Anak, anakim

\t is often said that Anak is thb name of the person from whom the Anakim were regarded as having their descent. But the name Anak occurs without the article only in the descriptive phrase ' fons^of Anak Dt9= Nu 13^ 'And there we saw the Neplulim, the sons of Anak of the Nenhilim ' If we have any account of a person called A., this is tne account ; and he is said to be one of the ancient NephUim or demigods. (See Nephilim).

But probably here, as in all the other places (Jos 15'; 0111 J,; ISO Nu 13-''-=), we have a descriptive phrase for a race of men, rather than the name of an ancestor. In these other places the article is used. We have ' the Anak,' or ' the Anok,' the word being used collectively, and denoting the race, pst as does the plural Anakim. If a progenitor for this race is mentioned, he is Arba (which see), and not The Anakim were of the giant race (Nu 13'=- ", Dt 1= 2"'' "• '=• "• " 9'" ").

They had their seat notably at Hebron, but also farther N . , and near the Mediter. coast (Jos 14'=-"> IP'- ==). They seem to have been, however, rather a race of men than an independent people or group of peoples. Politically, they were Amorite or Perizzite or Philistine as the case nii<'ht be. The wars in which Joshua and Caleb comniered them were not separate from their wars against the Can. peoples.

Presumably the Anakim w^ere relatively unintellectual, were subordinate to the Amorite, and were for that very reason the more formidable as fighters against a common enemy For additional particulars see OlANT and REPUAIM. W. J. BEECUER.