Elioud

Lore & Background

In the Book of Enoch and Book of Jubilees, the Elioud are the offspring of the Nephilim, who themselves were born from the union of angels (Watchers) and human women. The texts describe the Elioud as a distinct race, noted for their exceptional abilities and wickedness. The Book of Jubilees 7:21–25 recounts that the Giants slew the Naphil (Nephilim), and the Naphil slew the Eljo (Elioud), and the Eljo slew mankind, leading to widespread bloodshed and the Flood.

Reader's Guide

The Elioud are significant primarily within the non-canonical traditions of 1 Enoch and Jubilees, which were accepted as scripture by early Christian fathers and some Jewish groups but later omitted from the canons of Western Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism due to a view that angels could not engage in sexual intercourse. They remain canonical for Oriental Ethiopian Orthodox Christians and Beta Israel Jews. The Elioud illustrate the complex genealogies of antediluvian hybrid races, with discrepancies in translations and interpretations—for example, some Greek manuscripts of 1 Enoch describe three races (giants, Naphelim, Elioud) while the Ethiopic text varies. The ambiguity extends to the Book of Giants, where fragments are incomplete. The Elioud also serve as a point of contrast with less literal readings of Genesis 6:4, which interpret 'sons of God' as godly human descendants rather than angels.

Did You Know?

• The Elioud are also transliterated as Eljo.
• Copies of the Book of Enoch and Book of Jubilees were kept by the Qumran community that produced the Dead Sea Scrolls.
• The Elioud are considered a part-angel hybrid race of their own, like the Nephilim.
• Some Greek manuscripts of 1 Enoch describe the Elioud as the third race after giants and Naphelim.