RAPHA (rā'fa, Heb. rāphā’)

The last son of Benjamin (1Chr.8.2).Four enemy warriors of David are listed as descendants of Rapha, probably to identify them as giants (so kjv) (2Sam.21.15-2Sam.21.22; 1Chr.20.6, 1Chr.20.8).

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RAPHAH (rā'fa, Heb. rapha). A descendant of Saul through Jonathan (1Chr.8.37). KJV “Rapha.”

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RAPHA, RAPHAH, rā’ fə 1. 1 Chron 8:2 רָפָ֖א; LXX ̔Ραφη, meaning he (God) has healed. This is prob. a shortened form of Raphael. 2. 1 Chron 8:37 רָפָ֥ה; LXX ̔Ράφαια, meaning uncertain, perhaps he (God) has withdrawn or he (God) has healed.

1. Name of the fifth son of Benjamin (1 Chron 8:2). However, the list of Benjamin’s sons (Gen 46:21) omits mention of Rapha altogether.

2. Name of a descendant of Saul of Benjamin; son of Binea and father of Eleasah (1 Chron 8:37; cf. 9:43).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

(rapha’):

(1) In the Revised Version margin these names are substituted for "the giant" in 1Ch 20:4,6,8 and in 2Sa 21:16,18,20,22. The latter passage states that certain champions of the Philistines who were slain by David’s warriors had been born to the raphah in Gath. The text is corrupt; Raphah is probably an eponym. Originally the name of one of the Philistines who was of the body "Rephaites" stood in the text. The plural of this word, or at least a plural of this stem, is REPHAIM (which see).

(2) Raphah (the King James Version "Rapha"), a descendant of Saul (1Ch 8:37).

See Rephaiah.

Horace J. Wolf