A people great and tall: the Anakim had the reputation of being giants (Good News Translation, see also 2.1-11), descendants of the legendary giant Anak. They also were said to be undefeatable, as Moses quotes what people in general say about them, “Who can stand up to the Anakim?” The sense is “Who can defeat them in battle?” or “Who can fight them and defeat them?” or even “No one can defeat them in battle” (Contemporary English Version).

Whom you know: this does not mean personal acquaintance of them, but hearsay: of whom you have heard, “you have heard it said” (Good News Translation), or “People have told you.”

Sons of Anak: it is better to say “the descendants of the giant Anak” (BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum), or “the Anakim.” Anak is their ancestor, whose name they use as their group name. For a further discussion on sons of Anak, see 1.28.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .