Deuteronomy 9:2
1 Hear, O Israel: Today you are about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities fortified to the heavens.
The people are strong and tall, the descendants of the Anakim. You know about them, and you have heard it said, “Who can stand up to the sons of Anak?”
3 But understand that today the LORD your God goes across ahead of you as a consuming fire; He will destroy them and subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them swiftly, as the LORD has promised you.
4 When the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say in your heart, “Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land.” Rather, the LORD is driving out these nations before you because of their wickedness.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- The people are strong and tall, the descendants of the Anakim. You know about them, and you have heard it said, “Who can stand up to the sons of Anak?”
- KJV
- A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak!
- WEB
- a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard say, “Who can stand before the sons of Anak?”
- ASV
- a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the sons of Anak?
- DARBY
- a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard [say], Who can stand before the sons of Anak!
- BLB
- a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and you have heard: “Who can stand before the faces of the sons of Anak?”
- ÅB
- et stort folk og høyt av vekst, anakittenes barn, som du selv kjenner, og som du selv har hørt det ord om: Hvem kan stå seg mot Anaks barn?
- OTB
- Folket er sterkt og høyt—Anakim. Du vet om dem, og du har hørt det sagt: ‘Hvem kan stå opp mot Anaks etterkommere?’
- B1930
- et stort folk og høit av vekst, anakittenes barn, som du selv kjenner, og som du selv har hørt det ord om: Hvem kan stå sig mot Anaks barn?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Numbers 13:22
They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, dwelled. It had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 2:21
They were a people great and many, as tall as the Anakites. But the LORD destroyed them from before the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place,
Read in contextNahum 1:6
Who can withstand His indignation? Who can endure His burning anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; even rocks are shattered before Him.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 2:11–12
Like the Anakites, they were also regarded as Rephaim, though the Moabites called them Emites.
Read in contextDaniel 11:16
The invader will do as he pleases, and no one will stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 7:24
He will hand their kings over to you, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand against you; you will annihilate them.
Read in contextExodus 9:11
The magicians could not stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on them and on all the Egyptians.
Read in contextNumbers 13:33
We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak that come from the Nephilim! We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight, and we must have seemed the same to them!”
Read in context