בראשית, פרק ט״ו, פסוק כ׳

The promise of the land given to Abraham during the Covenant of the Pieces concludes with a unique registry of ten nations. Unlike the standard seven Canaanite nations usually mentioned throughout the Bible, this expanded list reflects shifts in the region's history and geography.

The Hittites and the Perizzites belonged to the broader Canaanite family [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Although Canaan had eleven sons, they are not necessarily recorded in the order of their birth [מחוקקי יהודה; יהל אור]. In certain instances, the general term "Canaanite" is used as a sweeping category to include all other families that are not explicitly named [אבן עזרא]. The Perizzites, notably, do not appear in the original genealogy of Canaan's descendants. Instead, this name served as a descriptive title for a Canaanite family known for living in open, unwalled cities. As their population expanded over time, they separated from the Hivite nation and became recognized as a distinct people [ביאור יש״ר].

The final group mentioned, the Rephaim, were known as mighty warriors and giants [נתינה לגר, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מחוקקי יהודה; יהל אור]. Their inclusion is particularly striking because the Hivites, one of the classic seven Canaanite nations, are entirely absent from the registry. The primary approach among commentators is that there is a strong connection between the Rephaim and the Hivites, with some maintaining that they are actually the exact same nation [רד״ק, חזקוני, מזרחי].

A historical perspective suggests that the Rephaim, relying on their physical might, conquered the Hivite territory and ruled over it during Abraham's lifetime. Therefore, they are the ones recorded in this early covenant. Generations later, after God destroyed the Rephaim, the Hivites regained control of their land. Consequently, when Moses later addresses the Israelites, he refers to the Hivites rather than the Rephaim [מחוקקי יהודה; יהל אור].

Another perspective links the Rephaim directly to the territory of Og, the king of Bashan, an area historically known as the land of Rephaim [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מזרחי]. This identification presents a challenge, as Og is described elsewhere as an Amorite king, and the Amorites are already counted earlier in the promise. To resolve this, some explain that while Og was born an Amorite, his immense size led to his appointment as king over the Hivites, who were the Rephaim, and the region was subsequently named after them [מזרחי, שפתי חכמים]. Alternatively, others suggest there is no duplication at all. Instead, a distinction is being made between the Amorites residing within the main borders of Canaan and Og's separate Amorite kingdom located across the Jordan River, which is specifically referred to here as the Rephaim [גור אריה].