Deuteronomy 2 10

Deuteronomy 2:10 kjv

The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims;

Deuteronomy 2:10 nkjv

(The Emim had dwelt there in times past, a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim.

Deuteronomy 2:10 niv

(The Emites used to live there?a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites.

Deuteronomy 2:10 esv

(The Emim formerly lived there, a people great and many, and tall as the Anakim.

Deuteronomy 2:10 nlt

(A race of giants called the Emites had once lived in the area of Ar. They were as strong and numerous and tall as the Anakites, another race of giants.

Deuteronomy 2 verses

Deuteronomy 2 10 Meaning

Deuteronomy 2:10 reveals that the Emim, a formidable people described as great in number, mighty, and as tall as the feared Anakim, previously inhabited the land that was given to the Moabites. This verse is a historical interjection within Moses' speech, highlighting God's sovereign control over the allocation of land to nations, using past instances of dispossessions by His design. It implicitly assures Israel that if other nations could dispossess giants by divine decree, then Israel, with God's help, could certainly dispossess the Anakim from Canaan.

Deuteronomy 2 10 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 2 begins with Israel's divinely commanded movement northward from the wilderness, specifically away from Mount Seir and the territories of Edom and Moab. Verses 1-9 detail specific instructions from God for Israel not to engage or provoke the descendants of Esau (Edomites) and Lot (Moabites), as God had already allocated their lands to them as permanent possessions.

Within this historical recap of Israel's journey, verse 10 is an illustrative parenthesis. It pauses the narrative of Israel's route to offer a foundational insight into God's sovereign arrangement of national boundaries and dispossessions. The mention of the Emim living in what became Moabite territory, and their nature as great, many, and tall like the Anakim (which Moses returns to explain in the following verses concerning other groups like the Horites and Zamzumim), serves a critical purpose. This interjection provides a direct parallel and encouragement to the current generation of Israelites who are about to enter Canaan and confront its formidable inhabitants, including the Anakim (Deut 1:28, 9:1-2). If God empowered Moab and Edom to dispossess giant peoples, He would surely do the same, and more, for His covenant people Israel. It establishes a theological precedent for Israel's imminent conquest.

Deuteronomy 2 10 Word analysis

• The Emim: (Hebrew: אֵמִים, ’Emim). A specific people group, likely deriving their name from ’eymah meaning "dread" or "terror," suggesting they inspired fear in others. They are mentioned in Gen 14:5 alongside other pre-Abrahamic peoples and explicitly identified with the Rephaim in Deut 2:11. Their identity emphasizes a terrifying and formidable adversary.
• formerly: This temporal marker signifies a past historical state. It highlights that the Emim's residency was not permanent and indicates a shift orchestrated by divine Providence.
• lived there: Implies settled habitation and prior dominion over the land of Moab before the Moabites possessed it. This confirms a historical occupation, not merely a transient presence.
• a people great: (Hebrew: גָּדוֹל, gadol). Indicates not only numerical strength but also political, military, and possibly physical prominence or power. It suggests they were mighty and significant in their time.
• and many: (Hebrew: רָב, rav). Refers to their large numbers or numerous population. A numerous people presents a significant military and demographic challenge.
• and tall: (Hebrew: רָם, ram). Directly points to their physical stature, emphasizing their towering height. This trait contributes to their "dreadful" reputation.
• as the Anakim: (Hebrew: עֲנָקִים, ‘Anaqim). The Anakim were a well-known race of giants, infamous for their size, whom the previous generation of Israelites feared (Num 13:28, 33; Deut 1:28). This comparison provides a familiar benchmark for Israel, reinforcing the intimidating nature of the Emim and indirectly preparing Israel to face similar adversaries.

Words-group analysis:

• The Emim formerly lived there: This phrase establishes the historical reality of the Emim's presence in a specific territory later claimed by another nation, Moab. It points to a previous dispensation of God's sovereignty over land ownership and succession, before Israel's entry into Canaan.
• a people great and many, and tall: This descriptive phrase cumulatively emphasizes the formidable nature of the Emim. "Great" implies their power and significance, "many" indicates their population strength, and "tall" points to their awe-inspiring physical presence. This combination made them a truly terrifying opponent in ancient warfare and psychology.
• and tall as the Anakim: This specific comparison directly links the Emim to the Anakim, Israel's dreaded giant adversaries in Canaan. This connection serves as both a historical detail and a powerful theological lesson: just as the Emim were displaced, so too could the Anakim and other inhabitants of Canaan be dispossessed by God's hand. It aims to reduce Israel's fear by demonstrating a precedent of giant defeat.

Deuteronomy 2 10 Bonus section

The seemingly parenthetical verses in Deuteronomy 2 (10-12, 20-23) serve as crucial rhetorical and theological devices within Moses' speech. They follow a deliberate pattern of demonstrating God's sovereign historical agency:

1. Emim in Moabite territory: Displaced by Moabites (Deut 2:10-11).
2. Horites in Edomite territory (Seir): Displaced by Edomites (Deut 2:12).
3. Zamzummim (Rephaim) in Ammonite territory: Displaced by Ammonites (Deut 2:20-21).
4. Avim in the region of Gaza: Displaced by Caphtorim (Philistines) (Deut 2:23).

This repetitive structure ensures that the message of God's universal governance over lands and nations sinks deeply into the Israelites' minds. It demonstrates that the impending conquest of Canaan is not an isolated act but part of God's ongoing activity in human history. The consistent mention of giants (Emim, Rephaim, Anakim, Zamzummim) underscores that no foe, however intimidating or numerous, is insurmountable when God has decreed their removal. This served as a powerful antidote to the fear and unbelief that characterized the previous generation, instilling faith and courage in the generation poised to enter the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 2 10 Commentary

Deuteronomy 2:10, though seemingly a mere historical note, serves as a profound theological statement woven into Moses' exhortation. It is a vital assurance to a new generation of Israelites poised to conquer Canaan. By explaining that the fearsome Emim, a giant people comparable to the Anakim, were formerly dispossessed from the land now inhabited by Moab, Moses establishes a critical precedent. This detail, alongside similar interjections regarding other lands in the chapter, underlines God's ultimate sovereignty over the destiny and habitation of all nations. He orchestrates the rise and fall of peoples, removing even formidable "giants" to make way for others He wills to settle.

The point for Israel is clear: if God empowered nations like Moab—descendants of Lot, who were not His chosen people—to overcome and dispossess such mighty, great, many, and tall people as the Emim, then He will surely empower Israel, His covenant nation, to dispossess the Anakim and other inhabitants of Canaan. This truth aims to quell the fears that had paralyzed their fathers' generation at Kadesh-barnea. It reframes the challenge from a daunting human conflict to a divine assurance: God fights for His people, making the strength or stature of the adversary secondary to His mighty hand.