REPHAIM

(Rephʹa·im).

A tall people or tribe. There is uncertainty as to the meaning and origin of the name. Likely, they were called Rephaim because of being descendants of a man named Raphah. At 2 Samuel 21:16 ha·Ra·phahʹ (literally, the Raphah) seems to employ the father’s name to stand for the entire giant race.

One of them was described as “a man of extraordinary size whose fingers and toes were in sixes, twenty-four.” The description of their armor indicates that they were all men of great stature. One of these was “Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite.” (1Ch 20:4-8) This Goliath, whom David killed, was in height six cubits and a span (2.9 m; 9.5 ft). (1Sa 17:4-7)