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In the Hebrew Bible and according to contemporary Jewish thought, a Repha'im (Plural Heb. רְפָאִים), or alternatively a Repha' or Rephaite (in the singular), is literally translated to mean, "shades," or "spirits." They are, according to the Jewish Virtual Library, "are known from biblical, Ugaritic, and Phoenician sources." While the first use of them would be as "a gentilic (e.g., Gen. 14:5; 15:20; Deut. 2:11) referring to a people distinguished by their enormous stature. Especially singled out are Og king of Bashan (Deut. 3:11) and the powerful adversaries of David's heroes (II Sam. 21:16, 18, 20)." And in regards o the second use it serves as a "poetic synonym for metim (מֵתִים; Isa. 26:14; Ps. 88:11)." It thus refers to the inhabitants of the netherworld (Prov. 9:18)."

First Use in the Hebrew Bible

In the Hebrew Bible, Rephai'm's can be alternatively described either as a celestial being, or an ancient creature, who were considered to be "giants" in Iron Age Israel. According to Genesis 14:5, King Chedorlaomer and his allies attacked and defeated the Repha'im at Ashteroth-Karnaim. Repha'im's are also mentioned at Genesis 15:20; Deuteronomy 2:10–21, 3:11; Joshua 12:4, 13:12, 15:8, 17:15, 18:16; 2 Samuel 5:18–22, 23:13; and 1 Chronicles 11:15, 14:9 and 20:4.

Second Use in the Hebrew Bible

Repha'im have also been considered the residents, or inhabitants, of the Netherworld, or realm of the dead with respect to Christian interpretations found in the English translation, the New International Version. This realm is traditionally called, Sheol" in the Hebrew Bible. Repha'im's being referenced as "shades" or "spirits" can be found in the following chapters, and verses from the Hebrew Bible, and any credible translation of it. See: Isa 14:9, 26:14, 26:19; Ps 88:11; Prov 2:18, 9:18, 21:16; Job 26:5.

In addition to 2 Chron 16:12 as a possible (but yet stretched out) interpretation where it could mean “dead ancestors” or "weakeners" as opposed to Rophe’im (“doctors”) with its Hebrew root word being רפא meaning "to heal.” Thus the masculine plural of that word, in nominalized form, may indicate that these “deceased ancestors” could be invoked for ritual purposes that would benefit the living.

Various ancient Northwest Semitic texts are also replete with references to terms evidently cognate with Rephai'm as the dead, or dead kings. For instance, in T.J. Lewis's "Cult of the Dead in Ancient Israel and Ugarit (1989), he introduces a detailed study of several enigmatic funerary ritual texts from the ancient coastal city of Ugarit. Lewis concludes that the “Ugaritic Funerary Text.” He concludes that the Ugaritic Funerary Text provides important evidence for understanding the Ugarit's cult of the dead; wherein beings called rapi'uma, the long dead, and malakuma, recently dead kings, were invoked in a funeral liturgy in being presented with food/drink offerings; and also asked to provide blessings for the reign of the current king.

With respect to the many references to repha'im in the Hebrew Bible, in context involving Sheol or dead spirits, strongly suggest that many ancient Israelite's imagined the spirits of the dead as playing an active, and important role in securing blessings, healing, or other benefits in the lives of the living.

See also

References

  1. "Rephaim". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  2. "Bible Gateway passage: Isaiah 14:9 - English Standard Version". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  3. "Bible Gateway passage: Isaiah 14:9 - New International Version". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  4. Rivka Nir, R. Mark Shipp Of dead kings and dirges: myth and meaning in Isaiah 14:4b-21 p121 2002 - 197 "It is also possible that the distinction here is not between the Rephaim and non-Rephaim dead kings, but rather between the rpim qdmym (Ulkn, Tr 'limn, Sdn w Rdn, Trmn; the “ancient Rephaim”) and the more recent Rephaim (Ammishtamru, ..."
  5. Matthew J. Suriano The Politics of Dead Kings: Dynastic Ancestors in the Book of ... 2010 p160 "Unlike the texts from Ras Shamra, however, Israelite literature negatively portrayed the Rephaim in order to undermine a politically potent element that was otherwise embraced in Ugaritic tradition. The equation of the Rephaim as dead ..."
  6. Brian B. Schmidt Israel's beneficent dead: ancestor cult and necromancy in ancient ... 1994 p267 "The Ugaritic rp 'um are repeatedly invoked as confirmation for the existence of both a living and dead biblical Rephaim. De Moor's theory comprises the most compelling and thoroughgoing proposal to date. According to this author,"
  7. KAI 13.7-8, 14.8, 177.1; CTA 6.6.46-52, CTA 20-22 = KTU 1.161. See the article by M.S. Smith, “Rephaim,” in the Anchor Bible Dictionary.
  8. T. J. Lewis (professor of Hebrew Bible at Johns Hopkins University), Cults of the Dead in Ancient Israel and Ugarit (Scholars Press, 1989)
  9. KTU 1.161 = Ras Shamra 34.126
  10. On the role of the dead and burial customs in ancient Israelite society and the cultures of the ancient Levant generally, see L. Bloch-Smith's Judahite Burial Practices and Beliefs About the Dead (Continuum, 1992).
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