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Throughout history, the echoes of giants have persisted—from the Nephilim of Genesis to the towering Anakim, from Goliath and his brothers to the great kings of Mesopotamia. Were these figures symbolic, or did they walk among men as titans of flesh and blood?

A particular Sumerian stone panel housed in the British Museum adds fuel to this ancient mystery. The relief shows a figure nearly as tall as a palm tree, towering over those around him. Some argue this is visual evidence of the giants recorded in both the Bible and Mesopotamian texts. Others dismiss it as artistic convention, a way to represent status rather than physical proportions. But could this be one of the legendary “Big Men” of Sumer—Lugal, the great king?

“We Were as Grasshoppers in Their Sight”: The Giants of the Bible

In Numbers 13:33, the Israelite spies return from Canaan with a fearful report:

“There we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”

This was no exaggeration. The Anakim, a remnant of the Nephilim, were so massive that warriors felt dwarfed in comparison. The Bible speaks of:

• Og, king of Bashan, whose bed was over 13 feet long (Deuteronomy 3:11).
• Goliath of Gath, a warrior over 9 feet tall (1 Samuel 17:4).
• The Rephaim, a race of giants referenced throughout biblical texts.

The Hebrew word for giants in Numbers 13:33 is נְפִילִים (Nephilim).

Etymology and Meaning of נְפִילִים (Nephilim) – GIANT

• Root Word: נָפַל (nafal) – meaning to fall, to be cast down, to collapse.
• NaFaL (N-PH-L) in Hebrew is an anagram for FaLleN (PH-L-N).
• Possible Interpretations:
  1. “The Fallen Ones” – Some scholars suggest Nephilim refers to fallen beings, possibly linked to fallen angels in Biblical (Revelation 12:9) and many extra-biblical traditions I.e. Apocryphal Texts: Genesis Apocryphon, Book of Giants, 1 Enoch, Jubilees, Testament of Reuben, Wisdom of Solomon, Josephus’ Antiquities, Church Fathers’ writings (Irenaeus, Augustine, Tertullian), medieval European folklore.
     Greek & Roman Texts: Hesiod’s Theogony, Gigantomachy, Homer’s Odyssey (Cyclopes), Pseudo-Apollodorus’ Bibliotheca, Pliny the Elder’s Natural History, Roman legends of Gog and Magog.
     Near Eastern Texts: Epic of Gilgamesh, Baal Cycle (Ugaritic), Enuma Elish, Akkadian and Sumerian king lists, Hittite myths, Amorite traditions.
     Far Eastern & African References: Hindu Mahabharata (Rakshasas, Daityas), Chinese Classic of Mountains and Seas (giant deities), Yoruba mythology (Ogun as a giant-like figure), Zulu legends of the “People of the Sky” (giant beings).
     Native American & Sanskrit Traditions: Paiute legends of red-haired giants (Si-Te-Cah), Navajo stories of the Starnake people, Maya Popol Vuh (giant warriors before the flood), Norse Ymir parallels in some indigenous Arctic myths.
  2. “The Mighty Ones” – Others propose that Nephilim signifies mighty or powerful beings, not necessarily fallen but of great stature and strength.
  3. “Those Who Cause Others to Fall” – A military interpretation suggests they were fierce warriors who made their enemies collapse in fear.

In Numbers 13:33, the Nephilim are described as “the sons of Anak”, a race of giants so massive that the Israelite spies compared themselves to grasshoppers in their presence. This reinforces the idea that they were not only physically imposing but also evoked terror and awe.

The biblical portrayal of giants mirrors Mesopotamian traditions, where great kings were often depicted as physically immense, ruling with divine authority.

Lugal: The “Big Men” of Sumer and Their Giant-Like Depictions

The Sumerians had their own word for “Big Man”—Lugal (𒈗), meaning “great man” or “king.” Early rulers of Mesopotamia, such as Lugalzagesi of Uruk, bore this title. But were they merely kings, or something more?

The Gigantic Depictions of Kings in Art

Ancient reliefs repeatedly depict rulers as towering over their subjects, reinforcing the idea of a literal or symbolic “big man.” Examples include:

• The Stele of the Vultures (c. 2500 BCE): Eannatum of Lagash appears as a giant warrior, leading his troops.
• The Victory Stele of Naram-Sin (c. 2250 BCE): Shows Naram-Sin towering over fallen enemies, much like biblical descriptions of warriors like Goliath.
• The British Museum’s Sumerian Relief: The debated panel that appears to show a ruler whose stature approaches that of palm trees.

While scholars often interpret this as symbolic, could it be that the legend of giants—Nephilim, Rephaim, or Anakim—was based on the actual towering presence of these ancient rulers?

Gilgamesh: The “Nephilim-Like” King of Mesopotamia

The Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest known works of literature, describes its hero as two-thirds divine and one-third human, immensely strong, and larger than life. Some key parallels between Gilgamesh and biblical giants include:

• He is described as physically massive, much like the Nephilim.
• He is part god, part man, echoing the Genesis 6:4 description of the Nephilim as the offspring of divine beings and humans.
• He undertakes great battles, similar to the biblical accounts of the Rephaim and Goliath.

If Gilgamesh was based on a real ruler—perhaps a Lugal of Uruk—could his legendary great size and strength be rooted in the same historical reality as the biblical giants?

Deciphering the Sumerian Stone Panel: Evidence of Giants or Artistic Symbolism?

The British Museum’s Sumerian relief remains a key piece of this puzzle. Three major interpretations exist:

1. Literal Giants – The image depicts an actual race of giants, possibly the same beings referenced in the Bible as Nephilim or Rephaim.
2. Royal Symbolism – The “big man” is a king, depicted larger to emphasize status rather than literal height.
3. Age Discrepancy – The smaller figure might be a child, making the adult figure appear even larger.

Regardless of interpretation, the fact remains: ancient kings of Mesopotamia were consistently portrayed as giants among men—whether in physical stature, divine lineage, or military might.

A Legacy of Giants?

The concept of “big men” ruling over mortals is a universal one. Whether we look at:

• The Nephilim and Anakim of the Bible,
• The Rephaim and Og of Bashan,
• The Lugals of Mesopotamia,
• The demigods of Greece,
• The “kings” of Egypt,
• The Japanese Oni, demon kings.
• Or the Gilgamesh-like warrior-kings,

A pattern emerges—one of mighty rulers, towering warriors, and divine hybrids. The Sumerian stone panel, much like the biblical accounts, leaves us with a lingering question:

Were the giants of old real? Or were the “Big Men” of Sumer the last echoes of a forgotten race?

Perhaps, hidden within the ruins of history, more evidence awaits discovery.

QUESTIONS

1. How do the biblical accounts of giants (Nephilim, Anakim, Rephaim) compare to the Mesopotamian depictions of “Big Men” (Lugal) and figures like Gilgamesh?
2. Do you think the artistic representation of ancient rulers as giants was purely symbolic, or could it be rooted in historical reality? Why or why not?
3. What role does fear and perception play in the biblical spies’ report of the giants in Canaan (Numbers 13:33)? How does this relate to our own challenges today?
4. Rashi links the Nephilim to fallen angels, while Matthew Henry sees the spies’ account as exaggerated fear. Which interpretation do you find more compelling, and why?
5. What do these accounts of giants—both biblical and Mesopotamian—teach us about power, divine authority, and humanity’s relationship with the supernatural?