Anakim

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

(long-necked, or strong-necked). Descended from Arba ( Joshua 15:13;  Joshua 21:11), dwelling in the S. of Canaan. Hebron was called from him Kirjath Arba, i.e. city of Arba. Anak is the name of the race rather than an individual; compare  Joshua 14:15. The three tribes bore the names of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. They were in the spies' time a terror to Israel ( Numbers 13:28), but were destroyed by Joshua, except a remnant who escaped to the Philistine cities, Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod ( Joshua 11:21-22). Caleb, who brought tidings as a spy concerning them, was eventually their destroyer ( Joshua 15:14).

Hence we find a giant race among the Philistines, and in Gath, in David's days (1 Samuel 17;  2 Samuel 21:15-22); an undesigned coincidence between the independent histories Joshua and 1 and 2 Samuel, confirming the truth of both. Their chief city Hebron became Caleb's possession for his faith, shown in having no fear of their giant stature since the Lord was on Israel's side ( Joshua 15:14;  Judges 1:20; compare  Numbers 13:22;  Numbers 13:28;  Numbers 13:30-33;  Numbers 14:24). They are represented on Egyptian monuments as tall and fair. The hieroglyphic Tanmahu represents Talmai, and one of his tribe is depicted on the tomb of Oimenapthah I.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

An'akim. (Long-Necked). A race of giants, descendants of Arba,  Joshua 15:13;  Joshua 21:11, dwelling in the southern part of Canaan, and particularly at Hebron, which from their progenitor received the name of "city of Arba." Anak was the name of the race rather than that of an individual.  Joshua 14:15.

The race appears to have been divided into three tribes or families, bearing the names Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai. Though the war-like appearance of the Anakim had struck the Israelites with terror in the time of Moses,  Numbers 13:28;  Deuteronomy 9:2, they were nevertheless dispossessed by Joshua,  Joshua 11:21-22, and their chief city, Hebron, became the possession of Caleb.  Joshua 15:14;  Judges 1:20. After this time, they vanish from history.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Anakim ( Ăn'A-K Ĭm ), Long-Necked, I.E., Men Of Tall Stature, Anak, the son of Arba, had three sons, who were giants, and were founders of a Canaanitish tribe, famous for their stature and fierceness. The seat of the tribe before the invasion by the Hebrews was in the vicinity of Hebron. They were nearly extirpated by the Hebrews so that only a few remained afterwards in the cities of the Philistines,  Numbers 13:22;  Deuteronomy 9:2;  Joshua 11:21-22;  Joshua 14:15; and  Jeremiah 47:5, which in the Septuagint reads: "O remnant of the Anakim" that is cut off.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Joshua 11:21 Numbers 13:33 Deuteronomy 9:2 Genesis 23:2 Joshua 15:13 Genesis 14:5,6 Genesis 6:4 Numbers 13:33 Joshua 15:14 Joshua 11:22 2 Samuel 21:15-22Giants

Webster's Dictionary

(n. pl.) Alt. of Anaks

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb., Anakim', עֲנָקִים ,  Deuteronomy 2:10-11;  Deuteronomy 2:21;  Joshua 11:21-22;  Joshua 14:12;  Joshua 14:15; also called sons of Anak, בְּנֵי עֲנָק ,  Numbers 13:33; בְּנֵי הָעֲנָק ,  Joshua 15:14; Children Of Anak, ילִידֵי הָעֲנָק ,  Numbers 13:22;  Joshua 15:14; Sons Of The Analkim, בְּנֵי עֲנָקִים ,  Deuteronomy 9:2; Sept, Ε᾿Νακὶμ Υἱοὶ Ε᾿Νάκ , Γενεαὶ Ε᾿Νάκ , Γενεὰ Ε᾿Νάκ , Γίγαντες ; Vulg. Enacim, Filii Enakim, Flii Enac, Stirps Enac; Auth. Vers. "Anakims," "sons of Anak," "children of Anak," "sons of the Anakims"), a nomadic tribe of giants ( Numbers 13:34;  Deuteronomy 9:2) (See Nephilim) descended from a certain Arba ( Joshua 14:15;  Joshua 15:13;  Joshua 21:11), and bearing the name of their immediate progenitor, Anak ( Joshua 11:21), dwelling in the southern part of Palestine, particularly in the vicinity of Hebron (q.v.), which was called Kirjath-Arba (city of Arba) from their ancestor ( Genesis 23:2;  Joshua 15:13). These designations serve to show that we must regard Anak as the name of the race as well as that of an individual, and this is confirmed by what is said of Arba, their progenitor, that he "was a great man among the Anakim" ( Joshua 14:15). The Anakim appear (see Bochart, Chanaan, 1, 1) to have been a tribe of Cushite wanderers from Babel, and of the same race as the Philistines, the Phoenicians, the Philistim, and the Egyptian shepherd- kings (see Jour. Sac. Lit. July, 1852, p. 303 sq.; Jan. 1853, p. 293 sq.). The supposition of Michaelis ( Syntag. Comment. 1, 196; also Lowth, p. 133) that they were a fragment of the aboriginal Troglodytes is opposed to  Joshua 11:21 (see Faber, Archkeol. p. 44 sq.). They consisted of three tribes, descended from and named after the three sons of Anak-Ahiman, Sesai, and Talmai ( Joshua 15:14). When the Israelites invaded Canaan, the Anakim were in possession of Hebron, Debir, Anab, and other towns in the country of the south ( Joshua 11:21). Their formidable stature and warlike appearance struck the Israelites with terror in the time of Moses ( Numbers 13:28;  Numbers 13:33;  Deuteronomy 9:2); but they were nevertheless dispossessed by Joshua, and utterly driven from the land, except a small remnant that found refuge in the Philistine cities, Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod ( Joshua 11:22). Their chief city, Hebron, became the possession of Caleb, who is said to have driven out from it the three sons of Anak mentioned above — that is, the three families or tribes of the Anakim ( Joshua 15:14;  Judges 1:20). The Philistine giants, (See Goliath) that David on several occasions encountered ( 2 Samuel 21:15-22) seem to have sprung from the remnant of this stock. Josephus says ( Ant. 5, 2, 3) that their bones were still shown at Hebron, and Benjamin of Tudela tells a story respecting similar relics at Damascus ( Itin. p. 56). (See Giant). According to Arabic tradition, Oa, king of Bashan, was of this race, and the same dubious authority states that the prophet Shoaib or Jethro was sent by the Lord to instruct the Anakim, having been born among them (D'Herbelot, Bibliotheque Orientale, p. 105). They are thought to be depicted on the Egyptian monuments. (See Talmai).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

an´a - kim ( ענקים , ‛ănāḳı̄m  ; Ἐνακίμ , Enakı́m , or Ἐνακείμ , Enakeı́m  ; also called "sons of Anak" ( Numbers 13:33 ), and "sons of the Anakim" ( Deuteronomy 1:28 )): The spies ( Numbers 13:33 ) compared them to the Nephilim or "giants" of  Genesis 6:4 , and according to  Deuteronomy 2:11 they were reckoned among the Rephaim (which see). In  Numbers 13:22 the chiefs of Hebron are said to be descendants of Anak, while "the father of Anak" is stated in Josh (  Numbers 15:13;  Numbers 21:11 ) to be Arba after whom Hebron was called "the city of Arba." Josh "cut off the Anakim ... from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab,... and from all the hill-country of Israel," remnants of them being left in the Philistine cities of Gaza, Gath and Ashdod ( Joshua 11:21 ,  Joshua 11:22 ). As compared with the Israelites, they were tall like giants ( Numbers 13:33 ), and it would therefore seem that the "giant" Goliath and his family were of their race. At Hebron, at the time of the Israelite conquest, we may gather that they formed the body-guard of the Amorite king (see  Joshua 10:5 ) under their three leaders Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai ( Numbers 13:22;  Joshua 15:14;  Judges 1:20 ). Tell el-Amarna Letters show that the Canaanite princes were accustomed to surround themselves with bodyguards of foreign mercenaries. It appears probable that the Anakim came from the Aegean like the Philistines, to whom they may have been related. The name Anak is a masculine corresponding with a feminine which we meet with in the name of the goddess Onka, who according to the Greek writers, Stephanus of Byzantium and Hesychius, was the "Phoen," i.e. Syrian equivalent of Athena. Anket or Anukit was also the name of the goddess worshipped by the Egyptians at the First Cataract. In the name Ahi-man it is possible that "-man" denotes a non-Semitic deity.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

An´akim, or Bene-Anak and Bene-Anakim, a wandering nation of southern Canaan, descended from Anak, whose name it bore ( Joshua 11:21). It was composed of three tribes, descended from and named after the three sons of Anak—Ahiman, Sesai, and Talmai. When the Israelites invaded Canaan, the Anakim were in possession of Hebron, Debir, Anak, and other towns in the country of the south. Their formidable stature and appearance alarmed the Hebrew spies; but they were eventually overcome and expelled by Caleb, when the remnant of the race took refuge among the Philistines ( Numbers 13:33;  Deuteronomy 9:2;  Joshua 11:21;  Joshua 14:12;  Judges 1:20).