<strong>RAPHA</strong> (rā'fa, Heb. <em>rāphā’</em>)<br /><br />

The last son of Benjamin (<bibleref ref="1Chr.8.2">1Chr.8.2</bibleref>).Four enemy warriors of David are listed as descendants of Rapha, probably to identify them as giants (so <span class="small-caps">kjv</span>) (<bibleref ref="2Sam.21.15-2Sam.21.22">2Sam.21.15-2Sam.21.22</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Chr.20.6">1Chr.20.6</bibleref>, <bibleref ref="1Chr.20.8">1Chr.20.8</bibleref>).<br /><br />
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<strong>RAPHAH</strong> (rā'fa, Heb. <em>rapha</em>). A descendant of Saul through Jonathan (<bibleref ref="1Chr.8.37">1Chr.8.37</bibleref>). KJV “Rapha.”<br /><br />

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<strong>RAPHA, RAPHAH</strong>, <strong>rā’ fə</strong> 1. <bibleref ref="1Chr.8.2">1 Chron 8:2</bibleref> <span class="hebrew">רָפָ֖א</span>; LXX <span class="greek">̔Ραφη</span>, meaning <em>he (God) has healed.</em> This is prob. a shortened form of Raphael. 2. <bibleref ref="1Chr.8.37">1 Chron 8:37</bibleref> <span class="hebrew">רָפָ֥ה</span>; LXX <span class="greek">̔Ράφαια</span>, meaning uncertain, perhaps <em>he</em> (<em>God</em>) <em>has withdrawn</em> or <em>he (God) has healed.</em><br /><br />

1. Name of the fifth son of Benjamin (<bibleref ref="1Chr.8.2">1 Chron 8:2</bibleref>). However, the list of Benjamin’s sons (<bibleref ref="Gen.46.21">Gen 46:21</bibleref>) omits mention of Rapha altogether.

2. Name of a descendant of Saul of Benjamin; son of Binea and father of Eleasah (<bibleref ref="1Chr.8.37">1 Chron 8:37</bibleref>; cf. <bibleref ref="1Chr.9.43">9:43</bibleref>).

<h2>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)</h2>

(rapha’):<br /><br />

(1) In the <span class="auto-link">[[Revised Version]]</span> margin these names are substituted for "the giant" in <bibleref ref="1Chr.20.4">1Ch 20:4</bibleref>,<bibleref ref="1Chr.20.6">6</bibleref>,<bibleref ref="1Chr.20.8">8</bibleref> and in <bibleref ref="2Sam.21.16">2Sa 21:16</bibleref>,<bibleref ref="2Sam.21.18">18</bibleref>,<bibleref ref="2Sam.21.20">20</bibleref>,<bibleref ref="2Sam.21.22">22</bibleref>. 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).<br /><br />

(2) Raphah (the <span class="auto-link">[[King James Version]]</span> "Rapha"), a descendant of Saul (<bibleref ref="1Chr.8.37">1Ch 8:37</bibleref>).

See [[Rephaiah]].<br /><br />

Horace J. Wolf<br /><br />