Lexical Summary Eymiym: Emim Original Word: אֵימִים Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Emims Plural of 'eymah; terrors; Emim, an early Canaanitish (or Maobitish) tribe -- Emims. see HEBREW 'eymah Brown-Driver-Briggs אֵימִים proper name, masculine plural Emim (terrors) ancient inhabitants of Moab Genesis 14:5 (הָאֵימִים); Deuteronomy 2:10 (׳הָאֵמ); Deuteronomy 2:11 (׳אֵמ). Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Hebrew 368 designates the Emim, an ancient Trans-Jordanian people whose very name evokes dread. They are portrayed as formidable giants and are remembered chiefly for their dramatic overthrow, first at the hands of invaders from the east (Genesis 14:5) and later by the Moabites who settled their land (Deuteronomy 2:10-11). Biblical Occurrences • Genesis 14:5 records their defeat in “Shaveh Kiriathaim” when “Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him… defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim”. Geographical Setting The primary locus of the Emim was Shaveh Kiriathaim, an eastern-side plain between the Arnon and Zered Rivers, later assigned to Moab. Its fertile valleys and strategic corridors made it a coveted possession for successive peoples. Relation to the Rephaim Scripture classes the Emim with the Rephaim (giant-races that included the Anakim and Zamzummim). This indicates remarkable stature, military strength, and a culture that inspired fear. By noting that the Moabites called them Emim, Moses preserves the local, memory-laden name while affirming the biblical taxonomy of giant clans. Historical Significance 1. Testimony to Early International Conflict Genesis 14 situates them within the first recorded coalition war in Scripture, demonstrating that the Ancient Near East was already a theater of shifting alliances and punitive campaigns. The Emim’s defeat illustrates the vulnerability even of “giants” before divinely directed history. Deuteronomy 2 uses the Emim as an object lesson: if Moab could dispossess so daunting a people, Israel could trust God to dispossess Canaan’s Anakim. The text therefore anchors Israel’s courage not in self-assurance but in the precedent of divine sovereignty over national boundaries. Theological and Ministry Implications • God governs the rise and fall of nations (Acts 17:26). The Emim, though mighty, vanished when their allotted time ended. Archaeological and Extra-Biblical Data Stone ruins, dolmens, and megalithic tumuli scattered across Moab’s plateau have prompted suggestions of a large, earlier population consistent with the biblical portrayal of giant clans. While direct identification with the Emim is impossible, the material culture underscores a sophisticated Bronze Age presence later absorbed or displaced. Legacy in Jewish Memory Later Jewish tradition grouped the Emim with other primeval peoples swept aside before Israel’s rise, reinforcing the conviction that the Lord’s promises to the patriarchs outlast all human might. Practical Application Believers facing intimidating circumstances can look to the Emim episode as a reminder that God’s plans are neither hindered by size nor strength. What towers in human eyes falls before the word of the Lord (Zechariah 4:6). Forms and Transliterations אֵמִֽים׃ אמים׃ הָֽאֵימִ֔ים הָאֵמִ֥ים האימים האמים ’ê·mîm ’êmîm eMim hā’êmîm hā·’ê·mîm haeiMim haeMimLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 14:5 HEB: בְּהָ֑ם וְאֵת֙ הָֽאֵימִ֔ים בְּשָׁוֵ֖ה קִרְיָתָֽיִם׃ NAS: in Ham and the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, KJV: in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim, INT: and the Zuzim Ham and the Emim Shaveh Kiriathaim Deuteronomy 2:10 Deuteronomy 2:11 3 Occurrences |
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