Scripture

Nephilim

The mysterious Nephilim of Genesis 6 kept their Hebrew name in English only late; for centuries translators followed the Septuagint and the Latin in calling them 'giants' — Slavonic ispolini, English giants — while only the hyper-literal Aquila tried to translate the name itself. Modern Hebrew still says nefilim.

Weakest linkCertain

The road to English

From Biblical Hebrew to Koine Greek, Late Latin, English

From Biblical Hebrew to Koine Greek

From Biblical Hebrew to Modern Hebrew

From Koine Greek to Old Church Slavonic, Russian

600 BCEBiblical Hebrew

Hops are evenly spaced; labels show the year each form is first attested.