Anakim Giants in Deuteronomy Nine

Deuteronomy 9:2 describes the Anakim as "a people great and tall," whom the Israelites knew by reputation, with the saying, "Who can stand before the sons of Anak?" ^[1]. These Anakim were a race of giants, descendants of Anak, who were known for their formidable stature and warlike appearance ^{[3, 4]}. The spies sent by Moses to scout the land of Canaan reported that the Anakim made the Israelites feel like "grasshoppers" in comparison ^{[9, 10]}.

The Anakim primarily dwelt in the southern part of Canaan, particularly around Hebron, which was sometimes called the "city of Arba" after their progenitor ^{[3, 4]}. Their presence in the land was a significant source of fear for the Israelites, as recounted in Numbers 13:33 and Deuteronomy 9:2 ^{[4, 14]}. Despite their imposing presence, the Anakim were eventually dispossessed by the Israelites ^[4].

The term "giants" in the Old Testament refers to several groups of people of extraordinary size. The Anakim are often connected to other giant races mentioned in the Bible. For instance, Deuteronomy 2:11 notes that the Emim, another giant people, were "reckoned to be giants, they too, like the Anakim" ^{[2, 11]}. Similarly, the Zamzummim are described as "a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims" ^{[8, 12]}. These groups, including the Anakim, are sometimes associated with the broader category of the Rephaim, a name frequently used for giants ^{[5, 7, 11]}. The Nephilim, mentioned in Genesis 6:4, are also identified as giants, with the term potentially meaning "violent" or "causing to fall" ^{[5, 6, 15]}.

The Anakim were likely a remnant of the original inhabitants of Palestine before the Canaanites, possibly a Cushite tribe from Babel ^[3]. Their lineage was divided into three families: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai ^[4]. Goliath, the Philistine giant, may have been a descendant of the Anakim who migrated to the Philistine coastal plain ^[13]. The consistent biblical portrayal emphasizes their immense size and the terror they inspired, which Moses directly addressed when reminding the Israelites of their past rebellion and God's power to overcome such adversaries ^{[1, 14]}.

Sources

Deuteronomy “a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard say, “Who can stand before the sons of Anak?” -- Deuteronomy 9:2”
Deuteronomy “Deuteronomy 2:11 (LITV) — they are reckoned to be giants, they too, like the Anakim; but the Moabites call them Emim.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Anakim — The descendants of Anak (Josh. 11:21; Num. 13:33; Deut. 9:2). They dwelt in the south of Palestine, in the neighbourhood of Hebron (Gen. 23:2; Josh. 15:13). In the days of Abraham (Gen. 14:5, 6) they inhabited the region afterwards known as Edom and Moab, east of the Jordan. They were probably a remnant of the original inhabitants of Palestine before the Canaanites, a Cushite tribe from Babel, and of the same race as the Phoenicians and the Egyptian shepherd kings. Their formidable warlike appearance, as described by the spies sent to search the land, filled”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Anakim — (long-necked), a race of giants, descendants of Arba, (Joshua 15:13; 21:11) dwelling in the southern part of Canaan, and particularly at Hebron, which from their progenitor received the name of "city of Arba." Anak was the name of the race rather than that of an individual. (Joshua 14:15) The race appears to have been divided into three tribes or families, bearing the names Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai. Though the war-like appearance of the Anakim had struck the Israelites with terror in the time of Moses, (Numbers 13:28; 9:2) they were nevertheless dispossesse”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Giants — men of extraordinary size or height. + They are first spoken of in (Genesis 6:4) under the name Nephilim. We are told in (Genesis 6:1-4) that "there were Nephilim in the earth," and that afterwards the "sons of God" mingling with the beautiful "daughters of mens produced a race of violent and insolent Gibborim (Authorized Version "mighty men"). + The Rephalim, a name which frequently occurs. The earliest mention of them is the record of their defeat by Chedorlaomer and some allied kings at Ashteroth Karnaim. The "valley of Rephaim," (2 Samuel 5:18; 1 Chronicl”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Giants — (1.) Heb. nephilim, meaning "violent" or "causing to fall" (Gen. 6:4). These were the violent tyrants of those days, those who fell upon others. The word may also be derived from a root signifying "wonder," and hence "monsters" or "prodigies." In Num. 13:33 this name is given to a Canaanitish tribe, a race of large stature, "the sons of Anak." The Revised Version, in these passages, simply transliterates the original, and reads "Nephilim." (2.) Heb. rephaim, a race of giants (Deut. 3:11) who lived on the east of Jordan, from whom Og was descended. They were ”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Rephaim — [[1025]Giants]”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Zamzummims — A race of giants; "a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims" (Deut. 2:20, 21). They were overcome by the Ammonites, "who called them Zamzummims." They belonged to the Rephaim, and inhabited the country afterwards occupied by the Ammonites. It has been conjectured that they might be Ham-zuzims, i.e., Zuzims dwelling in Ham, a place apparently to the south of Ashteroth (Gen. 14:5), the ancient Rabbath-ammon.”
Deuteronomy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Deuteronomy 9:2: A people great and tall,.... Of a large bulky size, and of an high stature, so that the spies seemed to be as grasshoppers to them, Num 13:33, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest; by report, having had an account of them by the spies, who described them as very large bodied men, and of a gigantic stature, the descendants of one Anak, a giant; and so the Targum of Jonathan,"a people strong and high like the giants;''from these Bene Anak, children of Anak, or Phene Anak, as the words might be pronounced, the initial letter of the first word being of the”
Numbers (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Numbers 13:33: there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak--The name is derived from the son of Arba, a great man among the Arabians (Jos 15:14), who probably obtained his appellation from wearing a splendid collar or chain round his neck, as the word imports. The epithet "giant" evidently refers here to stature. (See on Gen 6:4). And it is probable the Anakims were a distinguished family, or perhaps a select body of warriors, chosen for their extraordinary size. we were in our own sight as grasshoppers--a strong Orientalism, by which the treacherous spies gave an ”
Deuteronomy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Deuteronomy 2:11: Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims,.... Because of their bulky size and tall stature; or,"the Rephaim were they accounted, even they as the Anakims;''they were reckoned Rephaim, a name for giants in early times, even as the Anakims were; see Gen 14:5. but the Moabites called them Emims; to distinguish them from the Rephaim; so that it seems this name of Emims was not originally their name, but they are called so by a prolepsis, or anticipation, in Gen 14:5 since they had it from the Moabites, a people of a later date.”
Deuteronomy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Deuteronomy 2:21: A people great and many, and tall as the Anakims,.... As the Emims were, Deu 2:10 but the Lord destroyed them before them; destroyed the Zamzummims before the children of Amman; or otherwise they would have been an too much for them, being so numerous, and of such a gigantic stature: and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead; and in this way, and by these means, he gave them their land for a possession, Deu 2:19.”
Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 1:28: 1:28 Anak was a well-known man of gigantic physical stature (2:10, 21; 9:2; Num 13:33). Goliath (1 Sam 17:4) might have been one of the descendants of Anak who migrated to the Philistine coastal plain (Deut 2:23; Josh 11:21-23; 15:14; 1 Chr 20:4-8).”
Deuteronomy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Deuteronomy 1:28: the cities are great, and walled up to heaven--an Oriental metaphor, meaning very high. The Arab marauders roam about on horseback, and hence the walls of St. Catherine's monastery on Sinai are so lofty that travellers are drawn up by a pulley in a basket. Anakims--(See on Num 13:33). The honest and uncompromising language of Moses, in reminding the Israelites of their perverse conduct and outrageous rebellion at the report of the treacherous and fainthearted scouts, affords a strong evidence of the truth of this history as well as of the divine”
Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 6:4: 6:4 giant Nephilites (Hebrew nepilim): The term may mean “fallen ones.” The context implies that they were the offspring of the “sons of God” and would be destroyed in the flood. Numbers 13:31-33 uses the same term to describe other giants who were hostile toward God’s people and would also be destroyed (see also Deut 2:11, which connects the Anakite nepilim with another group called the repa’im).”

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