Contradiction with Genesis 6:4
Genesis 6:4 describes the Nephilim as existing before the flood, presenting a different timeline for the presence of giants on Earth compared to Deuteronomy 2:21.
Genesis 6:4: There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare [children] to them, the same [became] mighty men which [were] of old, men of renown.
Contradiction with Numbers 13:33
Numbers 13:33 suggests giants like the Anakim were perceived during the Israelite spies' report, conflicting with Deuteronomy 2:21’s timeline regarding their destruction.
Numbers 13:33: And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, [which come] of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Contradiction with Deuteronomy 9:2
Deuteronomy 9:2 mentions people great and tall, similar to the Anakim, who are said to still be present in Canaan, contrary to Deuteronomy 2:21 where they are mentioned as destroyed.
Deuteronomy 9:2: A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and [of whom] thou hast heard [say], Who can stand before the children of Anak!
Contradiction with Joshua 11:22
Joshua 11:22 indicates that some Anakim remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod, differing from the idea in Deuteronomy 2:21 that they were completely destroyed.
Joshua 11:22: There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.
Contradiction with Amos 2:9
Amos 2:9 speaks of the Amorites as tall like cedars, implying the continued existence of formidable giant peoples, which contrasts with Deuteronomy 2:21's notion of their previous destruction.
Amos 2:9: Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height [was] like the height of the cedars, and he [was] strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.
Paradox #1
Deuteronomy 2:21 mentions the destruction of the Rephaim, a group of people described as giants, by the Ammonites. A potential contradiction is that there is limited archaeological or historical evidence outside the Bible confirming the existence of such giants or these specific events, leading to debates among scholars about how to interpret these texts.
Paradox #2
Deuteronomy 2:21 might present a contradiction or inconsistency regarding the destruction of a group of people, which can be seen as conflicting with modern values of human rights and the sanctity of life. The action described could be viewed as inconsistent with the idea of a loving and just deity, leading to challenges in reconciling these perspectives with contemporary ethical standards.