Anakim / giants

The Hebrew that is either transliterated as “Anakim” or translated as “giants” in English is translated in Manya as “big, amazing people.” (Source: Don Slager)

complete verse (Deuteronomy 9:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 9:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “The people of that place are tall and have power/strength. They are grandchildren of the Anakites those that you know (about). You have heard it being said that there is no one who dares (to go against) the Anakites.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The people there are the Anakites, strong and tall. You know their reputation [lit.: report] and you have also heard it say like this, "Who is able to go to stand up before the Anakites?"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Their residents are strong and tall — descendants of Anak! You (plur.) have-known also about the descendants of Anak and have- heard that no one can-go-against them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Those people are very tall and strong. Some of them are giants who are descendants of Anak. You know about them, and you have heard people say that no one can defeat the descendants of Anak.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 9:2

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 .