Rephaim

See Raphaim.

The Rephaim were the ancient giants of the land of Canaan. There were anciently several families of them in this country. It is commonly thought that they were descended from one called Rephah or Rapha; but others imagine that the word Rephaim properly signifies giants, in the ancient language of this people. There were some of the Rephaim beyond Jordan, at Ashteroth Karnaim, in the time of Abraham, when Chedorlaomer made war against them, Gen 14:5. There were also some of them in the country in the days of Moses. Og, king of Bashan, was one of the posterity of the Rephaim, Jos 12:4. Also in the time of Joshua there were some of their descendants in the land of Canaan, Joshua 17; Joshua 15. Lastly, we hear of them still in David’s time, in the city of Gath, 1Ch 20:4-6. The giants Goliah, Sippai, Lahmi, and others, were some remains of the Rephaim; their magnitude and strength are known from Scripture. See GIANTS.

Reph´aim, an ancient people of unusual stature, who, in the time of Abraham, dwelt in the country beyond the Jordan, in and about Ashtoreth-Karnaim (Gen 14:5). There seems reason to think that the Rephaim were the most ancient or aboriginal inhabitants of Palestine prior to the Canaanites, by whom they were gradually dispossessed of the regions west of the Jordan, and driven beyond that river. Only a remnant of the race remained at the time of the ingress of the Israelites under Joshua.

The Hebrew word is used in two distinct significations.\par 1. REPHAIM is used to comprehend all the gigantic races of the Canaanites, of whom there were several families. There were Rephaim beyond Jordan, at Ashtaroth Karnaim, in the time of Abraham, Gen 14:5 ; also some in the time of Moses. Og king of Bashan was of the Rephaim. In the time of Joshua, some of their descendants dwelt in the land of Canaan, Jos 12:4 17:15, and we hear of them in David’s time, in the city of Gath, 1Ch 20:4-6 . The giant Goliath and others were the remains of the Rephaim, or of the kindred family of Anakim. Their magnitude and strength are often spoken of in Scripture. They appear to have excelled in violence and crime, and hence are monuments of divine justice.\par 2. REPHAIM, the shades or spirits of the departed, dwelling in Sheol or Hades, generally rendered in our version, "the dead" ("dead things," Job 26:5 ); Psa 88:10 ; Pro 2:18 ; 21:16, etc.\par THE VALLEY OF THE REPHAIM, OR GIANTS, was famous in Joshua’s time, Jos 15:8 17:15 18:16, and in the time of David, who here defeated the Philistines, 2Sa 5:18,22 1Ch 11:6 14:9. It was a broad and fertile valley, Isa 17:5, beginning near the valley of Hinnom, and extending several miles south-west from Jerusalem, when it contracted to a narrow passage leading off towards the Mediterranean. It was in Judah, but near the border of Benjamin.\par

Reph’a-im. See Giants.

Rephaim (rĕph’a-ĭm or re-phâ’im), Valley of. Jos 15:8; Jos 18:16; and translated "the valley of the giants" in the A. V., but vale of "Rephaim" in the R. V. It was one of the landmarks of the land of Judah, named after the Rephaim, or "giants," who at an early period were found on both sides of the Jordan. Comp. Gen 14:5; Deu 3:11-13; Jos 13:12; Jos 17:15. David twice defeated the Philistines in this valley. 2Sa 5:17-25; 2Sa 23:13; 1Ch 11:15-16; 1Ch 14:9-16. The valley was noted for its fertility. Isa 17:5. Its position as a boundary of Judah would indicate it to have been south of the valley of Hinnom.

[Repha’im] See GIANT.

REPHAIM.—A name given in several Biblical passages to some pre-Israelitish people. In Gen 14:5 they are said to have dwelt in Ashteroth-karnaim. Gen 15:20 classes them with Hittites and Perizzites (similarly Jos 17:15). Deu 2:11; Deu 2:20 calls certain peoples ‘Rephaim’ whom the Moabites and Ammonites called respectively ‘Emim’ and ‘Zamzummin.’ Deu 3:11 says that Og, king of Bashan, alone remained of the Rephaim (so also Jos 12:4; Jos 13:12), while Deu 3:13 says that Argob was a land of Rephaim. A valley near Jerusalem was also called the ‘Vale of Rephaim’ (see 2Sa 5:18; 2Sa 5:22; 2Sa 23:13, 1Ch 11:15; 1Ch 14:9, Isa 17:5). Because Deu 2:11 counts them with the Anakim, who were giants, and 2Sa 21:18-22 says that the sons of a certain Rapha (see RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ) were giants, it has been supposed by some that Rephaim means ‘giants,’ and was given to a race as their name by their neighbours because of their stature. Cf. art. Giant.

The word răphâ’îm in Hebrew means also ‘shades’ or disembodied spirits. At least it is used to describe the dead, as in Psa 88:10. Schwally is probably right, therefore (Leben nach dem Tode, 64 ff. and ZATW [Note: ATW Zeitschrift far die Alttest. Wissenschaft.] , xviii. 127 ff.), in holding that the word means ‘shades,’ and that it was applied by the Israelites to people who were dead and gone, and of whom they knew little.

George A. Barton.

ref´ā́-im, rḗ-fā´im (רפאים, r^ephā’ı̄m, from רפא, rāphā’, “a terrible one “hence “giant,” in 1Ch 20:4, הרפא ילידי, y^elı̄dhē ha-rāphā’, “sons of the giant”; the King James Version, Rephaims): A race of aboriginal or early inhabitants East of the Jordan in Ashterothkarnaim (Gen 14:5) and in the valley of Rephaim Southwest of Jerusalem (Jos 15:8). They associated with other giant races, as the Emim and Anakim (Deu 2:10, Deu 2:11) and the Zamzummim (Deu 2:20). It is probable that they were all of the same stock, being given different names by the different tribes who came in contact with them. The same Hebrew word is rendered “the dead,” or “the shades” in various passages (Job 26:5 margin; Psa 88:10 margin; Pro 2:18 margin; Pro 9:18 margin; Pro 21:16 margin; Isa 14:9 margin; Isa 26:14, Isa 26:19 margin). In these instances the word is derived from רפה, rāpheh, “weak,” “powerless,” “a shadow” or “shade.”

Prior to Israel’s conquest of Canaan, the Rephaim were scattered over a wide area on both sides of the Jordan. They were one of many groups who were to be destroyed when Israel took possession of Canaan (Gen 14:5; Gen 15:20; Deu 2:9-11; Deu 2:19-21). They were of large stature (comparable in size to the Anakim; see ANAK), and were feared by other peoples of the region (Deu 2:10-11; Deu 2:20-21; Jos 12:4). There was a valley west of Jerusalem known as the Valley of Rephaim (Jos 15:8; 2Sa 5:18).