ENACIM (Heb. 'Anāqīm).—Autochthonous Canaanite population, driven from the land by Joshua (Jos. 11:21). The expulsion of the sons of Enac from Hebron, Dabir (Cariath Sepher), and Anab was carried out by Caleb, son of Iephone (Jos. 15:13 ff.). The E. are regarded as “giants” (Num. 13:22, 28, 33; Deut. 1:28; 2:10 f.; 21; 9:2).
They are mentioned in an Egyptian list of Palestinian tribes from the 20th century B.C. engaged in conflict with Egypt. One of the three princes is called 'h-r-m (a similar name occurs in Num. 1:13; its etymology is uncertain, as is that of E., 'n-q). At times E. seems to have been used to designate the autochthonous Canaanite populations as a whole (Deut. 9:2).
BIBL.: J. Gutmann, 'Anāqīm, in Enc. Ind., II, col. 750; A. Schulz, Das Buch Josua, Bonn 1924, pp. 47, 55; M. Noth, Das Buch Josua, Tubinga 1938, p. 63. Eugenio Zolli