Bede : Moreover, Cush begat Nimrod. He began to be mighty on the earth, and he was a mighty hunter before the Lord. While the progeny of Shem and Japheth remained in the innocence of a simple life, a cursed offspring was born of the lineage of Ham, who would pervert the state of human interaction with a new way of living, being lifted up with unique power, living first by hunting; then, having gathered an army, he endeavored to exercise unusual tyranny over peoples; and finally, he is read to have had a kingdom and to have built great cities: which Scripture confirms because he was the first to do so, as it says: He began to be mighty. He began indeed because he was the first to do it. Moreover, he was mighty on the earth because, neglecting heavenly matters, in which the just are mighty, he learned to seek lowly things and place his hope in them. — Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron) Jerome : (Verse 8) And Cush begot Nimrod. He began to be powerful in the land. And after a little while: — Hebrew Questions on Genesis Jerome : (Verse 8) And Cush begot Nimrod. He began to be powerful in the land... Nimrod, the son of Chus, first seized an unprecedented tyranny among the people. — Hebrew Questions on Genesis John Chrysostom : Then sacred Scripture goes on from this point to tell of the children born to the sons in these words: "Now, Ham became the father of Cush"; and further, "Now, Cush became the father of Nebrod (Nimrod), who began to be a giant on earth. He was a giant hunter before the Lord." While some people say the phrase "before the Lord" means being in opposition to God, I on the contrary do not think sacred Scripture is implying this. Rather, it implies that [Nimrod] was strong and brave. But the phrase "before the Lord" means created by him, receiving from him God's blessing. Or it may mean that God was on the point of arousing our wonder through him by creating such a remarkable creature and displaying him before us on the earth. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 29.29 Philo of Alexandria : (82) Why was Chus the father of Nimrod, who began to be a giant and a hunter before the Lord: on which account they said, "Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord?" (#Genesis 10:8). The father in this case, having a nature truly dissolute, does not at all keep fast the spiritual bond of the soul, nor of nature, nor of consistency of manners, but rather like a giant born of the earth, prefers earthly to heavenly things, and thus appears to verify the ancient fable of the giants and Titans; for in truth he who is an emulator of earthly and corruptible things is always engaged in a conflict with heavenly and admirable natures, raising up earth as a bulwark against heaven; and those things which are below are adverse to those which are above. On which account there is much propriety in the expression, he was a giant against God, which thus declares the opposition of such beings to the deity; for a wicked man is nothing else than an enemy, contending against God: on which account it has become a proverb that every one who sins greatly ought to be referred to him as the original and chief of sinners, being spoken of "as a second Nimrod." Therefore his very name is an indication of his character, for it is interpreted Aethiopian, and his art is that of hunting, both of which things are detestable: an Aethiopian because unmitigated wickedness has no participation in light, but imitates night and darkness: and the practice of the huntsman is as much as possible at variance with rational nature, for he who lives among wild beasts wishes to live the life of a beast, and to be equal to the brutes in the vices of wickedness. — QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON GENESIS, II Prudentius : A Nimrod, who goes round the world, made rough With deep ravines and wooden crags, and strives To waylay some by fraud and secret wiles, To vanquish others by his giant arms And spread his deadly triumphs far and wide. — ORIGIN OF SIN 143-48 Augustine of Hippo : NEMBROTH FIRST OF THE GIANTS AFTER THE FLOOD. — One may wonder why it is said about Nebroth: he was the first to be a giant upon the earth , since Scripture says that there had been giants before. Could it be a question of the restoration of a new human race, from the midst of which Nembroth appeared to be the first as a giant on Earth? [ — QUESTIONS ON GENESIS, Q. 17 (tr. J. Litteral, draft)