Lexical Summary Zamzummim: Zamzummim Original Word: זַמְזֹם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Zamzummim From zamam; intriguing; a Zamzumite, or native tribe of Palestine -- Zamzummim. see HEBREW zamam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom zamam Definition another name for the Rephaim NASB Translation Zamzummin (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs זַמְזֻמִּים proper name, of a people said to be a name given to רְפָאִים by the Ammonites who dispossessed them Deuteronomy 2:20 (compare Arabic  talk gibberish?), ᵐ5 Ζοχομμιν, Ζομζομμειν, and Ζομμειν (so ᵐ5L); compare Genesis 14:5 זוּזִים q. v. (ᵐ5 ἔθνη ἰσχυρά). Topical Lexicon Designation and Identity Zamzom (plural Zamzummim) designates an ancient people remembered for extraordinary stature and military might. Scripture links them with the Rephaim, a broad term for pre-Israelite giant clans scattered through Transjordan and Canaan. Biblical Occurrence and Context Deuteronomy 2:20–21 situates the Zamzummim in the territory later possessed by the Ammonites: “That too was regarded as a land of the Rephaim, who formerly lived there; but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, a people great and many, as tall as the Anakim. But the LORD destroyed them before the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place.” Moses rehearses this history to Israel on the plains of Moab, illustrating how the LORD cleared the land for Esau’s and Lot’s descendants just as He would now clear Canaan for Israel (Deuteronomy 2:9–22). Geographical Setting Their domain lay east of the Jordan, north of Moab and south of Gilead—roughly the region of present-day north-central Jordan. The proximity to Rabbah of Ammon suggests control of key trade routes linking the King’s Highway with the desert fringe. Relationship to Other Giant Clans • Rephaim: An umbrella term that encompasses Zamzummim, Emim (Deuteronomy 2:10–11), and other tall peoples such as Og of Bashan (Deuteronomy 3:11). Historical and Archaeological Considerations While direct extrabiblical records of the Zamzummim are lacking, large Iron Age fortified sites east of the Jordan (e.g., Tall al-Umayri, Tall Hisban) attest to formidable populations preceding the Ammonite kingdom. Massive megalithic dolmens and stone circles throughout the region fit the biblical memory of an impressive, earlier race later displaced. Theological Significance 1. Covenant Faithfulness: By recounting the LORD’s prior acts for Edom and Ammon, Moses grounds Israel’s future conquest in the same sovereign pattern. What He accomplished for kindred nations verifies His pledged inheritance to Abraham’s seed. Ministry Applications • Encouragement in Spiritual Opposition: As the Ammonites could not match the Zamzummim physically yet prevailed by the LORD’s intervention, believers facing overwhelming challenges rely on the same covenant faithfulness (Ephesians 6:10–13). Lessons for Today The fleeting mention of Zamzom serves as a reminder that even societies famed for strength and stature fade when they oppose God’s purposes. Conversely, humble people who trust His word inherit the promises (1 Peter 5:6). Forms and Transliterations זַמְזֻמִּֽים׃ זמזמים׃ zam·zum·mîm zamzumMim zamzummîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 2:20 HEB: יִקְרְא֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם זַמְזֻמִּֽים׃ NAS: call them Zamzummin, KJV: call them Zamzummims; INT: the Ammonites call Zamzummin 1 Occurrence |
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