What does Deuteronomy 2:21 mean?
"A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead:" - Deuteronomy 2:21
Deuteronomy 2:21 in the King James Version reads as follows:
"A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the Lord destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead."
This verse is part of a larger passage in the book of Deuteronomy, which is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible and of the Old Testament. Deuteronomy is essentially a series of speeches given by Moses to the Israelites as they stand on the cusp of entering the Promised Land. In these speeches, Moses reviews the laws and regulations that God has given to the Israelites and also recounts their journey from Egypt and their experiences in the wilderness.
In Deuteronomy 2:21, Moses is referring to the various nations that the Israelites encountered as they traveled through the wilderness. The specific reference here is to the Anakim, who were a group of people described as great, numerous, and tall. The mention of their great size and number is likely meant to convey the strength and power of the Anakim, who would have been formidable opponents for the Israelites.
The verse also emphasizes that it was the Lord who destroyed the Anakim before the Israelites, clearing the way for them to succeed and dwell in the land that the Anakim once inhabited. This is a recurring theme in the book of Deuteronomy, as Moses repeatedly reminds the Israelites of God's faithfulness and his role in delivering them from their enemies.
One of the key themes of Deuteronomy 2:21 is the faithfulness and power of God. Throughout the book of Deuteronomy, God is portrayed as the one who is in control of the Israelites' destiny, and who goes before them to conquer their enemies. This verse serves as a reminder to the Israelites that it is God who has brought them to this point, and it is God who will continue to guide and protect them as they enter the Promised Land.
Another important theme in this verse is the idea of inheritance and possession. The land that the Anakim once inhabited is now to become the inheritance of the Israelites. This is part of the larger narrative in the book of Deuteronomy, which emphasizes the idea of the Promised Land as the inheritance that God has promised to his people. The destruction of the Anakim and the Israelites’ subsequent occupation of their land serve as a tangible demonstration of God's fulfillment of his promises to his people.
In addition to these thematic elements, there is also symbolic significance to be found in Deuteronomy 2:21. The Anakim can be seen as representing the obstacles and challenges that the Israelites face as they journey towards their destiny. Their great size and number symbolize the daunting nature of these challenges. However, the fact that the Lord destroys the Anakim before the Israelites suggests that with God on their side, the Israelites are able to overcome even the most formidable adversaries.
Overall, Deuteronomy 2:21 is a verse that speaks to the faithfulness and power of God, the idea of inheritance and possession, and the symbolism of overcoming challenges with God's help. It is a reminder to the Israelites of God's past deliverance and a reassurance of his continued presence as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. For modern readers, it serves as a testament to the enduring nature of God's promises and his ability to help us overcome the obstacles that stand in our way.
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Deuteronomy 2:21 - "A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead:"
"A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead:" - Deuteronomy 2:21
Deuteronomy 21:2 - "Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:"
Deuteronomy 2:1 - "Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days."
Deuteronomy 1.1-21
Deuteronomy 27:21 - "Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen."
Deuteronomy 21:21 - "And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear."
Deuteronomy 7:21 - "Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible."
Deuteronomy 18:21 - "And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?"
Deuteronomy 21:7 - "And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it."
"Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:" - Deuteronomy 21:2
Deuteronomy 21:22 - "¶ And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:"
Deuteronomy 21:6 - "And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:"
Deuteronomy 2:2 - "And the LORD spake unto me, saying,"
Deuteronomy 24:21 - "When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow."
Deuteronomy 21:12 - "Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;"
"Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days." - Deuteronomy 2:1
Deuteronomy 21:11 - "And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;"
Deuteronomy 15:21 - "And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God."
Deuteronomy 19:21 - "And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."
Deuteronomy 21:20 - "And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard."
Deuteronomy 10:21 - "He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen."
Deuteronomy 29:21 - "And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law:"
Deuteronomy 21:1 - "If one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:"
Deuteronomy 6:21 - "Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:"
Deuteronomy 16:21 - "¶ Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee."
Deuteronomy 21:9 - "So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD."
Deuteronomy 21:15 - "¶ If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:"
Deuteronomy 28:21 - "The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it."
Deuteronomy 21:19 - "Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;"