Genesis10:8

This is an interesting word that has a root meaning of “pierce” and usually means things like “to wound,  profane, pollute, defile, violate,” or in the causative form in which it appears in this verse – “to begin, open, loosen.” This word, or another one that looks just like it, can also mean “pipe, play the pipe.” Here it simply means “begin to or began to.” It is a beginning in the same way that a “wound” is begun by something “piercing” the skin. However, context must indicate if what has been started will have positive or negative consequences. Because of the strong connection to the ideas of “pollute, defile, profane and violate,” the use of this word may often lean toward the negative, although positive uses are found as well. Here the context is slightly negative, and to me it becomes more negative the more I look into what was going on.

This word can mean “strong, giant, champion, proud, valiant, tyrant, one who magnifies himself, mighty, chief.” It appears that Nimrod was singled out because he was a combination of several of these things. I believe that Nimrod was the one who kept everyone together in order to build the tower at Shinar, later called the tower of Babel. I also believe that he possessed the perfect combination of qualities that made him a true Nephilim. I describe him as a political genius, a ruthless tyrant, a talented architect and builder and a strong giant who could force his will on anyone because he was a champion at hand-to-hand combat.