Deuteronomy 2:20

20 It is reckoned the land of giants, and giants inhabited therein sometime, which giants Ammonites call Zamzummims; (It is reckoned the land of giants, and giants lived there sometime ago, whom the Ammonites called the Zamzummims;)

Deuteronomy 2:20 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 2:20

That also was accounted a land of giants
Ammon was so reckoned as well as Moab, ( Deuteronomy 2:10 Deuteronomy 2:11 )

giants dwelt therein in old time;
the Rephaim dwelt there, as they did also in Ashteroth Karnaim, ( Genesis 14:5 )

and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims;
they are thought to be the same with the Zuzims in ( Genesis 14:5 ) who had their name, as Hillerus ^F3 thinks, from Mezuzah, a door post, from their tall stature, being as high as one; and for a like reason Saph the giant might have his name, ( 2 Samuel 21:18 ) . The word Zamzummims, according to him ^F4, signifies contrivers of evil and terrible things; they were inventors of wickedness, crafty and subtle in forming wicked and mischievous designs, which struck terror into people, and made them formidable to them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 Onomastic. Sacr. p. 158, 288, 289.
F4 Onomastic. Sacr. p. 161, 310, 428.

Deuteronomy 2:20 In-Context

18 Thou shalt pass today the coasts of Moab, (by) the city, Ar by name, (Today, thou shalt cross over the border of Moab, by the city of Ar,)

19 and thou shalt nigh into the coasts of the sons of Ammon; be thou ware that thou fight not against them, nor be moved to battle; for I shall not give to thee of the land of the sons of Ammon, for I have given it to the sons of Lot into possession. (and thou shalt come near to the land of the Ammonites; be thou careful that thou do not fight against them, nor go into battle with them; for I shall not give thee any of the land of the Ammonites, for I have given it to the sons of Lot for a possession.)

20 It is reckoned the land of giants, and giants inhabited therein sometime, which giants Ammonites call Zamzummims; (It is reckoned the land of giants, and giants lived there sometime ago, whom the Ammonites called the Zamzummims;)

21 a much people, and great, and of noble length, as Anakim, which the Lord did away from the face of them, and made them to dwell (there) for those giants, (a great and numerous people, and as tall as the Anakim, whom the Lord did away from there, and then allowed the Ammonites to live there instead of those giants,)

22 as he did to the sons of Esau, that dwelled in Seir, and did away Horims, and gave to them the land of Horims, which the sons of Esau wield till into present time. (as he did for the sons of Esau, who lived in Seir, for he did away the Horims, and gave the land of the Horims to the sons of Esau, which they possess unto this present time.)