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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

IntroIndex©

REPHAIM*

1. A Hebrew word referring to shades or departed spirits whose dwelling place was the habitation of Sheol (Prv 2:18; 9:18; 21:16). The rephaim of the underworld suffered anguish (Jb 26:5) and were separated from God (Ps 88:10-12) and all living people (Is 26:14). Their immaterial being bore a weakened shadowlike resemblance to their former corporeality (Is 14:9).

2. A mighty people tall in stature living in Palestine during the days of Abraham. The Rephaim, along with the Zuzim, Emim, and Horite peoples, were defeated by Kedorlaomer and his allied armies (Gn 14:5). They were one of nine nations living in Palestine at the time when the Lord promised to give the land to Abraham’s descendants (15:20). The ancient Rephaim were called the Emim by the Moabites and the Zamzummin by the Ammonites; they were comparable in size and number to the giant Anakim (Dt 2:11, 20). Og, king of Bashan, represented the last of the Rephaim. He was later killed and his kingdom dispossessed by the Israelites under Moses (Dt 3:11; Jos 12:4; 13:12). Perhaps the giants among the Philistines were descendants of the Rephaim (2 Sm 21; 1 Chr 20).

See also Giants.