During the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites, Anak was a well known figure, and a forefather of the Anakites (aka. Anakims) who were "strong and tall" descendants of the Nephilim (). Anak was a Rephaite () and a descendant of Arba ().

The sons of Anak are first mentioned in the 13th chapter of the book of Numbers, in the Biblical Old Testament or Jewish Torah. The Israelite leader Moses sends twelve spies representing the twelve tribes of Israel to scout out the land of Canaan, and give a full report to the congregation. The spies enter from the Negev desert and journey northward through the Judaean hills until they Arrive at the brook of Eshcol near Hebron, where Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, sons of Anak reside. After the scouts have explored the entire land, they bring back samples of the fruit of the land; most notably a gigantic cluster of grapes which requires two men to carry it on a pole between them. The scouts then report to Moses and the congregation, that "the land indeed is a land flowing with milk and honey," but ten of the twelve spies discourage the Israelites from even attempting to possess the land, for they reported that the men were taller and stronger than the Israelites, and moreover the sons of Anak dwell in the land, and that they felt like grasshoppers in their presence.

The Anak are later mentioned briefly in the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Judges.

Anak could be related to the Sumerian god Enki. Or considering the relationship between the Anakites and Philistia ( and ), with the giant Anax, eponym of the Anactorians in Greek Mythology (Robert Graves. 1955. The Greek Myths).

Other uses

• In the Tagalog, Indonesian and Malaysian languages, anak means 'child'.
• In the role-playing game Drakkhen, an Anak is a temple in which full hit points can be magically restored.

Tanakh people | West Semitic deities | Canaan | Anaq | Enaque