International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Rephaim, Vale of

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Rephaim, Vale of


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(רפאים עמק, ‛ēmeḳ rephā'ı̄m; κοιλὰς Ῥαφαείμ, koilás Rhaphaeı́m, κοιλὰς τῶν Τιτάνων, koilás tṓn Titánōn): This was a fertile vale (), to the Southwest of Jerusalem (; ; the King James Version “Valley of the Giants”), on the border between Judah and Benjamin. Here David repeatedly defeated the invading Philistines (, ; ; ; ). It is located by Josephus between Jerusalem and Bethlehem (Ant., VII, iv, 1; xii, 4). It corresponds to the modern el-Biḳa‛, which falls away to the Southwest from the lip of the valley of Hinnom. The name in ancient times may perhaps have covered a larger area, including practically all the land between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, where the head-waters of Nahr Rubı̄n are collected.