Anakim
“Long-necked or strong-necked”
Summary
A race of giants descended from Anak who inhabited southern Canaan and whose fearsome appearance terrified the Israelite spies, though they were eventually conquered by Joshua and Caleb.
☩Origin and Territory
The Anakim were a nomadic tribe of giants descended from Arba and bearing the name of their immediate progenitor, Anak. They dwelt in the southern part of Palestine, particularly in the vicinity of Hebron, which was called Kirjath-Arba ('city of Arba') after their ancestor. They consisted of three tribes descended from and named after the three sons of Anak: Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai.
☩Terror to Israel
When the Israelite spies surveyed Canaan, the formidable stature and warlike appearance of the Anakim struck them with terror. The spies reported that they felt like grasshoppers compared to these monstrous men. This fear led ten of the twelve spies to give a discouraging report that caused Israel to rebel against God's command to enter the land.
☩Conquest and Remnant
Despite their fearsome reputation, the Anakim were dispossessed by Joshua and utterly driven from the land, except for a remnant that found refuge in the Philistine cities of Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. Their chief city, Hebron, became the possession of Caleb, who had brought the faithful report as a spy and showed no fear of their giant stature since the Lord was on Israel's side. The Philistine giants that David later encountered, including Goliath, appear to have sprung from this remnant stock.
Related Verses13 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Anakim," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Anakim," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Anakim," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).