יִרְפְּאֵל
𐤉𐤓𐤐𐤀𐤋
Yirepeel
H3416 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Yirpᵉʼêl is a proper noun designating a specific locality in the territory allocated to the tribe of Benjamin. The name is a theophoric compound meaning 'El (God) heals,' reflecting a common onomastic pattern in ancient Israelite place names referencing divine action or attribute. The term functions exclusively as a place name and does not occur as a personal name or common noun in the Hebrew Bible.
Semantic Range
proper noun (place name), 'El (God) heals', designation of a city in Benjamin
Root / Etymology
From the combination of the root רָפָא (rapaʼ, 'to heal, restore') and אֵל (ʼēl, 'God' or 'El'). The word derives from the structure: prefix י- (third person masculine singular imperfect of the verb, 'he will') + רפא ('heal') + אל ('God'), together conveying 'El heals' or 'God will heal'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The city Yirpᵉʼêl appears only in Joshua 18:27 among the list of towns allotted to the Benjaminites. There is no archaeological consensus on its precise location, but it is generally identified as an ancient site north or northwest of Jerusalem. The formation of the name parallels other place names in the region, which often combine a verb or hopeful attribute with the divine name El, attesting to religious and cultural values. Later translations occasionally substitute the name Irpeel or Jirpeel. The English rendering 'Irpeel' obscures the theophoric nature of the original Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רָפָא and אֵל; God will heal; Jirpeel, a place in Palestine; Irpeel.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רפא (r-p-ʾ) — heal, restore, make whole
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4832 | מַרְפֵּא | healing remedy |
| H7495 | רָפָא | with the healers |
| H7496 | רָפָא | Rephaim giants |
| H7497 | רָפָא | the Rephaite |
| H7498 | רָפָא | Rapha |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3416-01 |
וְ/יִרְפְּאֵ֖ל | veyirepeel | HC/Np |
and Irpeel | El Heals | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3416-01 |
Joshua 18:27 | וְ/יִרְפְּאֵ֖ל | veyirepeel | HC/Np |
and Irpeel | El Heals |