Bible Dictionaries
Anak

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

Search for…

Enter query below:

or

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Prev Entry
Amos

Next Entry
Anathema

Resource Toolbox

Print Article

Additional Links

Concordances
Nave Topical Bible
• Anak
Dictionaries
American Tract Society
• Anak, Plural Anakim
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
• Anak
Easton's Bible Dictionary
• Anak
Holman Bible Dictionary
• Anak, Anakim
Hitchcock Bible Names
• Anak
Hastings' BibleDictionary
• Anak, Anakim
Morrish Bible Dictionary
• Anak, Anakim
Webster Dictionary
• Anaks
Watson's Theological Dictionary
• Anak
Encyclopedias
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
• Anak
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia
• Anak
Lexicons
• עֲנוק

Anak was a Canaanite whose descendants (called Anakim, plural of Anak) were giants. They lived in the south of Canaan in the hill country around Hebron. Because of the great size and fearsome appearance of the Anakim, the Israelites saw them as an obstacle to the conquest of Canaan. Only Joshua and Caleb believed Israel could conquer them (Numbers 13:22-33; Deuteronomy 9:2).

Joshua and Caleb were, in fact, the ones who eventually led the attack on the Anakim. Most of the Anakim were slaughtered, the only ones who managed to escape being those who found refuge in the Philistine towns of Gaza, Gath and Ashdod (Joshua 11:21-22; Joshua 14:6-15). Gath remained the home of giants for several centuries (1 Samuel 17:4; 2 Samuel 21:18-22).