The Meaning of Deuteronomy 2:20 Explained

Deuteronomy 2:20

KJV: (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims;

YLT: 'A land of Rephaim it is reckoned, even it; Rephaim dwelt in it formerly, and the Ammonites call them Zamzummim;

Darby: (That also is reckoned a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in time past, and the Ammonites call them Zamzummim;

ASV: (That also is accounted a land of Rephaim: Rephaim dwelt therein aforetime; but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

(That also was accounted  a land  of giants:  giants  dwelt  therein in old time;  and the Ammonites  call  them Zamzummims; 

What does Deuteronomy 2:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 2:16-37 - Conquering Beyond Jordan
In the earlier verses of this portion we catch a glimpse of the former history of Palestine, with the wars of conquest and changes of tenure that swept over it. The Almighty Governor of the world was, as the Apostle Paul said afterward, determining seasons and frontiers. Nations enervated by their sins are continually being judged by the Prince of the kings of the earth. See Leviticus 18:28; Acts 17:26-27; Revelation 1:5; Matthew 25:32.
A pacific and fair offer, in all good faith, was made to Sihon, which he refused to accept. The heart which is already hardened by sin becomes harder with every fresh rejection of God's love. In that sense we understand how the Lord hardened his heart. No ice is so hard as that which freezes at night after a day of thaw. The sun that melts wax, hardens clay; but the fault is not with the sun, but with the clay. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 2

1  The story is continued, that they were not to meddle with the Edomites
9  nor with the Moabites
16  nor with the Ammonites
24  but Sihon the Amorite was subdued by them

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 2:20 mean?

A land of the Rephaim was regarded as also that the Rephaites dwelt there formerly but the Ammonites call them Zamzummites
אֶֽרֶץ־ רְפָאִ֥ים תֵּחָשֵׁ֖ב אַף־ הִ֑וא רְפָאִ֤ים יָֽשְׁבוּ־ בָהּ֙ לְפָנִ֔ים וְהָֽעַמֹּנִ֔ים יִקְרְא֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם זַמְזֻמִּֽים

אֶֽרֶץ־  A  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
רְפָאִ֥ים  of  the  Rephaim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: רְפָאִים 
Sense: giants, Rephaim.
תֵּחָשֵׁ֖ב  was  regarded  as 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
אַף־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אַף  
Sense: also, yea, though, so much the more adv.
הִ֑וא  that 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
רְפָאִ֤ים  the  Rephaites 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: רְפָאִים 
Sense: giants, Rephaim.
יָֽשְׁבוּ־  dwelt 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
לְפָנִ֔ים  formerly 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וְהָֽעַמֹּנִ֔ים  but  the  Ammonites 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַמֹּונִי  
Sense: descendants of Ammon and inhabitants of Ammon.
יִקְרְא֥וּ  call 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
זַמְזֻמִּֽים  Zamzummites 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: זַמְזֻמִּים  
Sense: the Ammonite name for the people who by others were called Rephaim, and were described as a numerous nation of giants; perhaps the same as ‘Zuzim’.

What are the major concepts related to Deuteronomy 2:20?

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