Who Were the Zamzummim?
A Biblical and Historical Examination of a Giant Race in the Land of Ammon
I. Introduction: Context and Biblical Mention
The Zamzummim are an obscure but significant group mentioned in the Old Testament, especially in relation to the Rephaim and Israel's journey toward the Promised Land. Though they appear only once by name in the biblical record, their mention is strategic and tightly linked to themes of divine judgment, territorial inheritance, and supernatural conflict in the ancient world.
The key passage is found in Deuteronomy 2:19–21, in the context of Moses recounting Israel’s wilderness journey and God's dealings with surrounding nations:
“And when you come near the people of Ammon, do not harass them or meddle with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the descendants of Lot as a possession.”
— Deuteronomy 2:19, New King James Version
“That was also regarded as a land of giants; giants formerly dwelt there. But the Ammonites call them Zamzummim,
a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. But the Lord destroyed them before them, and they dispossessed them and dwelt in their place.”
— Deuteronomy 2:20–21, New King James Version
II. The Zamzummim and Their Identity
The Zamzummim were:
A giant race that once inhabited the region later given to the Ammonites (descendants of Lot through his younger daughter).
Identified by Moses as part of the Rephaim, a broader term describing the post-flood giant clans (Deuteronomy 2:11, 2:20).
Comparable in size and strength to the Anakim, who were feared by the Israelites (see Numbers 13:33).
A. Zamzummim = Rephaim
The biblical text is explicit: the Zamzummim were a local name used by the Ammonites to describe the Rephaim who previously inhabited their land. This aligns them with other giant peoples such as:
Emim (in the land of Moab) – Deuteronomy 2:10–11
Anakim (in southern Canaan) – Deuteronomy 9:2
Zuzim (near Bashan) – Genesis 14:5
These were not isolated groups, but regional names for branches of the same post-flood giant lineage, connected to Rapha—the patriarch of the Rephaim (2 Samuel 21:16–22).
III. Etymology and Possible Meanings of “Zamzummim”
The Hebrew name Zamzummim (זַמְזוּמִּים) is rare and debated. Two primary theories exist:
A. Onomatopoeic Interpretation (Language-Based)
From the root z-m-z-m, related to buzzing or murmuring.
Possibly an imitation of how the Ammonites perceived their language or ritual chants—a foreign, humming, unintelligible noise.
Analogous to how the Greeks mocked foreign tribes as “barbaroi” because their speech sounded like “bar-bar” (i.e., babble).
This view supports the idea that the Zamzummim were culturally distinct, possibly with a strange or occultic form of communication.
B. Occult or Necromantic Interpretation
The humming or muttering could refer to forbidden religious practices, such as necromancy, divination, or incantation.
Compare this to:
“And when they say to you, ‘Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,’ should not a people seek their God?”
— Isaiah 8:19, New King James Version
Thus, the name may reflect not just how they sounded, but what they practiced—echoing ancient Canaanite sorcery.
Either interpretation highlights their spiritual corruption and distinction from the covenant line.
IV. Defeat and Displacement by the Ammonites
Despite their great size and power, the Zamzummim were destroyed:
“…a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. But the Lord destroyed them before them, and they dispossessed them and dwelt in their place.”
— Deuteronomy 2:21, New King James Version
The defeat of the Zamzummim was not due to the strength of the Ammonites, but due to the direct action of the Lord. This serves as a precedent for Israel, showing that no enemy is too powerful if the Lord goes before His people.
This also supports the larger biblical pattern:
God cleansed the land of spiritual contamination, whether by the flood (Genesis 6–9), or through empowering nations like Moab, Ammon, and Israel to drive out the giant clans.
V. Theological Significance
Part of the Larger Nephilim Narrative
The Zamzummim represent another post-flood appearance of a giant tribe likely descending from or connected to the corrupted bloodlines initiated in Genesis 6:4.Evidence of a Widespread Corruption
These groups were found all throughout Canaan and the Transjordan, suggesting a broader effort by fallen powers to resist God’s redemptive plan by seeding the earth with unnatural offspring (cf. Genesis 3:15).God’s Sovereignty and Judgment
The destruction of the Zamzummim—despite their size and strength—reveals that divine judgment is impartial, even when executed through Gentile nations like the Ammonites.Foreshadowing Israel’s Conquest
The example of the Zamzummim prepared Israel to face their own battles against the Anakim, Rephaim, and Goliath-type warriors in Canaan. The message: "As I did for the sons of Lot, so I will do for you."
VI. Conclusion
The Zamzummim were not myth, metaphor, or exaggeration. They were:
A historical giant race,
Descendants or relatives of the Rephaim,
Known for their stature, strength, and possibly occultic rituals,
And ultimately defeated by God on behalf of Lot’s descendants.
Though briefly mentioned, they represent a significant spiritual and historical pattern in the Old Testament—where God systematically purged supernatural corruption and preserved His covenant purposes through chosen vessels.
“If God is for us, who can be against us?”
— Romans 8:31, New King James Version
