1 Chronicles 20:5, which may indicate that there were two Goliaths.—See GOLIATH.

The Hebrew r^e·pha·ʼimʹ is used in another sense in the Bible. Sometimes it clearly applies, not to a specific people, but to those who are dead. Linking the word to a root meaning ‘to sink, relax,’ some scholars conclude that it means “sunken, powerless ones.” In texts where it has this sense the New World Translation renders it “those impotent in death,” and many other translations use renderings such as “dead things,” “deceased” and “dead.”—Job 26:5; Ps. 88:10; Prov. 2:18; 9:18; 21:16; Isa. 14:9; 26:14, 19.

REPHAIM, LOW PLAIN OF

A broad plain or valley near Jerusalem. Presumably it got its name from the tall people named the Rephaim who must have lived there at one time. It is listed as a boundary between the territories of Judah and Benjamin. (Josh. 15:1, 8; 18:11, 16) At its northern end was a mountain (or ridge) that faced the Valley of Hinnom. The traditional identification for the low plain of Rephaim is the plain of the Baqaʽ. It descends for about three miles (5 kilometers) from Jerusalem SW toward Bethlehem. Near its SW end it narows into the Wadi el Werd.

The plain’s fertility (Isa. 17:5) and its proximity to Jerusalem and Bethlehem would have made it desirable to the Philistines. (2 Sam. 23:13, 14; 1 Chron. 11:15-19) After David had been anointed as king over Israel the Philistines made raids in the low plain of Rephaim. David followed God’s directions, however, and was victorious over them.—2 Sam. 5:17-25; 1 Chron. 14:8-17.

REPHAN

(Reʹphan).

An astral deity mentioned by Stephen in his defense before the Sanhedrin. (Acts 7:43) Stephen likely quoted from the Septuagint Version the words of Amos 5:26, 27, to show that Israel’s captivity resulted from their idolatry with foreign deities, such as Rephan (Kaiwan). The translators of the Septuagint rendered “Kaiwan” as Hrai·phanʹ, but in Stephen’s quotation the designation Hrom·phaʹ appears in the Westcott and Hort Greek text. Hrai·phanʹ, as well as its variant Hrom·phaʹ, is considered to be the Egyptian designation for Saturn.—See ASTROLOGERS; KAIWAN.

REPHIDIM

(Rephʹi·dim) [expanses, stretches].

One of the places where the Israelites encamped on their journey from the Red Sea to Mount Sinai. Upon leaving the wilderness of Sin, they encamped at Dophkah, then Alush and finally Rephidim. (Ex. 17:1; Num. 33:12-14) Lacking water at Rephidim, the people complained and quarreled with Moses. At God’s direction Moses took some of the older men to “the rock in Horeb” (evidently the mountainous region of Horeb, not Mount Horeb) and struck a rock with his rod. Water flowed, apparently reaching to the people camped in Rephidim.—Ex. 17:2-7.

The Amalekites attacked the Israelites in Rephidim, but, with Joshua leading in the fighting, God’s people vanquished the attackers. (Ex. 17:8-16) The placement of the account in the record indicates that it was while the Israelites were at Rephidim that Moses’ father-in-law brought Zipporah and her two sons to Moses and suggested that he select chiefs to aid in judging the people.—Ex. 18:1-27.

The exact location of Rephidim is uncertain. The various locations offered by geographers have been determined in accord with their understanding as to the route the Israelites traveled from the wilderness of Sin to Mount Sinai. Many modern geographers identify Rephidim with a site in Wadi Refayied, not far to the NW of the traditional location of Mount Sinai. Adjacent to the wadi is a hill of the same name, on which Moses might have stood with arms elevated during the battle with the Amalekites.

REPROACH

This commonly translates the Greek noun o·nei·di·smosʹ and oʹnei·dos and the Hebrew noun hher·pahʹ. These terms carry the thought of reproach, defamation, disgrace or scorn.—Compare Genesis 30:23; Psalm 69:9; Luke 1:25; Romans 15:3.

Causes for reproach could, of course, vary according to circumstances. For an Israelite male to be uncircumcised during the period of the Law covenant would be cause for reproach. (Compare Judges 14:3.) Thus when all the males born during the wilderness journey were finally circumcised just after the crossing of the Jordan, Jehovah stated: “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you.” (Josh. 5:2-9) Since the evidence indicates that the Egyptians practiced circumcision, this may mean that now the Egyptians would have no basis for reproaching Israel due to the uncircumcision of so many of its males. (Jer. 9:25, 26; see CIRCUMCISION.) On the other hand, circumcision was “a sign of the covenant” between Jehovah and Abraham’s seed. (Gen. 17:9-11) Quite probably the Israelites, during their sojourn in Egypt, had made known to the Egyptians the reason for their practicing circumcision. This would allow for the Egyptians’ having taunted and mocked them as to the apparent nonfulfillment of God’s covenant promises toward them, particularly during the period of Israelite slavery there. Now, by this circumcision of the new generation that had grown up in the wilderness (the older generation having died there), circumcision could point to a reaffirming of their covenant relationship with God. The forty years of wandering having ended, God was also showing them his favor, had introduced them into the Promised Land and would now enable them to conquer it. Therefore any past Egyptian taunts or reproach were now made without foundation, proved false. Christians under the new covenant, whether Jew or Gentile, were not subject to reproach for uncircumcision.—Rom. 2:25-29; 3:28-30; 4:9-12; 1 Cor. 7:18, 19.

For Hebrew women, continuous singleness or widowhood (Isa. 4:1; 54:4), also barrenness (Gen. 30:23; Luke 1:25), was viewed as a reproach. God’s promise concerning the Abrahamic seed and its becoming like “the grains of sand that are on the seashore” doubtless contributed to this feeling. (Gen. 22:15-18; compare 24:59, 60.) By contrast, the apostle Paul commended singleness on the part of both men and women where the motive was service to God with undivided attention and said of the widow that “she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my opinion.”—1 Cor. 7:25-28, 32-40; compare Matthew 19:10-12.

Wrongs such as idolatry, adultery, thievery and other types of immorality, however, were constant in being cause for reproach, as was all disloyalty to God.—2 Sam. 13:13; Prov. 6:32, 33; Rom. 1:18-32; 2:17-24.

Those seeking God’s approval cannot be defaming others. Concerning one who would be a guest in God’s tent, the psalmist declared: “To his companion he has done nothing bad, and no reproach has he taken up against his intimate acquaintance,” that is, he does not spread defamatory information about his intimate acquaintance. (Ps. 15:1, 3) One who defrauds the lowly one or holds him in derision actually reproaches God (Prov. 14:31; 17:5), as do those who level reproach against God’s servants. (Ps. 74:18-23) Ultimately such reproaching leads to calamity for those engaging in it.—Zeph. 2:8-10.

JEHOVAH SILENCES THE REPROACH OF HIS PEOPLE

When the Israelites engaged in false worship or in unrighteous practices, they reproached Jehovah God; for they made the worship of Jehovah appear no better than that of the nations around them. (Isa. 65:7) For their unfaithfulness God permitted calamity to befall them, causing them to become an object of reproach among the nations. (Ezek. 5:14, 15) Not appreciating that the judgment was from God, other nations attributed it to his inability to save Israel and so additional reproach was brought upon Jehovah. Therefore, in restoring the Israelites on the basis of their repentance, Jehovah cleared his name of such reproach.—Ezek. 36:15, 20, 21, 30-36.

Whenever situations arise that make it appear that