Deuteronomy 2:10

10 Emim were the first dwellers thereof, a great people, and strong, and so high, (The Emims were the first inhabitants there, a great and strong people, and so tall,)

Deuteronomy 2:10 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 2:10

The Emims dwelt there in time past
We read of them as early as the times of Chedorlaomer, ( Genesis 14:5 ) when their dwelling was in Kirjathaim, a city which Sihon king of the Amorites took from the Moabites, and which being taken from him, was with others given to the tribe of Reuben, ( Numbers 32:37 ) . These are by some thought to be the same with the Yemim which Anah found and met with in the wilderness, and defeated, which we render "mules", ( Genesis 36:24 ) . They had their name from the fear and terror they put men into because of their gigantic stature and great strength, as follows: it is probable they were the descendants of Ham:

a people great and many, and tall as the Anakims;
who were very numerous, of a very bulky size of body, and of high stature, like the giants the spies had seen at Hebron, the sons of Anak, a noted giant there, ( Numbers 13:22 Numbers 13:23 ) .

Deuteronomy 2:10 In-Context

8 And when we had passed by our brethren, the sons of Esau, that dwelled in Seir, by the way of the field of Elath, and of Eziongaber, we came to the way that leadeth into the desert, (or the wilderness,) of Moab.

9 And the Lord said to me, Fight thou not against Moabites, neither begin thou battle against them; for I shall not give to thee anything of their land, for I have given Ar into possession to the sons of Lot (for I have given Ar to the sons of Lot for a possession).

10 Emim were the first dwellers thereof, a great people, and strong, and so high, (The Emims were the first inhabitants there, a great and strong people, and so tall,)

11 that they were believed to be as giants, of the generation of Anakim, and they were like the sons of Anakim; forsooth Moabites call them Emim (but the Moabites call them the Emims).

12 Soothly Horims dwelled before in Seir, and when they were put out, and were done away, the sons of Esau dwelled there, as Israel did in the land of his possession, which the Lord gave to him. (And the Horims lived there before in Seir, and when they were put out, and were done away, then the sons of Esau lived there, like the Israelites did in the land of their possession, which the Lord gave to them.)