REPHAIM, or Raphaim, the antient Giants of the Land of Canaan. There were antiently several Families of them in this Country. ‘Tis commonly thought, that they were descended from one called Rephah or Rapha; but others imagine that the Word Rephaim properly signify’d Giants, in the antient Language of this People. There were of the Rephaim beyond Jordan, at Ashteroth Karnaim, in the time of Abraham, when Chedorlaomer made War Gen. xiv. 5.against them. There were also some of them in this Country in the Time of Moses. Og King of Bashan was one of the Posterity Josh. xii. 4. Josh. xvii. 15. 1 Chron. xx. 4, 5, 6.of the Rephaim. Also in the time of Joshua there were some of their Descendants in the Land of Canaan. Lastly, we hear of them still in David’s time, in the City of Gath. The Giants Goliath, Sippai, Lahmi, and others, were some Remains of the Rephaim. Their Magnitude and Strength are known from Scripture. Our Dissertation upon the Giants may be consulted.
Josh. xv. 8. xviii. 16. 2 Sam. v. 18, 22. 1 Chron. xi. 15. xiv. 9. 2 Sam. xxiii. 13.The Valley of the Rephaim or Giants, was a famous place in Joshua’s time, and also in King David’s. It is mentioned likewise by Isaiah, xvii. 5. The Philistines encamped there more than once. It is also called in the Greek, the Valley of the Titans, and in the Vulgate, the Valley of the Giants. Joshua places the Valley of Rephaim as one of the Limits of the Portion of Judah. It was very near Jerusalem, and may be doubted whether it belonged to Judah or to Benjamin, because of the Proximity of these two Tribes. Eusebius places it in Benjamin, but Joshua xviii. 16. and those Passages of the Books of Samuel where it is mentioned, insinuate that it belong’d to Judah, and was to the South or West of Jerusalem.