more giants

It is possible that the gigantic structures that have been found in Palestine were made in part by the "sons of Anak," who are called a "strong, numerous, and tall people" in Deuteronomy 2:21. Some say Anakim means "Tall Ones," and thus it would be a common rather than a proper noun. In verse 33 the descendants of Anak are said to belong to the Nephilim, who are mentioned in Genesis 6:4 and in Ezekiel 32:27.¹

"The mountain of Bashan" is to be identified as Mt. Hermon²

Se´nir, the Hebrew word is from an unused Hebrew root that means pointed, a peak.³ Senir (snow mountain) Shenir ("light that sleeps"), I Chronicles. 5:23; Ezekiel 27:5, the Amorite name for Mount Hermon.^{4, 5}

Mount Hermon—sacred mountain-highest mountain (9,166 feet) in Syria; also called Sirion, Shenir- Deuteronomy 3:8, 9; Northern limit of conquest- Joshua 11:3, 17⁶

Called Sirion- Psalm 29:6; Sion- Deuteronomy 4:48; Psalm 133:3; Shenir- I Chronicles 5:23; Song of Solomon 4:8.⁷

Sion- that is lofty; peak, Strong 7865h, only in Deuteronomy 4:48 Deuteronomy 3:9, Shenir. Psalm 133:3.

One of the names of Mount Hermon, Deuteronomy 4:48.
The Greek form of Zion, designating a district of Jerusalem, Psalm 65:1; Matthew 21:5; John 12:15; Revelation 14:1. Hermon. Psalm 133:3.⁸

Deuteronomy 3:1–2. Israel had advanced to the Jordan River after defeating Sihon. There they had met the powerful Amorite king, Og. He had conquered the northern half of Gilead and all of Bashan. God had encouraged Israel to Fear him not, because they would defeat Og as they had defeated Sihon.

Deuteronomy 3–7. Bashan, Og’s capital, got its name from the surrounding soil. The word Bashan means "soft and level." Archaeological research has proven the existence of strong, fortified cities in that territory. Moses reminds Israel that they had gates and bars and that we utterly destroyed them. He is challenging Israel to go across Jordan and conquer cities, just as they had done in the past.

Deuteronomy 8–10. Mount Hermon is mentioned because it is the northern boundary of Israel’s inheritance. Moses also identifies it by the Sidonian name of Sirion, "the high or eminent," and by the Amorite name of Shenir.

Deuteronomy 11. The giants lived in Bashan even in Abraham’s day (Genesis 14:5) and were called "Rephaim." King Og’s bed is mentioned by Moses. It was twelve feet long and six feet wide. This does not mean Og was that tall, because warriors normally had beds constructed which were somewhat longer than their stature. But he was a giant, and Moses mentions the size of his bed to illustrate the great victory which the Lord had given them.⁹

Canaan was the ancient name of the land of Israel. Canaan was the grandson of Noah and the son of Ham (Genesis 10:6). In the Amarna Letters, the Phoenician coast is described as the "land of Canaan." In the Old Testament Canaan is the designation for all of Palestine west of the Jordan River (34:3–5) from Mount Hermon to Beer-sheba. Evidence of the Canaanite language was found at Ras Shamra (ancient Ugarit) written in alphabetic cuneiform script. At the time of the Israelite conquest under Joshua, Canaanite culture had reached great heights. Excavations at several sites reveal a semiagrarian culture dominated by immoral, religious fertility cults honoring Baal, Asherah, and Ishtar. High places, sacred trees, and idolatry were common forms of worship. The overt paganism and gross immorality of the Canaanite religion were in direct contrast to the divinely revealed religion of Israel.¹⁰

The imposing heights, abundant water, and luxurious vegetation struck awe in the hearts of those who settled in the shadows of the Hermon range. Even before the Israelites came, Canaanites linked the region with their fertility god, Baal. Part of the range is called Baal-hermon (Judges 3:3; I Chronicles 5:23), and there is a city of Baal-gad (Joshua 13:5).

Idolatrous Israelites viewed Mount Hermon as a fertility symbol, as the pagan Canaanites did. But the Israelites credited fertility and might to the Creator, not to His creation. To them, the power and magnificence of God dwarfed even the mighty peaks of the north—Lebanon, Tabor, and Hermon: "The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. He maketh them to skip like a calf; and Lebanon and Sirion [Hermon] like a young wild ox" (Psalm 29:5–6). In their eyes the mountains themselves worshiped Yahweh: "Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name" (Psalm 89:12).¹¹

⁴William Smith; revised and edited by F. N. and M.A. Peloubet, Smith’s Bible Dictionary [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997.

^{5, 11}James I. Packer, Merrill C. Tenney and William White, Jr., editors, Nelson’s Illustrated Manners and Customs of the Bible [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ^©1995.

⁷Swanson, James, Editor, New Nave’s Topical Bible, (Oak Harbor, Washington: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1994.

⁸Jerome H. Smith, editor, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge [computer file], electronic edition of the revised edition of The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ^©1992 by Jerome H. Smith.

⁹Jerry Falwell, executive editor; Edward E. Hinson and Michael Kroll Woodrow, general editors, KJV Bible Commentary [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ^©1994.