Like the Anakim they are also counted as Rephaim, but the Moabites call them Emim.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Deuteronomy 2:11
What does Deuteronomy 2:11 mean?
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Deuteronomy 2:11
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The verse reveals that "Rephaim" wasn't just a term for giants but likely an ancient people group, and "Emim" was a name the Moabites gave them, highlighting how names and identities can shift based on who's telling the story. This shows that even fearsome legendary figures often have specific historical or cultural origins, rather than being purely mythical.
Like the Anakim they are also counted as Rephaim, but the Moabites call them Emim.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of Moses recounting Israel's journey and God's instructions as they approach the Promised Land. Following God's command not to fight the Moabites or Ammonites, Moses then explains how these people, and others like the Emim mentioned here, came to possess their lands. The text emphasizes that these powerful, often giant-like peoples were displaced by God's power, making way for groups like the Moabites and Ammonites, and eventually for Israel itself.
Why does the Bible tell us different names for the same people? What can these names tell us about how people saw each other?
In Deuteronomy 2:11, we see the Emim also called Rephaim, with the Moabites specifically using the name 'Emim.' This isn't just a naming quirk; it reflects how different groups perceived and identified others.
Multiple Names, One People
Scholars suggest that Rephaim was a broader term, perhaps referring to a powerful or ancient people, often described with extraordinary stature. The Anakim were a specific, well-known group within this broader category, feared by the Israelites. The Moabites, living in the region, had their own name for a formidable group in their territory: the Emim. This shows us that names were not always fixed but could depend on who was speaking and where.
A Deeper Meaning
These differing names remind us that history and identity are often viewed through the lens of those telling the story. The Moabites' name for them might carry different connotations than the name used by the Israelites or a more general, ancient term like Rephaim.
The Bible talks about giants. Were they literal monsters, or is there more to the story? How does God relate to these powerful peoples?
Deuteronomy 2:11 mentions the Rephaim and Anakim, groups known for their imposing stature, often described as giants. This brings up questions about their literal size and their place in God's plan.
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Beyond Human Strength
While some individuals among these groups were indeed extraordinarily tall, the biblical text often uses 'giant' to convey power, fear, and formidable opposition. The spies in Numbers 13 famously described the Anakim as making them feel like grasshoppers.
God's Providence at Work
Crucially, the surrounding context in Deuteronomy (chapters 2-3) emphasizes that these powerful peoples, even those like the Rephaim and Anakim, were not invincible. God sovereignly granted their lands to others – the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, and eventually the Israelites.
This wasn't just about conquest; it was about God distributing land according to His will. The fact that God commanded Israel not to fight the Moabites or Ammonites (Deut. 2:9, 19) shows His hand in settling these nations, even those who had displaced earlier inhabitants.
Understand the original words
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
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.
This verse highlights how different groups of ancient peoples, often described as giants, were known by various names depending on who was speaking about them. It underscores the historical reality of migrations, conquests, and the displacement of peoples in the Transjordan and Canaanian regions long before Israel's arrival.
c. 1800-1550 BC
Rephaim Settle in Canaan
The Rephaim, a people known for their formidable stature, begin to inhabit regions including areas that would later be known as Canaan.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Rephaim Defeated at Shaveh-Kiriathaim
The Moabites, likely aided by the Amorites, defeat the Rephaim (called Emim by the Moabites) and take control of their land east of the Jordan River.
c. 1400 BC
Anakim Establish Themselves in Canaan
Descendants of Anak, known for their immense size, settle in the hill country of Canaan, particularly in Hebron and its surroundings.
c. 1400 BC
Horites Displaced in Edom
The Horites, an earlier people inhabiting Mount Seir, are displaced by the descendants of Esau (Edomites).
c. 1300 BC
Caphtorim Conquer Avim
The Caphtorim, migrating from an island (likely Crete), conquer the Avim people in the southern coastal plains and settle there.
c. 1200 BC
Israelites Begin Conquest of Canaan
Following their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, begin to conquer the land of Canaan, encountering the Anakim.
This passage mentions the Rephaim in the context of an ancient battle, showing they were a known people or group in early biblical history before the Moabites existed.
Numbers 13:33This verse recounts the spies' fearful report of the Anakim, portraying them as giants, which mirrors the description of the Emim and Rephaim and illustrates how fear can exaggerate perceived threats.
Joshua 11:21-22This passage describes Joshua cutting off the Anakim from the hill country, showing the eventual defeat of these formidable people by the Israelites, echoing the earlier encounters described in Deuteronomy.
1 Chronicles 20:4This verse offers another account of battles against the giants, including the Rephaim, reinforcing the idea that these were formidable warrior groups encountered by Israel.
clarkeDeuteronomy 2:11: "Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims."
Which also were accounted giants - This is not a fortunate version. The word is not giants, but רפאים Rephaim, the name of a people. It appears that the Emim, the Anakim, and the Rephaim, were probably the same people, called by different names in the different countries where they dwelt; for they appear originally to have been a kind of wandering free-booters, who lived by plunder. (See on…
gillDeuteronomy 2:11: "Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims."
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 Genesis 14:5 . but the Moabites called them Emims; to distinguish them from the Rephaim; so that it seems this name of Emims was not origin…
The verse reveals that "Rephaim" wasn't just a term for giants but likely an ancient people group, and "Emim" was a name the Moabites gave them, highlighting how names and identities can shift based on who's telling the story. This shows that even fearsome legendary figures often have specific historical or cultural origins, rather than being purely mythical.
This passage is part of Moses recounting Israel's journey and God's instructions as they approach the Promised Land. Following God's command not to fight the Moabites or Ammonites, Moses then explains how these people, and others like the Emim mentioned here, came to possess their lands. The text emphasizes that these powerful, often giant-like peoples were displaced by God's power, making way for groups like the Moabites and Ammonites, and eventually for Israel itself.
This passage is part of Moses recounting Israel's journey and God's instructions as they approach the Promised Land. Following God's command not to fight the Moabites or Ammonites, Moses then explains how these people, and others like the Emim mentioned here, came to possess their lands. The text emphasizes that these powerful, often giant-like peoples were displaced by God's power, making way for groups like the Moabites and Ammonites, and eventually for Israel itself.
"Like the Anakim they are also counted as Rephaim, but the Moabites call them Emim." — The verse reveals that "Rephaim" wasn't just a term for giants but likely an ancient people group, and "Emim" was a name the Moabites gave them, highlighting how names and identities can shift based…
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Last reviewed October 2026