Rephaim [E,I,N,B] Bible Dictionaries

Dictionaries :: Rephaim

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Rephaim:

lofty men; giants, (Gen 14:5; 2Sa 21:16,18, marg. A.V., Rapha, marg. R.V., Raphah; Deu 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", (Deu 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 Gen 6:4. (See GIANTS.)

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Rephaim:

ref'-a-im, re-fa'-im (repha'-im, from rapha'," a terrible one "hence "giant," in 1Ch 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 (Ge 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 (De 2:10,11) and the Zamzummim (De 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; Ps 88:10 margin; Pr 2:18 margin; Pr 9:18 margin; Pr 21:16 margin; Isa 14:9 margin; Isa 26:14,19 margin). In these instances the word is derived from rapheh, "weak," "powerless," "a shadow" or "shade."

Written by H. Porter

Nave's Topical Bible

Rephaim: 1. An Ancient People of Palestine

Of great stature,

Gen 14:5; 15:20; Deu 2:11, 20 [R.V.]; 3:11, 13 [R.V.]; Jos 12:4 [R.V.]; 13:12 [R.V.]; 17:15 [R.V.]

Rephaim: 2. A Valley

The boundary between the territories of Judah and Benjamin,

Jos 15:8 [R.V.]; 18:16 [R.V.].

The battleground of David and the Philistines,

2Sa 5:18, 22; 23:13; 1Ch 11:15; 14:9.

The productiveness of,

Isa 17:5.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Rephaim:

SEE [GIANTS].

Giants:

(1.) Heb. nephilim, meaning "violent" or "causing to fall" (Gen 6:4). These were the violent tyrants of those days, those who fell upon others. The word may also be derived from a root signifying "wonder," and hence "monsters" or "prodigies." In Num 13:33 this name is given to a Canaanitish tribe, a race of large stature, "the sons of Anak." The Revised Version, in these passages, simply transliterates the original, and reads "Nephilim."

(2.) Heb. rephaim, a race of giants (Deu 3:11) who lived on the east of Jordan, from whom Og was descended. They were probably the original inhabitants of the land before the immigration of the Canaanites. They were conquered by Chedorlaomer (Gen 14:5), and their territories were promised as a possession to Abraham (15:20). The Anakim, Zuzim, and Emim were branches of this stock.

In Job 26:5 (R.V., "they that are deceased; " marg., "the shades," the "Rephaim") and Isa 14:9 this Hebrew word is rendered (A.V.) "dead." It means here "the shades," the departed spirits in Sheol. In 2Sa 21:16, 18, 20, 33, "the giant" is (A.V.) the rendering of the singular form _ha raphah_, which may possibly be the name of the father of the four giants referred to here, or of the founder of the Rephaim. The Vulgate here reads "Arapha," whence Milton (in Samson Agonistes) has borrowed the name "Harapha." (also 1Ch 20:5,6,8; Deu 2:11,20; 3:13; Jos 15:8, etc., where the word is similarly rendered "giant.") It is rendered "dead" in (A.V.) (Psa 88:10; Pro 2:18; 9:18; 21:16); in all these places the Revised Version marg. has "the shades." (See also Isa 26:14.)

(3.) Heb. 'Anakim (Deu 2:10,11,21; Jos 11:21,22; 14:12,15; Num 13:33; 13:22; Jos 15:14), a nomad race of giants descended from Arba (Jos 14:15), the father of Anak, that dwelt in the south of Palestine near Hebron (Gen 23:2; Jos 15:13). They were a Cushite tribe of the same race as the Philistines and the Egyptian shepherd kings. David on several occasions encountered them (2Sa 21:15-22). From this race sprung Goliath (1Sa 17:4).

(4.) Heb. 'emin, a warlike tribe of the ancient Canaanites. They were "great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims" (Gen 14:5; Deu 2:10,11).

(5.) Heb. Zamzummim (q.v.), Deu 2:20 so called by the Amorites.

(6.) Heb. gibbor (Job 16:14), a mighty one, i.e., a champion or hero. In its plural form (gibborim) it is rendered "mighty men" (2Sa 23:8-39; 1Ki 1:8; 1Ch 11:9-47; 29:24.) The band of six hundred whom David gathered around him when he was a fugitive were so designated. They were divided into three divisions of two hundred each, and thirty divisions of twenty each. The captians of the thirty divisions were called "the thirty," the captains of the two hundred "the three," and the captain over the whole was called "chief among the captains" (2Sa 23:8). The sons born of the marriages mentioned in Gen 6:4 are also called by this Hebrew name.

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