They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
English Standard Version (ESV)
The mention of Hebron being built seven years before Zoan in Egypt isn't just a random historical fact; it's a subtle jab at Egypt's pride in its antiquity, highlighting that even their most ancient cities were younger than this Canaanite stronghold. This detail underscores the immense, and frankly intimidating, history and established presence of the people they were sent to conquer.
They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
English Standard Version (ESV)
The spies are journeying north through Canaan, having started in the southern region (Negeb), when they reach Hebron, a city noted for its ancient roots and inhabitants. Here they encounter the formidable descendants of Anak, giants who likely represent a significant threat. This specific encounter highlights the immense stature of the land's inhabitants, a detail that will later fuel fear among the Israelites.
The spies encounter 'the children of Anak' in Hebron. Who were these people, and why are they mentioned?
The mention of Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, 'the children of Anak,' highlights more than just their physical stature. While often understood as literal giants, scholars suggest these names might represent clans or prominent families within a larger people group known for their height and strength.
Why does the Bible take a moment to compare Hebron's age to Zoan in Egypt?
The parenthetical note about Hebron being built seven years before Zoan in Egypt serves a crucial purpose beyond simple historical trivia.
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Understand the original words
Negeb · Hebrew Noun
The dry, arid region in the southern part of Canaan, often serving as a geographic frontier and a place of challenging terrain.
Chebron · Hebrew Noun
An ancient city with significant historical associations in the patriarchs' lives, often linked to the presence of formidable occupants in the pre-conquest narrative.
yelid · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to the offspring or lineage of a specific ancestor, often highlighting the inheritance of characteristics or land rights.
Anaq · Hebrew Noun
A group of people historically described in the Bible as giants or men of great stature, representing the formidable obstacles facing Israel in the Promised Land.
The mention of Hebron's age relative to Zoan in Egypt likely served to challenge Egyptian pride in their own ancient civilization and underscore that the land God promised Israel had a long, established history, even predating major Egyptian cities.
c. 1800 BC
Founding of Hebron and Zoan
Hebron (originally Kirjath-Arba) and Zoan (Tanis) in Egypt are founded, with Hebron established seven years earlier.
c. 1700 BC - 1550 BC
Hyksos Rule in Egypt
The Hyksos, a people of foreign, likely Semitic, origin, rule much of Egypt and may have had connections to the inhabitants of Canaan, potentially influencing the development of cities like Zoan.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Leave Egypt
The Israelites, having been enslaved in Egypt, depart under Moses' leadership after the ten plagues, beginning their 40-year journey in the wilderness.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Spies Explore Canaan
Moses sends twelve spies, including Caleb and Joshua, from the wilderness of Paran to scout the Promised Land of Canaan, from the wilderness of Zin to the region of Hamath.
c. 1406 BC
Spies Reach Hebron
During their exploration, the spies travel north from the Negeb and enter Hebron, encountering the descendants of Anak.
c. 1406 BC
Return and Report
After forty days, the spies return to the Israelite camp with reports of the land's fertility but also of its strong inhabitants, including the Anakim.
c. 1356 BC
Caleb Recovers Hebron
Fifty years after the initial scouting mission, Caleb, now an older man, asks for and receives the mountainous region of Hebron, driving out the Anakim.
This passage directly references Caleb's conquest of Hebron, a place where the sons of Anak, including those mentioned in Numbers, once lived, showing the fulfillment of the Israelites eventually taking the land despite the giants.
Deuteronomy 1:28This verse reflects the fear the Israelites felt about the people of Canaan, specifically mentioning the 'sons of Anak,' paralleling the spies' fear and perception of them as giants.
Genesis 23:19This verse shows that Abraham purchased the land of Hebron (also called Kirjath-Arba, the city of Arba, father of Anak) from the Hittites, indicating the land's long history and its connection to the Anakim before the spies arrived.
Joshua 15:13-14This passage details Caleb driving out the three sons of Anak (Ahimian, Sheshai, and Talmai) from Hebron, directly linking to their presence during the spying mission and their eventual defeat.
Numbers 13:33This verse immediately follows the mention of the sons of Anak in Hebron, illustrating the spies' terrified perception of themselves as 'grasshoppers' in comparison to these giants, highlighting the psychological impact of their encounter.
jfbNumbers 13:22: "And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)"
- unto Hebron—situated in the heart of the mountains of Judah, in the southern extremity of Palestine. The town or "cities of Hebron," as it is expressed in the Hebrew, consists of a number of sheikdoms distinct from each other, standing at the foot of one of those hills that form a bowl round and enclose…
gillNumbers 13:22: "And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)"
And they ascended by the south,.... When they returned, after they had searched the land, then they came into the south country again, which was in their way to Kadesh, where the camp of Israel remained; they are said to ascend, because of the hill country they again came to; for their coming to Hebron, and…
The mention of Hebron being built seven years before Zoan in Egypt isn't just a random historical fact; it's a subtle jab at Egypt's pride in its antiquity, highlighting that even their most ancient cities were younger than this Canaanite stronghold. This detail underscores the immense, and frankly intimidating, history and established presence of the people they were sent to conquer.
The spies are journeying north through Canaan, having started in the southern region (Negeb), when they reach Hebron, a city noted for its ancient roots and inhabitants. Here they encounter the formidable descendants of Anak, giants who likely represent a significant threat. This specific encounter highlights the immense stature of the land's inhabitants, a detail that will later fuel fear among the Israelites.
The spies are journeying north through Canaan, having started in the southern region (Negeb), when they reach Hebron, a city noted for its ancient roots and inhabitants. Here they encounter the formidable descendants of Anak, giants who likely represent a significant threat. This specific encounter highlights the immense stature of the land's inhabitants, a detail that will later fuel fear among the Israelites.
"They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)" — The mention of Hebron being built seven years before Zoan in Egypt isn't just a random historical fact; it's a subtle jab at Egypt's pride in its antiquity, highlighting that even their most ancient…
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Last reviewed October 2026