Deuteronomy 2:20-23 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 2:20-23 Commentary: Dispossession as Divine Gift
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the narrative pauses to detail Rephaim and Zamzummim, revealing God's pattern of giving land to nations and forming trust in His promises.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God providentially displaces peoples to give lands to others, just as He will for Israel.
- Key words: Rephaim / Zamzummim (giant people); שָׁמַד (destroyed); יָרַשׁ (dispossessed); 'even to this day' (permanence).
- Main debate: Whether these verses are original to Moses or added later (Clarke, Barnes, Cambridge vs. traditional readings).
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty over nations and history; God's consistent pattern of giving land to whom He chooses.
- Best use: Teaching that God's providential care extends beyond Israel to all peoples, building faith in His reliable promises.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
20(That too was regarded as the land of the Rephaim, who used to live there, though the Ammonites called them Zamzummites.
21They were a people great and many, as tall as the Anakites. But the LORD destroyed them from before the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place,
22just as He had done for the descendants of Esau who lived in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them. They drove them out and have lived in their place to this day.
23And the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, were destroyed by the Caphtorites, who came out of Caphtor and settled in their place.)
WEB World English Bible 2000
20(That also is considered a land of Rephaim. Rephaim lived there in the past, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim,
21a great people, many, and tall, as the Anakim; but Yahweh destroyed them from before Israel, and they succeeded them, and lived in their place,
22as he did for the children of Esau who dwell in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them; and they succeeded them, and lived in their place even to this day.
23Then the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza: the Caphtorim, who came out of Caphtor, destroyed them and lived in their place.)
KJV King James Version 1769
20(That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims;
21A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the Lord destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead:
22As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:
23And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)
ASV American Standard Version 1901
20(That also is accounted a land of Rephaim: Rephaim dwelt therein aforetime; but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim,
21a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakim; but Jehovah destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead;
22as he did for the children of Esau, that dwell in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day.
23And the Avvim, that dwelt in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim, that came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
20`A land of Rephaim it is reckoned, even it; Rephaim dwelt in it formerly, and the Ammonites call them Zamzummim;
21a people great, and numerous, and tall, as the Anakim, and Jehovah destroyeth them before them, and they dispossess them, and dwell in their stead,
22as He hath done for the sons of Esau, who are dwelling in Seir, when He destroyed the Horim from before them, and they dispossess them, and dwell in their stead, unto this day.
23`As to the Avim who are dwelling in Hazerim unto Azzah, the Caphtorim--who are coming out from Caphtor--have destroyed them, and dwell in their stead.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
20(That also is reckoned a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in time past, and the Ammonites call them Zamzummim;
21a people great, and many, and tall as the Anakim; and Jehovah destroyed them before them, and they dispossessed them, and dwelt in their stead;
22as he did to the children of Esau, who dwelt in Seir, from before whom he destroyed the Horites; and they dispossessed them, and dwelt in their stead, even to this day.
23And the Avvites who dwelt in the hamlets as far as Gazah — the Caphtorim, who came out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
20It was accounted a land of giants: and giants formerly dwelt in it, whom the Ammonites call Zomzommims,
21A people great and many, and of tall stature, like the Enacims whom the Lord destroyed before their face: and he made them to dwell in their stead,
22As he had done in favour of the children of Esau, that dwell in Seir, destroying the Horrhites, and delivering their land to them, which they possess to this day.
23The Hevites also, that dwelt in Haserim as far as Gaza, were expelled by the Cappadocians: who came out of Cappadocia, and destroyed them and dwelt in their stead.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Deuteronomy 2:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators widely agree these verses form a parenthetical note that interrupts Moses' speech, likely added by a later editor (Clarke, Barnes, Cambridge Bible). The core point is not contested: God destroyed the Rephaim, called Zamzummim by the Ammonites, before the Ammonites, just as He destroyed the Horites before Esau's descendants and allowed the Caphtorim to displace the Avvim. Gill and Matthew Henry emphasise the divine sovereignty displayed: a giant, numerous people was handed over to a smaller group, repeating the pattern already seen in Moab's defeat of the Emim (Deut 2:10-11). All agree the passage shows God actively arranging land inheritances for nations long before Israel's arrival. The historical circle is tight: what God is doing for Israel in Canaan, He has been doing for others all along.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Traditional Mosaic authorship: Accepts the verses as part of Moses’ speech, reflecting his knowledge of earlier peoples through oral tradition.
- Later editorial addition: Clarke, Barnes, and the Cambridge Bible point to the interruption of the narrative, the shift in style, and the phrase 'even to this day,' suggesting a time later than Moses.
What is clear: God is portrayed as actively arranging land inheritance for peoples, using one nation to displace another, establishing a pattern of sovereignty that applies to Israel's own entry into Canaan.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Authorship and origin of the parentheses | The verses form a parenthetical, historical note that breaks the flow of Moses' speech. | Clarke, Barnes, and the Cambridge Bible consider them later additions (possibly from Joshua or Ezra); Gill and Matthew Henry treat them as part of Moses' original discourse. |
| Identification of the Zamzummim | They are the same people as the Rephaim, a tall warrior clan that once inhabited Ammonite territory. | Some identify them with the Zuzim of Genesis 14:5 (Clarke, Gill); others are less certain, noting the lack of extra-biblical evidence. |
| Theological import of the passage | God is shown as sovereign over the land and history, displacing one people for another as He wills. | Some traditions (e.g., Reformed) emphasise God's unconditional election of nations; others focus on His providential ordering of historical events without the same predestinarian framework. |
| Role of violence in divine dispossession | God's destruction of the Rephaim, Horites, and Avvim is presented as judgment or clearing for His purposes. | Historic pacifist traditions (e.g., Anabaptist) struggle with this account of divinely sanctioned destruction; mainstream Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions interpret it within the specific historical context of the conquest. |
Historical & Cultural Context
These verses sit inside Moses' wilderness address as Israel prepares to enter Canaan. The adult generation that refused to trust God at Kadesh-barnea has died off (Deut 2:14-16), and now the new generation receives instructions for entering the land. But before crossing the Arnon, the speech pauses with an archaeological note on peoples who once lived in Ammon, Seir, and Philistine territory.
The Rephaim are named in Genesis 14:5 as one of the groups defeated by Chedorlaomer, alongside the Zuzim, the Zamzummim of this passage (Clarke, Barnes). 'Zamzummim' likely means 'plotters' or 'contrivers of evil,' according to Gill, referencing a root related to wickedness. The Rephaim, like the Anakim, were legendary for their size (Deut 1:28; 2:10). 'Even to this day' in verse 22 signals a time gap: the Horites' defeat was still remembered when these words were written down, suggesting the note may come from a later period (Clarke, Cambridge).
The Caphtorim came from Caphtor, likely Crete, and their destruction of the Avvim (who lived in unwalled villages as far as Gaza) connects to the later Philistines (Amos 9:7; Jer 47:4). Wesley notes a-kin ties with the Philistines. The parenthetical style (opened and closed with parentheses in most translations) matches the earlier note in verses 10-12. Both passages serve the same purpose: showing that Yahweh has been disposing lands among peoples throughout history, establishing a pattern that now includes Israel.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources mention no significant textual variants for Deuteronomy 2:20-23. The verses appear in all major manuscript traditions. Commentators Clarke, Barnes, and the Cambridge Bible note that the stylistic shift and interruption of the narrative suggest a later editorial insertion, but this is a question of literary composition rather than textual corruption. The words are stable across witnesses.
Reception History
Early Christian readers, following the Septuagint, focused on God's sovereignty over the Gentiles: if God could dispossess the giants for Ammon and Edom, He could certainly give Canaan to His people. The Reformers (Calvin, Luther) cited these verses to argue that national boundaries are under divine authority, not merely human treaty. In the modern period, source critics (Wellhausen, Driver) took the parentheses as evidence for a post-exilic redaction. Across traditions, the passage has been sung in hymns that celebrate God's historical lordship (e.g., 'God Moves in a Mysterious Way'), though it seldom serves as a stand-alone preaching text. Its quiet witness to God's providential hand among non-Israelite peoples continues to inform missiology and the theology of land.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God is sovereign over every nation, not just Israel. The Rephaim and Zamzummim are not mentioned again in the main story, yet their history matters because it displays God's control over land and power.
- Displacement is a divine pattern, not an accident. The same verb 'destroyed' (שָׁמַד) governs the fate of Rephaim, Horites, and Avvim, showing a consistent way God works through peoples.
- Trust in God's past acts, built from His repeated work. The note uses 'as He has done' as a liturgical refrain: what God did for Ammon and Edom, He will do for Israel.
Five-point outline
- God's actions in history are neither random nor isolated.
- Israel's coming conquest fits into a larger divine plan that includes other nations.
- God uses even obscure peoples (Zamzummim, Avvim) to accomplish His purposes.
- The pattern of displacement affirms the reliability of God's promises to Israel.
- Recognising God's past faithfulness in surrounding nations strengthens faith for the present.
Illustration hooks
- A farmer clearing rocks from a field: the land will be productive, but first the obstacles must be removed by a power greater than the farmer.
- A new family moving into a house where the previous owners built the kitchen and planted the garden: the work of others prepares a gift.
- A historical pattern like water finding a new channel: God's sovereignty flows through the movements of whole peoples, often unnoticed at the time.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God allow some nations to vanish and others to take their place?
- How can we be sure God is still in control when powerful people and empires rise and fall?
- Does this pattern of displacement apply only to ancient Israel, or does it teach something about God's character for today?
Leading a Discussion
This brief parenthetical note interrupts the main story to remind us that God has been active in history long before the events the Israelites are about to experience. As you discuss these verses, consider how remembering God's past actions in other people's lives can strengthen your own trust in His promises.
Discussion questions
- What does the fact that the narrative pauses here tell you about what the author wants you to notice?
- The same verb 'destroyed' (שָׁמַד) is used for the Rephaim, the Horites, and the Avvim. Why do you think the writer points to this consistency?
- How do the footnote-like details (alternate names, descriptions of size) affect the tone of this history?
- In what ways does seeing God work for other nations, Ammon, Edom, even the Caphtorim, change your view of His involvement in all of human affairs?
- The passage ends with 'even to this day.' How does remembering that God's acts still have lasting effects speak to your current circumstances?
- Some commentators think these verses were added later. Does that possibility affect how you read the passage, or does the truth it conveys remain unchanged?
- How can tracing God's work in the past, even in unfamiliar parts of the Bible, help you face an uncertain future?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 14:5 | In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, |
| Deuteronomy 1:28 | Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our heart melt, saying, ‘The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to the sky. Moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there!’” |
| Deuteronomy 2:10 | (The Emim lived there before, a great and numerous people, and tall as the Anakim. |
| Deuteronomy 2:11 | These also are considered to be Rephaim, as the Anakim; but the Moabites call them Emim. |
| Deuteronomy 3:11 | (For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, after the cubit of a man.) |
| Judges 11:24 | Won’t you possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whoever Yahweh our God has dispossessed from before us, them will we possess. |
| Jeremiah 27:7 | All the nations will serve him, his son, and his son’s son, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings will make him their bondservant. |
| Jeremiah 27:8 | “‘“‘It will happen that I will punish the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon,’ says Yahweh, ‘with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke doubts that the historical notes in this passage were part of Moses' original speech. He sees them as interruptions that break the narrative flow, and he notes that some scholars consider them later additions inserted by Joshua or Ezra rather than by Moses himself.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes treats these verses as a later editorial addition rather than Moses' original text. He identifies the Zamzummims as a giant race connected to the Zuzims, and notes that the Avims, conquered by the Caphtorim, lived in enclosures called Hazerim. Their name, meaning ruins, reflects their fallen condition.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator finds the passage perplexing because of shifts in address and a contradiction: verse 25 predicts terror will fall on all peoples at Israel's approach, yet verse 29 describes Sihon responding with armed resistance. These inconsistencies, combined with no parallels in the earlier source, suggest a later compiler joined different materials.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight a repeating pattern in history: God removed powerful giant nations and gave their land to others. Just as the Lord destroyed the Zamzummims for the Ammonites and the Horims for Esau's descendants, He also allowed the Caphtorims to displace the Avims.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that the name Zamzummims means contrivers of evil and terrible things, describing them as crafty and subtle in wickedness, not merely giants. He notes that God repeatedly dispossessed such peoples before the Ammonites and others, citing these examples to encourage Israel that they too would overcome the Canaanites.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that God gave Moab and Ammon to Lot's descendants just as He gave Canaan to Israel, so Israel must not touch those lands. He also observes that the 38-year delay at the Brook Zered was God's judgment: the old generation of disobedient warriors had to die off completely before the new generation could enter.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley identifies the Caphtorim as a people closely related to the Philistines, noting they joined together through marriage and settlement until they became one people. He points to Cappadocia as the likely location of Caphtor, suggesting these people may have migrated from Egypt there for reasons now unknown.