Rephaim

[GIANTS]

Rephaim

The Hebrew word is used in two distinct significations.

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, Genesis 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, Joshua 12:4 17:15, and we hear of them in David's time, in the city of Gath, 1 Chronicles 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.

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); Psalm 88:10; Proverbs 2:18; 21:16, etc.

THE VALLEY OF THE REPHAIM, OR GIANTS, was famous in Joshua's time, Joshua 15:8 17:15 18:16, and in the time of David, who here defeated the Philistines, 2 Samuel 5:18,22 1 Chronicles 11:6 14:9. It was a broad and fertile valley, Isaiah 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.

Lofty men; giants, (Genesis 14:5; 2 Samuel 21:16, 18, marg. A.V., Rapha, marg. R.V., Raphah; Deuteronomy 3:13, R.V.; A.V., "giants"). The aborigines of Palestine, afterwards conquered and dispossessed by the Canaanite tribes, are classed under this general title. They were known to the Moabites as Emim, i.e., "fearful", (Deuteronomy 2:11), and to the Ammonites as Zamzummim. Some of them found refuge among the Philistines, and were still existing in the days of David. We know nothing of their origin. They were not necessarily connected with the "giants" (R.V., "Nephilim") of Genesis 6:4. (see GIANTS.)

Rephaim, Valley of

(Joshua 15:8; 18:16, R.V.). When David became king over all Israel, the Philistines, judging that he would now become their uncompromising enemy, made a sudden attack upon Hebron, compelling David to retire from it. He sought refuge in "the hold" at Adullam (2 Samuel 5:17-22), and the Philistines took up their position in the valley of Rephaim, on the west and south-west of Jerusalem. Thus all communication between Bethlehem and Jerusalem was intercepted. While David and his army were encamped here, there occurred that incident narrated in 2 Samuel 23:15-17. Having obtained divine direction, David led his army against the Philistines, and gained a complete victory over them. The scene of this victory was afterwards called Baalperazim (q.v.).

A second time, however, the Philistines rallied their forces in this valley (2 Samuel 5:22). Again warned by a divine oracle, David led his army to Gibeon, and attacked the Philistines from the south, inflicting on them another severe defeat, and chasing them with great slaughter to Gezer (q.v.). There David kept in check these enemies of Israel. This valley is now called el-Bukei'a.

REPHAIM

ref'-a-im, re-fa'-im (repha'-im, from rapha', "a terrible one "hence "giant," in 1 Chronicles 20:4, yelidhe ha-rapha', "sons of the giant"; the King James Version, Rephaims): A race of aboriginal or early inhabitants East of the Jordan in Ashterothkarnaim (Genesis 14:5) and in the valley of Rephaim Southwest of Jerusalem (Joshua 15:8). They associated with other giant races, as the Emim and Anakim (Deuteronomy 2:10, 11) and the Zamzummim (Deuteronomy 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; Psalm 88:10 margin; Proverbs 2:18 margin; Proverbs 9:18 margin; Proverbs 21:16 margin; Isaiah 14:9 margin; Isaiah 26:14, 19 margin). In these instances the word is derived from rapheh, "weak," "powerless," "a shadow" or "shade."

H. Porter

REPHAIM, VALE OF

(`emeq repha'-im; koilas Rhaphaeim, koilas ton Titanon): This was a fertile vale (Isaiah 17:5), to the Southwest of Jerusalem (Joshua 15:8; Joshua 18:16; the King James Version "Valley of the Giants"), on the border between Judah and Benjamin. Here David repeatedly defeated the invading Philistines (2 Samuel 5:18, 22; 2 Samuel 23:13 1 Chronicles 11:15; 1 Chronicles 14:9). It is located by Josephus between Jerusalem and Bethlehem (Ant., VII, iv, i; xii, 4). It corresponds to the modern el-Biqa`, which falls away to the Southwest from the lip of the valley of Hinnom. The name in ancient times may perhaps have covered a larger area, including practically all the land between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, where the head-waters of Nahr Ruben are collected.

W. Ewing

2157. Zamzummim -- another name for the Rephaim
... 2156, 2157. Zamzummim. 2158 . another name for the Rephaim. Transliteration:
Zamzummim Phonetic Spelling: (zam-zome') Short Definition: Zamzummin. ...
/hebrew/2157.htm - 6k

7497. Rapha -- inhab. of an area East of the Jordan
... inhab. of an area East of the Jordan. Transliteration: Rapha Phonetic Spelling:
(raw-faw') Short Definition: Rephaim. Word Origin from raphah Definition inhab. ...
/hebrew/7497.htm - 6k

A Shepherd Boy who was Called to Lead a Nation
... thirty warriors went down to him to the top of the rock, to the fortress of Adullam,
while a force of the Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/a shepherd boy who was.htm

Chapter xiv
... and in the thirteenth year they revolted; and in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer
and the kings allied with him and smote the Rephaim at Ashteroth ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xiv.htm

The Reign of David.
... But finally in the valley of Rephaim he was enabled to strike such a crushing blow
to the Philistines as to compel a lasting peace and leave him free to ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xi the reign of.htm

Statement of the Reasons Wherefore the Matters, Treated of Shortly ...
... audience. [2100] The Anakim, or "sons of Anak." Cf. Deuteronomy 9:2; Joshua
11:21-22. [2101] The Valley of Rephaim. 2 Sam. v. 18. ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter i statement of the.htm

Canaan
... The Amorite kings of Bashan are described as Rephaim, a word which the Authorised
Version translates "giants." It was only on the northern frontier of ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

The Sixth vision "On Earth"
... in Genesis 6.must have led to abnormal forms, which would account for the half-human,
or super-human beings, which became the Nephilim, the Rephaim, and Anakim ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the sixth vision on earth.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4. <. ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... Kudur-lagamar defeated them one after another"the Rephaim near to Ashtaroth-Karnaim,
the Zuzim near Ham,**** the Amim at Shaveh-Kiriathaim, and the Horim on ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

Rephaim (32 Occurrences)
... They were not necessarily connected with the "giants" (RV, "Nephilim") of Genesis
6:4. (see GIANTS.). Rephaim, Valley of. ... Standard Bible Encyclopedia. REPHAIM. ...
/r/rephaim.htm - 21k

Reph'aim (17 Occurrences)
Reph'aim. Rephaim, Reph'aim. Rephaims . Multi-Version Concordance ... Genesis
15:20 and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim, (See RSV). ...
/r/reph'aim.htm - 11k

Rephaites (10 Occurrences)
... Genesis 14:5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer and the kings that were
with him, and smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham ...
/r/rephaites.htm - 9k

Giants (18 Occurrences)
... Nephilim.". (2.) Hebrews rephaim, a race of giants (Deuteronomy 3:11) who
lived on the east of Jordan, from whom Og was descended. ...
/g/giants.htm - 19k

Zamzummim (1 Occurrence)
... They are identified with the Rephaim (Deuteronomy 2:20). They may be the
same as the Zuzim mentioned in connection with the Rephaim...
/z/zamzummim.htm - 7k

Emim (3 Occurrences)
... Ommiein): Stated to have been the earlier inhabitants of Moab (Deuteronomy 2:10,
11), and to have been of tall stature, and hence, "accounted Rephaim (or giants ...
/e/emim.htm - 8k

Og (22 Occurrences)
... cities (Numbers 21:33 Joshua 12:4), and Og and his people were "utterly destroyed"
(Deuteronomy 3:6). Og is described as the last of the REPHAIM (which see ...
/o/og.htm - 17k

Baalperazim (2 Occurrences)
... Called Mount Perazim (Isaiah 28:21). It was near the valley of Rephaim, west
of Jerusalem. Identified with the modern Jebel Aly. Int. ...
/b/baalperazim.htm - 8k

Baal-perazim (2 Occurrences)
... Called Mount Perazim (Isaiah 28:21). It was near the valley of Rephaim, west
of Jerusalem. Identified with the modern Jebel Aly. Int. ...
/b/baal-perazim.htm - 8k

Accounted (32 Occurrences)
... (WEB JPS ASV). Deuteronomy 2:11 these also are accounted Rephaim, as the Anakim;
but the Moabites call them Emim. (WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS). ...
/a/accounted.htm - 15k

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