רְפָאִ֣ים
𐤓𐤐𐤀𐤉𐤌
refaim
of the dead
from רָפָא in the sense of רָפָה; properly, lax, i.e. (figuratively) a ghost (as dead; in plural only); dead, deceased.
H7496
Proverbs 21:16 · Word #6
Lexicon H7496
| Lemma | רָפָא |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤓𐤐𐤀 |
| Transliteration | râphâʼ |
| Strong's | H7496 |
| In-context | of the dead |
Morphology HNcmpa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | p — Plural — Plural |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
SIBI-P1 H7497-05
enfeebled giants
| Root | רפא/רפה (r-p-ʾ / r-p-h) |
| Core Meanings | to heal, to restore, to slacken, to become weak, to let drop |
| Semantic Range | A people of great stature in ancient Canaan; ancestral giants; inhabitants of the Valley of Rephaim; in poetic texts, the shades or departed spirits in Sheol. |
| Conceptual Significance | The Rephaim represent both formidable pre-Israelite inhabitants of the land and, in wisdom and poetic literature, the powerless dead. The ironic association of a name rooted in weakness/slackness with mighty giants underscores the biblical theme that even the strongest become enfeebled in death and before YHWH’s sovereignty. |
| Morphological Notes | Masculine plural noun (absolute), functioning as a proper ethnic or tribal name in many contexts; occasionally used as a common noun for the departed dead. Strong’s H7497. |
| Rendering Rationale | The form רְפָאִים is a masculine plural noun. Rendering it as "enfeebled giants" preserves the traditional identification of a race of giants while drawing attention to the root idea of slackness or weakness (רפא/רפה). The masculine plural is reflected in the plural noun "giants." |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)
Words from Root רפא/רפה (to heal, to restore, to slacken, to become weak, to let drop)
| SILEX Code | Transliteration | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
H7498-01 |
rafah | Rapha (the Giant) |
Word Usage (8 occurrences of H7496)
| Location | Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 14:9 | רְפָאִים֙ | refaim | shades |
| Isaiah 26:14 | רְפָאִ֖ים | refaim | the departed spirits |
| Isaiah 26:19 | רְפָאִ֥ים | refaim | the shades |