Biblical Profile: The Riddle of the Rephaim

The identification of the beings known as “Rephaim” in biblical and ancient Near Eastern sources has caused much bewilderment throughout the years. Biblical dictionaries and encyclopedias usually provide two main meanings for the word: (1) ghosts or shades of the dead, and (2) a mythical and ancient race of giants. These meanings are mostly derived from the mentions of the Rephaim in the Bible. The Rephaim appear in the Bible in a variety of contexts. Here are some examples (author’s translation): Only King Og of the Bashan was left of the remaining Rephaim. His bedstead, an iron bedstead, is […]