H7497b H7497b
Rephaim — an ancient race of giants inhabiting Canaan and Transjordan before Israel's conquest
A proper noun designating a pre-Israelite people renowned for their extraordinary stature. The Rephaim inhabited both sides of the Jordan: in Bashan, where Og was the last of their remnant (Deut 3:11), and in the valley south of Jerusalem that bears their name (2 Sam 5:18). Scripture links them with the Anakim and the Zamzummim (Deut 2:11, 20), painting a picture of formidable peoples displaced by divine mandate. German 'Totengeister' intriguingly echoes the homonymous connection to shades of the dead, though here the term is purely ethnic.
Senses
1. Rephaim (ancient giant people) — The ethnic group Rephaim (רְפָאִים II), an ancient people of great physical stature who occupied Canaan and Transjordan before Israel's arrival. They appear in the Table of Nations context (Gen 15:20), in Og's kingdom of Bashan (Deut 3:11; Josh 12:4), and in the Valley of Rephaim near Jerusalem (2 Sam 5:18, 22). The name is distinct from the homonymous 'shades/dead' usage of the same root. 19×
AR["الرَّفائيمَ", "الرَّفائيّينَ", "الرَّفَائِيمَ", "الرَّفَائِيمِ", "الرَّفَائِيِّينَ", "رَفَائِيم", "رَفَائِيمَ", "رَفَائِيُّونَ", "وَ-الرَّفائيمَ"]·ben["-রফাইমদের", "-রফায়ীদের", "-রফায়ীয়দের", "উপত্যকা", "এবং-রফায়ীমদের", "রফাইম", "রফাইমদের", "রফাইমের", "রফাঈম", "রফায়ীমদের", "রফায়ীমের"]·DE["Refaiter", "Rephaim", "Totengeister", "[הרפאים]", "[רפאים]", "der-Refaiter", "die-Refaiter", "und-der-Refaiter"]·EN["Rephaim", "and-the-Rephaim", "the-Rephaim"]·FR["Rephaim", "[הרפאים]", "[רפאים]", "et-le-Rephaim", "le-Rephaim"]·heb["ה-רפאים", "ו-ה-רפאים", "רפאים"]·HI["-रपाइयों-के", "और-रपाईम", "गांवों", "रपाइयों-का", "रपाई", "रपाईम", "रपाईम-की", "रफाईम", "रेफ़ैम"]·ID["Orang-Refaim", "Refaim", "dan-orang-Refaim", "orang-Refaim"]·IT["Rephaim", "[הרפאים]", "[רפאים]", "e-il-Rephaim", "il-Rephaim", "spiriti-dei-morti"]·jav["Refaim", "Réfaim", "lan-tiyang-Réfaim", "tiyang-Refaim", "tiyang-Rèfaim", "tiyang-Réfaim"]·KO["그-르바임-사람들", "그-르바임의", "그리고-르바임의", "르바임", "르바임-으로", "르바임-의", "르바임을", "르바임의", "르바임이"]·PT["Refa'im", "Refaim", "e-os-refaítas", "os-Refa'im", "os-Refaim", "os-refains", "os-refaítas", "refains", "¶ Refains"]·RU["-Рефаим", "-Рефаимов", "·-Рефаимов", "Рефаим", "Рефаимов", "и-Рефаимов"]·ES["Refaim", "Refaím", "los-refaim", "los-refaitas", "los-refaítas", "refaim", "refaitas", "y-el-refaíta"]·SW["Refaimu", "Warefai", "Warefaimu", "ha-Warefai", "la-Refaimu", "na-ha-Warefai"]·TR["-Refalıları", "Rafa'nın", "Refailer'i", "Refaim", "Refaim'in", "Refaimlerin", "Refalılar", "Refalılar'ın", "Refalıların", "ve-Refaimlerin"]·urd["-رفائیم", "اور-رفائیم-کی", "رفائیم", "رفائیم-کی", "رفائیم-کی۔", "رفائیم-کے", "رفائیوں-کی"]
Gen 14:5, Gen 15:20, Deut 2:11, Deut 2:20, Deut 2:20, Deut 3:11, Deut 3:13, Josh 12:4, Josh 13:12, Josh 15:8, Josh 17:15, Josh 18:16 (+7 more)
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. רְפָאִים n.pr.gent. old race of giants (perhaps = I. ר׳, as extinct and powerless; v. especially WRS in Dr Dt 2:11; or as shadowy, vaguely known, SchwallyZAW xviii (1896), 127 ff. v. also Stal.c.);—ancient inhab. of Canaan [W. of Jordan?], Gn 15:20; Jos 17:15 (JE), cf. 1 Ch 20:4 (v. II. רָפָה supr.); hence עֵמֶק ר׳, plain S. of Jerus. 2 S 5:18, 22; 23:13; 1 Ch 11:15; 14:9; Is 17:5; Jos…