dience of their subjects. They are not pursued, while they
themselves pursue and oppress others; they suffer no injury, but they
inflict it upon others; they do not give to others, but rob them until
the hour comes when, like fattened swine, they are slaughtered. Hence
the German proverb: A prince is a rare bird in the kingdom of heaven
or, princes are wild game in heaven.

129. Accordingly, those whom Moses calls here "_Nephilim_," which is
an odious and disgraceful name, were without doubt the lawful
administrators of Church and State. But because they did not use their
office as they should, God marks and brands them with this opprobious
name. As we, in this corrupt state of nature, are unable to use the
least gift without pride, so God, most intolerant of pride, thrusts
the mighty from their throne, and leaves the rich empty.

130. I accept, then, the word "_Nephilim_" as having an active
signification, being equivalent to tyrants, oppressors, revelers. I
believe, furthermore, as has been the case with other languages also,
that Moses has transferred the usage of this word from his own times
to those before the deluge, after changing somewhat its meaning,
inasmuch as these degenerate descendants of the sons of God abused
their power and position for the oppression of the good, just as those
Anakim were tyrants relying upon bodily strength, and so Moses will
presently show.

V. 4b. _And also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the
daughters of men, and they bare children to them; the same were the
men that were of old, the men of renown._

131. Jerome[1] renders: _Isti sunt potentes a seculo_ (these are
mighty men from the beginning). But the word _seculum_ (olam) does not
here signify duration of time, nor does it predicate extent. These
giants did not exist from the beginning, they were not born until the
sons of God had degenerated. But _seculum_ (olam) connotes a second
predicate, that of substance, so that Moses explains the nature of the
power in which they trusted to have been secular or worldly. They
despised the ministry of the Word as a vile office; therefore they
seized upon another office, a secular one. The very same thing our
Papists have done. It has pleased them better to hold ample revenues
and worldly kingdoms than to be hated of all men for the sake of the
Gospel.

[Footnote 1: So also the A. V. and the R. V., while Luther has by no
means the philological science against him. Mundus