Rephaim, The Valley of
Rephaim, The Valley of
Reph’a-im, The valley of. 1Sa 5:18; 1Sa 5:22; 1Sa 23:13; 1Ch 11:15; 1Ch 14:9; Isa 17:5; also in Jos 15:8 and Jos 18:16. It is translated, in the Authorized Version, “the valley of the giants”, a spot which was the scene of some of David’s most remarkable adventures. He twice encountered and defeated the Philistines there. 2Sa 5:17-25; 2Sa 23:13; etc.
Since the latter part of the sixteenth century, the name has been attached to the upland plain, which stretches south of Jerusalem, and is crossed by the road to Bethlehem — the el Buk’ah of the modern Arabs. (This valley begins near the valley of Hinnom, southwest of Jerusalem extending toward Bethlehem. It is about a mile long, with hills on either side. This agrees with Josephus and is the generally accepted location of this valley. — Editor). Tobler, however, in his last investigations, conclusively adopts the Wady Der Jasin, on the northwest of Jerusalem. The valley appears to derive its name, from the ancient nation of the Rephaim. See Giants.