Lexical Summary
Eymiym: Emim
Original Word:אֵימִים
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Eymiym
Pronunciation:ay-meem
Phonetic Spelling:(ay-meem')
KJV: Emims
Word Origin:[plural ofH367 (אֵימָה אֵמָה - terror)]
1. terrors
2. Emim, an early Canaanitish (or Maobitish) tribe
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Emims
Plural of'eymah; terrors; Emim, an early Canaanitish (or Maobitish) tribe -- Emims.
see HEBREW'eymah
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(
terrors) ancient inhabitants of Moab
Genesis 14:5 ();
Deuteronomy 2:10 ();
Deuteronomy 2:11 ().
Topical Lexicon
OverviewStrong’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”.
•Deuteronomy 2:10-11 reflects on their former prominence: “The Emites used to live there, a people great and many, as tall as the Anakites. Like the Anakites, they too were regarded as Rephaim, but the Moabites called them Emites”.
•Deuteronomy 2:11 repeats the point while contrasting them with the Anakim of Canaan.
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.
2. Precedent for Israel’s Conquest
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.
• Apparent “giants” confronting God’s people—whether literal foes or spiritual strongholds—are no match for the Lord who directs history (Psalm 46:6-7).
• Remembering past deliverances, whether Moab’s over the Emim or Israel’s over Canaan, fuels present faith (Hebrews 13:8).
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 haeMim
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