רְפִידִים
𐤓𐤐𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤌
Refidim
H7508 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Rephidim – a proper noun designating a particular place encountered during the Israelites' journey after the exodus from Egypt. The term denotes a specific encampment site in the wilderness, associated with notable events such as the Israelites' complaint about lack of water and the battle with the Amalekites. While the underlying root suggests meanings related to 'support,' the lexical form exclusively refers to this geographic location in the biblical text.
Semantic Range
(as proper name) Rephidim – a wilderness campsite or encampment; always a geographic location in narrative contexts
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root רפד, which means 'to spread out, support, lay down.' רְפִידִים (Rephidim) is the plural form, based on a masculine noun form related to 'support' or 'rest,' but in this context functions as a proper place name and is not employed as a common noun.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Rephidim is mentioned exclusively as a place name in passages such as Exodus 17:1, 8, and Numbers 33:14–15. The name likely reflects local topography or function, possibly indicating a place where supports or rest-stations were found, though the biblical text provides no direct explanation. Rephidim is noteworthy for being a site of Israelite crisis (lack of water, resolved by Moses striking the rock, Exod 17:1-7), and for the ensuing conflict with the Amalekites (Exod 17:8-16). Later traditions sometimes attempt to locate Rephidim precisely within the Sinai Peninsula, but its exact historical location remains uncertain. English translations retain the transliterated form 'Rephidim,' recognizing it as a proper noun rather than translating its etymological root meaning. There is no evidence in the biblical period of the term being used for a people or group identity, nor applied outside this specific wilderness narrative context.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
plural of the masculine of the same as רְפִידָה; ballusters; Rephidim, a place in the Desert; Rephidim.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רפד (r-p-d) — to spread out, to support, to lay down
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7508-01 |
בִּ/רְפִידִ֔ים | birefidim | HR/Np |
at Rephidim | in Rephidim | 3 |
H7508-02 |
מֵ/רְפִידִ֗ים | merefidim | HR/Np |
from Rephidim | from Rephidim | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7508-01 |
Exodus 17:1 | בִּ/רְפִידִ֔ים | birefidim | HR/Np |
in Rephidim | in Rephidim |
H7508-01 |
Exodus 17:8 | בִּ/רְפִידִֽם | birefidim | HR/Np |
at Rephidim | in Rephidim |
H7508-02 |
Exodus 19:2 | מֵ/רְפִידִ֗ים | merefidim | HR/Np |
from Rephidim | from Rephidim |
H7508-01 |
Numbers 33:14 | בִּ/רְפִידִ֔ם | birefidim | HR/Np |
at Rephidim | in Rephidim |
H7508-02 |
Numbers 33:15 | מֵ/רְפִידִ֑ם | merefidim | HR/Np |
from Rephidim | from Rephidim |