Deuteronomy 1:28
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Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying: ‘The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the heavens. We even saw the descendants of the Anakim there.’”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The first part of Moses's farewell sermon to Israel begins with this chapter, and is continued to the latter end of the fourth chapter. In the first five verses of this chapter we have the date of the sermon, the place where it was preached (Deu 1:1, Deu 1:2, Deu 1:5), and the time when (Deu 1:3, Deu 1:4). The narrative in this chapter reminds them, I. Of the promise God made them of the land of Canaan (Deu 1:6-8). II. Of the provision made of judges for them (Deu 1:9-18). III. Of their unbelief and murmuring upon the report of the spies (Deu 1:19-33). IV. Of the sentence passed upon them for it, and the ratification of that sentence (Deu 1:34, etc.).
Open source ↗1:28 Anak was a well-known man of gigantic physical stature (2:10, 21; 9:2; Num 13:33). Goliath (1 Sam 17:4) might have been one of the descendants of Anak who migrated to the Philistine coastal plain (Deut 2:23; Josh 11:21-23; 15:14; 1 Chr 20:4-8).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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No Anakim were left in the land of the Israelites; only in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod did any survive.
Although my brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear, I remained loyal to the LORD my God.
And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak.
Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron (formerly known as Kiriath-arba), and they struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; trembling will seize the leaders of Moab; those who dwell in Canaan will melt away,
Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.”
Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt.
and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you.
“The LORD has surely delivered the entire land into our hands,” they said to Joshua. “Indeed, all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of us.”