רְפָאֵל
𐤓𐤐𐤀𐤋
Refael
H7501 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name meaning 'El has healed' or 'El heals.' Used specifically as the name of an Israelite individual, reflecting a theophoric compound that expresses the belief in divine healing or restoration. The name conveys a petition or affirmation regarding the healing power of the deity El.
Semantic Range
healed by El, El has healed, God heals (as a name); personal name reflecting divine healing
Root / Etymology
From the root רפא (to heal) and אֵל (El, the chief god/deity, often referring to Israel's God). The compound forms a theophoric personal name, typical of Israelite naming practices, where the action or quality is attributed to the deity.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name רְפָאֵל appears as a personal name in the genealogical lists of the tribe of Ephraim (1 Chronicles 8:37; 9:43). Such theophoric names were common in ancient Israel and typically express either a hoped-for action from the deity or acknowledge a past act. The structure parallels other Hebrew theophoric names like מִיכָאֵל (Mikael, 'Who is like El?') or גַּבְרִיאֵל (Gavriel, 'El is mighty'). While the KJV and many English translations simply transliterate the name, the meaning was likely clear to original audiences. There is no direct connection to the later angelic figure 'Raphael' found in post-biblical literature, though the components are similar. English translations do not capture the meaning of the name, and the traditional practice is to render it as 'Rephael' without interpretation. The use of the name is limited, and its appearance is restricted to lists rather than narrative contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רָפָא and אֵל; God has cured; Rephael, an Israelite; Rephael.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רפא (r-p-ʾ) — heal, restore, cure
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3416 | יִרְפְּאֵל | El Heals |
| H4832 | מַרְפֵּא | healing remedy |
| H7495 | רָפָא | with the healers |
| H7496 | רָפָא | Rephaim giants |
| H7497 | רָפָא | the Rephaite |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7501-01 |
וּ/רְפָאֵ֨ל | urefael | HC/Np |
and Rephael | and El-has-healed | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7501-01 |
1 Chronicles 26:7 | וּ/רְפָאֵ֨ל | urefael | HC/Np |
and Rephael | and El-has-healed |