's married human women and begot great Son's and they were Giant's in those days oh right that was Genesis 6. Enoch says that these Son's of the angels grew to 3000 ft. in ht. Those weren't Giant's those were the Titan's and they were Cannibals now I know Cannibal came from Cain the one who murdered his brother Abel in cold blood.
Thankfully Enoch gives the names of the Watchers that fathered the Giant Race.
1. Samjaza/ Smeyaza
2. Artaqifa
3. Armen (huh Armenia)
4. Kokabel
5. Turael
6. Rumjal
7. Daniel
8. Tamiel
9. Ramiel
10. Neqael
11. Baraqiel
12. Azazel/Ningirsu god of war temple dug up in Turkey!
13. Armaros
14. Neqael
15. Busasejal
16. Hananel
17. Tibial
18. Simapesiel
19. Jetrel
20. Tumael
21. Turiel
22. Tumael
These are the Chief one's over the Angels 100 of them.
1. Jeqon ( I've seen this name with the Norse gods).
2. Asbeel
3. Gadreel (this angel led Eve astray the Serpent in Eden)
4. Penamue
5. Kasdeya
6. Identify as The Son of the Serpent Tabaet
7. Kasbeel Chief if Oath Keeper
8. Zephyr wasn't that a Greek name?
9. Ramiel
10. Ezeqiel
11. Yomiel first Hebrew now a Norse/ Name Tower of Babel
12. Asael
13. Amezarak
14. Samsiel
15. Satal he might be Atlas?
16. Araziel
17. Urukibel isn't Uruk mentioned regarding Sumeria?
18. Ananel
19. Zaqiel
So these are the Angel father's of these Race of Giant's. Wow The Bible keeps it simple 7 different Giant's altogether...
1. Anakim
2. Emim
3. Gibborim
4. Ivvim
5. Nephilim
6. Rephaim
7. Zamzummim
I'm beginning to see that These Race of Giant's were never apart of God's plan to begin with according to an Article I read previous about The Bible and The Big Bang God worked within Nature these angels worked against Nature.
The names that you mentioned in relation to The Sumerians I feel that their the Angels children.
In The Book of Jubilees it is revealed through an Angel that the whole Earth spoke Hebrew up until the Tower of Babel once God changed the language the Hebrew Name's of the Race of Giant's changed with it.
1 Example Baraqiel in Hebrew means Lightening Giver I think this could be Baal the weather god worshipped by the Cannanites and Phoenicians perhaps Jupiter/Zeus and Baraqiel Human wife Asheroth can you see Hera in the spelling of her name?
I think Marduk might have been their Son I'm not sure I also think that Baalek, Baal-Cheroith, Baal-Peor, Ethl-baal are Baraqiels and Asheroths other Son's.
It was pointed out to me that Dagon the half-human/ half-fish God was Baals father I think the roles of the angel parents and children's roles were switched I think Dagon was one of Baraqiels grandson thanks to Enoch 3 The Book of Giant's I know it's true.
So that's my thoughts on The Race of Giants one final note in Enoch 2 Book of the Secrets of Enoch. Enoch went on a journey in The Heaven's he was escorted by 2 angels with wings.
Enoch encountered 2nd Heaven and 5th Heaven both places were prisons for Fallen Angel's the 5th Heaven is where the first wave of angels that fought in the war with Lucifer Revelation 12 says that one third of the Stars fell from Heaven symbolically falling Stars are falling Angels.
Enoch 2 The Prophet sees these beings called Grigori the scary part these thing's were even bigger than the Race of Giant's, apparently 3 Grigori escaped their prison and ran to Earth I believe that those 3 are one of the father's of those Giant Race which one who knows but, I think those 3 Grigori are the Father's of the Titan Race.
According to Enoch the Grigori is Colossal in stature.
So I'll end it here. Goodbye!
the word Apple in PIE used to mean any tree fruit. In this sense, it falls in line with the old Hebrew text as a proper translation. The giants in Greek mythology were the offspring of Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth) which also falls in line with the Nephalim translation in Hebrew.
Etymology, or more accurately the lack of consideration thereof is one of the biggest hindrances in truly understanding the ancient text.
Thank you for a very interesting article. Does your book delve further into this subject?