7498. Rapha'

Lexical Summary

Rapha': To heal, to cure, to restore

Original Word: רָפָא
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Rapha'
Pronunciation: rah-fah'
Phonetic Spelling: (raw-faw')
KJV: Rapha
Word Origin: [probably the same as H7497 (רָפָא רָפָה - Rephaim)]

1. giant
2. Rapha or Raphah, the name of two Israelites

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Rapha

Or Raphah {raw-faw'}; probably the same as rapha'; giant; Rapha or Raphah, the name of two Israelites -- Rapha.

see HEBREW rapha'

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. רָפָא proper name, masculine in Benjamin, 1 Chronicles 8:2, Ραφη[α]. —

II. רָפָא see רפה. — See also ׳בֵּית ר p. 112.

I. רָפָה proper name, masculine in Saul's line 1 Chronicles 8:37, Ραφαι(α), ᵐ5^L Αραχα; see רְפָיָה. — II. ׳ר see רפה.

II. רָפָה, II. רָפָא as proper name, masculine, always with article H¹-R¹ph¹ (perhaps derived from proper name, of a people II. רְפָאִים, q. v.); — הָֽרפָה 2 Samuel 21:16,18, with preposition ׳לְהָ 2 Samuel 21:20. 22 = לְהָרָפָא 1 Chronicles 20:6,8; — only as parent, ׳בִּילִידֵי הָר 2 Samuel 21:16,18 (= מִילִירֵי הָֽרְפָאִים 1 Chronicles 20:4); ׳יֻלַּד לְהָר 1 Chronicles 20:20. 22 "" 1 Chronicles 20:6,8. — I.רָפָה see below רפָא.

Topical Lexicon

Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 7498 designates the personal name רָפָא (Rapha or Raphah). Scripture records it twice, both in the genealogical listings of the tribe of Benjamin in 1 Chronicles. Though brief, the appearances of Rapha contribute to the Chronicler’s larger purpose of affirming Israel’s covenant continuity after the exile and highlighting the enduring place of Benjamin among the tribes.

Occurrences

• 1 Chronicles 8:2 – Rapha is named as the fifth-born son of Benjamin.
• 1 Chronicles 8:37 – Several generations later Rapha reappears in the line of Moza as father to Eleasah and grandfather to Azel.

Historical Setting

1 Chronicles was compiled in the post-exilic period, when the returned community needed reassurance of its identity and divine calling. By rehearsing tribal genealogies, the Chronicler anchored the remnant in its ancestral promises and land allotments. In this setting the notice of Rapha—however brief—attests to:

1. The fertility and expansion of Benjamin early in Israel’s history.
2. The ongoing vitality of Benjaminite clans centuries later, despite national upheaval.
3. The deliberate preservation of even lesser-known names, underscoring the meticulous faithfulness of God in preserving every family line.

Rapha as Son of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:2)

Benjamin’s original listing in Genesis 46:21 differs from the Chronicler’s order, showing how God’s providence allowed clan structures to shift over time while still fulfilling covenant promises. The Chronicler’s placement of Rapha as “the fifth” mirrors a frequent biblical pattern in which God works through unexpected or later-born children (Judah, David, and others), reminding readers that divine election is never bound by human rank.

Rapha in the Later Benjaminite Genealogy (1 Chronicles 8:37)

“Moza was the father of Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.”

This verse situates Rapha roughly ten generations after Benjamin. The genealogy moves from an earlier period (verses 1-28) to a later, perhaps post-exilic time (verses 29-40), indicating that the line of Rapha lasted through monarchic decline, exile, and restoration. His placement thus functions as a testimonial stone marking God’s preservation of Benjamin from patriarchal beginnings to the Chronicler’s present.

Theological Significance of the Genealogies

1. Covenant Continuity


The Chronicler weaves Rapha into a chain that stretches from Abraham’s grandson Benjamin to the Second Temple era. The inclusion of ordinary names underlines that every believer, no matter how obscure, is known to God and woven into His redemptive plan.

2. Tribal Identity and Land


Benjamin held a strategic location just north of Judah and included Jerusalem within its inherited borders (Joshua 18:28). By maintaining Benjamin’s records, the Chronicler defended the tribe’s claim to its ancestral inheritance.

3. Messianic Backdrop


Although Messiah descends from Judah, Benjamin supplies supporting roles in the account of redemption (for example, Saul of Tarsus, later Paul). Rapha’s genealogical presence contributes to the backdrop against which later Benjamites would serve the gospel.

Ministry Reflections

• God values faithfulness across generations. Even fleeting names in Scripture testify to His meticulous remembrance of those who belong to Him.
• Local church record-keeping, though often uncelebrated, echoes the Chronicler’s labor: names matter because people matter.
• Believers from smaller or less-recognized backgrounds can draw encouragement from Rapha; significance in God’s economy is never measured by length of narrative but by inclusion in His covenant family.

Conclusion

Rapha’s two appearances may seem minor, yet they serve the Chronicler’s overarching purpose: to demonstrate that every link in Israel’s story—great or small—stands as evidence of the Lord’s unwavering commitment to His promises.

Forms and Transliterations

וְרָפָ֖א ורפא רָפָ֥ה רפה rā·p̄āh raFah rāp̄āh veraFa wə·rā·p̄ā wərāp̄ā

Englishman's Concordance

1 Chronicles 8:2
HEB: נוֹחָה֙ הָֽרְבִיעִ֔י וְרָפָ֖א הַחֲמִישִֽׁי׃ ס
NAS: Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth.
KJV: Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.
INT: Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth

1 Chronicles 8:37
HEB: אֶת־ בִּנְעָ֑א רָפָ֥ה בְנ֛וֹ אֶלְעָשָׂ֥ה
KJV: Binea: Rapha [was] his son,
INT: became of Binea Rapha his son Eleasah

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 7498
2 Occurrences

rā·p̄āh — 1 Occ.
wə·rā·p̄ā — 1 Occ.