Deuteronomy 2:10-11
(The Emim formerly lived there, a people great and many, and tall as the Anakim. Like the Anakim they are also counted as Rephaim, but the Moabites call them Emim.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The Emims' name itself, meaning "terrible ones," highlights that their sheer size and numbers instilled profound fear, making them a formidable people even before any battles were fought. This detail underscores that God's people were not just facing armies, but nations whose very reputation was designed to intimidate.
God has just instructed Moses not to attack or contend with the Moabites, explaining that their land has already been given to the descendants of Lot. This verse, acting as a parenthetical explanation, describes the Emim, a giant people who formerly inhabited the Moabite territory before being displaced by the Moabites themselves. This account serves to illustrate how God grants and reassigns lands, setting the stage for Israel’s own divinely appointed inheritance.
The Bible often uses names to reveal character or significance. What's in a name like 'Emim'?
The word 'Emim' comes from a root that means 'terror' or 'fear.' These people were called this because of their imposing size and fierce nature.
This land was once held by powerful giants. How did the Moabites (and later, Israel) come to possess it?
The text highlights that powerful, populous, and physically imposing nations like the Emim once inhabited this land. However, they were displaced.
Understand the original words
Emim · Hebrew Noun
A group of ancient, pre-Israelite inhabitants often described as having formidable size or stature, emphasizing their dominance or fearsome nature in the land before God's people arrived.
Anakim · Hebrew Noun
A legendary, ancient people known for their extraordinary physical size and height, often representing significant obstacles or enemies in the conquest narrative.
Anāqîm · Hebrew Noun
A group of people described in the Old Testament as giants or men of great stature, often associated with the original inhabitants of Canaan. Their existence served as a source of fear for the Israelites but also highlighted the power of God in giving the land to His people.
Rephā'îm · Hebrew Noun
This verse highlights that the land Israel is about to possess east of the Jordan was once inhabited by formidable giants like the Emim, who were themselves displaced by others. This context underscores God's power to grant victory and possession to His people, even against seemingly insurmountable odds.
c. 2000 BC
Chedorlaomer's Campaign
King Chedorlaomer of Elam and his allies campaign in the region, defeating various peoples including the Emim (Rephaim) in the plains of Shaveh-kirjathaim.
c. 1800 BC
Emim Displacement by Moabites
The Moabites, descendants of Lot, displace the Emim from their land east of the Jordan River, taking possession of it. This event is a precursor to Israel's later conquest of the same territory.
c. 1400 BC
Horites Displaced by Edomites
The descendants of Esau (Edom) displace the Horites from their homeland in Mount Seir. This sets a precedent for displacement and possession of land.
c. 1300 BC
Israel's Wilderness Journey
The Israelites, after their exodus from Egypt, wander in the wilderness for 40 years. During this time, they are forbidden to contend with Moab and Ammon.
This passage directly mentions the Emim in the context of an ancient war, showing they were a known people even before Israel's exodus.
Numbers 13:33This verse describes the spies' fearful report of the Anakim, reinforcing the comparison made in Deuteronomy 2:10 regarding the Emim's immense stature and intimidating presence.
Joshua 11:21-22This passage details Joshua's conquest of the Anakim, illustrating God's power to overcome formidable giants, which serves as a precedent for how He would enable Israel to conquer lands previously held by such peoples.
Genesis 15:20This verse lists various tribes, including the Rephaim (a category that seems to encompass groups like the Emim), indicating they were among the original inhabitants of the land God promised to Abraham's descendants.
gillDeuteronomy 2:10: "The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims;"
The Emims dwelt there in time past,.... We read of them as early as the times of Chedorlaomer, Genesis 14:5 when their dwelling was in Kirjathaim, a city which Sihon king of the Amorites took from the Moabites, and which being taken from him, was with others given to the tribe of Reuben, Numbers 32:37 . These are by some thought to be the same with the Yemim which Anah found and met wi…
clarkeDeuteronomy 2:10: "The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims;"
The Emims dwelt therein - Calmet supposes that these people were destroyed in the war made against them by Chedorlaomer and his allies, Genesis 14:5 . Lot possessed their country after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. They are generally esteemed as giants; probably they were a hardy, fierce, and terrible people, who lived, like the wandering Arabs, on the plunder of others. This…
The Emims' name itself, meaning "terrible ones," highlights that their sheer size and numbers instilled profound fear, making them a formidable people even before any battles were fought. This detail underscores that God's people were not just facing armies, but nations whose very reputation was designed to intimidate.
God has just instructed Moses not to attack or contend with the Moabites, explaining that their land has already been given to the descendants of Lot. This verse, acting as a parenthetical explanation, describes the Emim, a giant people who formerly inhabited the Moabite territory before being displaced by the Moabites themselves. This account serves to illustrate how God grants and reassigns lands, setting the stage for Israel’s own divinely appointed inheritance.
God has just instructed Moses not to attack or contend with the Moabites, explaining that their land has already been given to the descendants of Lot. This verse, acting as a parenthetical explanation, describes the Emim, a giant people who formerly inhabited the Moabite territory before being displaced by the Moabites themselves. This account serves to illustrate how God grants and reassigns lands, setting the stage for Israel’s own divinely appointed inheritance.
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A term referring to ancient giants or a race of people known for their immense size. In scripture, they are often linked to pre-Israelite inhabitants of the promised land and symbolize formidable human obstacles.
'Êmîm · Hebrew Noun
A name given by the Moabites to a group of giants, reflecting the local cultural identification of these ancient inhabitants of the land. The name carries connotations of terror or awe.
c. 1300 BC— this verse
Conquest of Sihon's Kingdom
The Israelites defeat Sihon, king of the Amorites, who had conquered territory previously held by Moab. They take possession of his land east of the Jordan.
"(The Emim formerly lived there, a people great and many, and tall as the Anakim. Like the Anakim they are also counted as Rephaim, but the Moabites call them Emim." — The Emims' name itself, meaning "terrible ones," highlights that their sheer size and numbers instilled profound fear, making them a formidable people even before any battles were fought. This detail…
