The Hebrew term rapha’ (H7496) which occurs 8 times within the Bible and which, for example, the KJV translates as dead (7x), deceased (1x) as it appears 8 times within the Bible and it generally thought to refer to ghosts of the dead, shades, spirits.
From the primitive root (H7495) which the KJV translates as heal (57x), physician (5x), cure (1x), repaired (1x), miscellaneous (3x), in the sense of another primitive root (H7503) which the KJV has as feeble (6x), fail (4x), weaken (4x), go (4x), alone (4x), idle (3x), stay (3x), slack (3x), faint (2x), forsake (2x), abated (1x), cease (1x), miscellaneous (9x).
Psalm 88:10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead H7496 arise and praise thee? Selah. Proverbs 2:18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. H7496 Proverbs 9:18 But he knoweth not that the dead H7496 are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell. Proverbs 21:16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. H7496 Isaiah 14:9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead H7496 for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
Isaiah 26:14 They are dead [muwth H4191], they shall not live; they are deceased, H7496 they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
Isaiah 26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. H7496
Job 26:5 is of most interest when it comes to this word as researchers into issues of the Nephilim, “giants,” etc. tend to latch unto this one thus, here it is in various translations:
Yet, before listing how the Job text is variously translated, note that rapha’ (H7496) is related to rapha’ (H7497) whence we get Rephaim as in the tribe or clan or people group which comes from the above considered H7495 in the sense of invigorating. The KJV translates H7497 as (17x), Rephaim (8x). Some read the definition noted above, pertaining to the dead, into contexts dealing with the Rephaim and thus un-contextually depict them as being some sort of zombie-like race. Even referring to them as “giants” is generic as that term only means taller than the average (and Hebrew males of those days were 5.5 ft.).
The only reference to their height is Deuteronomy 2:10-11 which states, “The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; which also were accounted giants [rapha’ H7497], as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.”
Well, since the Emims were as tall as the Anakims and the Anakim are were accounted rapha’ then the Rephaim were as tall as the Anakim but how tall was that? The only specific statement is within Numbers 13:33 which is specific although symbolic. The sons of Anak, Anakim, Anakites or however your translation has it made the Hebrews feel “in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”
So, can we then calculate, as per a one-to-one ratio, the height of a grasshopper to a human and thus a human to the Anakim? Isaiah 40:22 states about God that, “he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers…” Thus, either we can figure out how tall God is or the comparison to grasshoppers in both cases are symbolic.
???
Here is the Job text:
AKJV: Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. ASV: They that are deceased tremble AMP: The spirits of the dead tremble AMPC: The shades of the dead tremble BRG: Dead things are formed from CEB: The dead writhe CJB: The ghosts of the dead tremble CEV: Remember the terrible trembling of those in the world of the dead below the mighty ocean. DARBY: The shades tremble DRA: Behold the giants groan under the waters ERV: The ghosts and their neighbors in the underworld shake with fear. ESV: The dead tremble under the waters and their inhabitants. ESVUK: The dead tremble under the waters and their inhabitants. EXB: The ·spirits of the dead [shades; L Rephaim; C departed ancestors] tremble, ·those who are beneath and in the waters [L the waters and their inhabitants are terrified; C symbol for the forces of evil]. GNV: The dead things are formed under the waters, and near unto them. GW: The souls of the dead tremble beneath the water, and so do the creatures living there. GNT: The spirits of the dead tremble in the waters under the earth. HCSB: The departed spirits tremble beneath the waters and all that inhabit them. ICB: The spirits of the dead beneath the waters shake. And so do those that live in the waters. ISV: The ghosts of the dead writhe under the waters along with those who live there with them. JUB: Dead things are formed under the waters and of its dwelling places. KJ21: Dead things are formed KJV: Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. LEB: The spirits of the dead tremble below the waters and their inhabitants. TLB: The dead stand naked, trembling before God in the place where they go. MSG: All the buried dead are in torment, and all who’ve been drowned in the deep, deep sea. MEV: The departed spirits tremble under the waters, and their inhabitants. NABRE: The shades beneath writhe in terror, the waters, and their inhabitants. NASB: The departed spirits tremble Under the waters and their inhabitants. NCV: The spirits of the dead tremble, those who are beneath and in the waters. NET: The dead tremble— those beneath the waters and all that live in them. NIRV: The spirits of the dead are suffering greatly. So are those that are under the waters. And so are all those that live in them. NIV: The dead are in deep anguish, those beneath the waters and all that live in them. NIVUK: The dead are in deep anguish, those beneath the waters and all that live in them. NKJV: The dead tremble, Those under the waters and those inhabiting them. NLV: The spirits of the dead shake under the waters and those living in them. NLT: The dead tremble— those who live beneath the waters. NOG: The souls of the dead tremble beneath the water, and so do the creatures living there. NRSV: The shades below tremble, the waters and their inhabitants. NRSVA: The shades below tremble, the waters and their inhabitants. NRSVACE: The shades below tremble, the waters and their inhabitants. NRSVCE: The shades below tremble, the waters and their inhabitants. OJB: Dead things tremble from under the mayim, and the inhabitants thereof. RSV: The shades below tremble, the waters and their inhabitants. RSVCE: The shades below tremble, the waters and their inhabitants. TLV: The dead tremble—those beneath the water and all that live in them. VOICE: The departed quiver below, down deep beneath the seas and all that is within them, WEB: The departed spirits tremble, those beneath the waters and all that live in them. WYC: Lo! giants wail under waters, and they that dwell with them. (Lo! the spirits of the dead wail under the waters, and they that dwell with them.)
YLT: The Rephaim are formed, Beneath the waters, also their inhabitants.
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