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רָפָא

𐤓𐤐𐤀

râphâʼ

H7495 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To heal, to restore to health, to cure of physical or spiritual maladies; to make whole or sound. The term can refer both to medical or physical healing (of people, wounds, or even water supplies or lands) and, in extended and figurative uses, to the restoration of social, communal, or spiritual wellbeing. The verb sometimes also implies the process of bringing about renewal, repair, or complete restoration in instances of injury, distress, or brokenness.

Semantic Range

to heal physical illness; to cure diseases; to restore health; to repair wounds; to act as a healer or physician; to restore a community or nation; to make sound or whole (physically, socially, or spiritually); to mend or repair non-organic entities (e.g., water, land); to bring about renewal or restoration

Root / Etymology

The verb רָפָא derives from the root רפא, which conveys the sense of healing or restoration. The original concrete meaning may have been associated with binding up wounds or tending to the sick, although the etymology is not attested in cognate Semitic languages outside Hebrew, and thus is considered uncertain beyond the general idea of healing. The word is found in various binyanim (verb stems) in Hebrew, primarily in Qal, Nifal, and Piel, with a consistent semantic focus on cure, heal, or repair. The noun forms (רופא for 'healer, physician' and תְּרוּפָה for 'medicine, remedy') are also derived from this root.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, רָפָא is employed across diverse genres, including narratives (healing of individuals, e.g., Gen 20:17 where Abraham prays for healing), legal contexts, prophetic literature (healing of nations or restoration to favor, e.g., Jer 30:17), and wisdom texts. The scope of the verb extends from tangible, observable healing by human or divine agency to metaphorical uses where restoration refers to social, political, or spiritual circumstances—such as the healing of a damaged nation (Isa 6:10), or the restoration of a broken community. Unlike later Greek or Roman medical terminology, the biblical term does not denote a technical or specialized profession by default, though the noun רֹפֵא (physician, healer) does emerge by the monarchic period (e.g., 2 Chr 16:12). Later Judean and early Second Temple literature begin to use the term with increased reference to professional healers. In translation traditions (e.g., Septuagint, Vulgate), רָפָא is rendered as 'to heal' or 'physician,' but over time, especially in English (KJV and successors), the semantic field narrows toward 'healing' (primarily physical or spiritual). The broader contextual senses—such as mending or restoring non-human entities—are sometimes less visible in these translations.

Translation Consistency

primary "heal" 42 occurrences

"Heal" is the most natural, common English verb that captures the primary semantic range of רָפָא — curing physical disease, restoring health, and broader restoration of persons, communities, or lands. It matches the majority of existing renderings, fits both literal and figurative uses, and reads naturally in translation contexts better than alternatives like "restore" or "cure."

Alternatives (8 occurrences):
"healer" (3x) "restored to wholeness" (3x) "physicians" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or רָפָה; a primitive root; properly, to mend (by stitching), i.e. (figuratively) to cure; cure, (cause to) heal, physician, repair, [idiom] thoroughly, make whole. See רָפָה.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

רפא (Yirepeel) — to heal, restore, cure

Root רפא to heal, to cure, to restore, to repair
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3416 יִרְפְּאֵל El Heals
H4832 מַרְפֵּא healing remedy
H7497 רָפָא the Rephaite
H7498 רָפָא Rapha
H7499 רְפֻאָה remedies of

Word Forms

53 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7495-13 נִרְפָּא nirepa HVNp3ms has been healed was healed was healed 4
H7495-11 לְ/הִתְרַפֵּ֣א lehiterape HR/Vtc to be healed to heal oneself to be healed 3
H7495-53 יִרְפָּ֥א yirepa HVqi3ms will heal he will heal he will heal 3
H7495-02 אֶרְפָּ֔א erepa HVqi1cs heal I will heal I will heal 2
H7495-05 הָ֝/רֹפֵ֗א harofe HTd/Vqrmsa he heals the healer the healer 2
H7495-06 הָ/רֹ֣פְאִ֔ים harofeim HTd/Vqrmpa the physicians the healers the physicians 2
H7495-09 לְ/הֵרָפֵֽא leherafe HR/VNc be healed to be healed to be healed 2
H7495-12 לִ/רְפּ֔וֹא lirepo HR/Vqc to heal to heal to heal 2
H7495-17 רְפָאֵ֤/נִי refaeni HVqv2ms/Sp1cs heal me heal me heal me 2
H7495-24 רֹ֣פֶא rofe HVqrmsa physician healing-one healer 2

Occurrences in Scripture

69 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7495-38 Genesis 20:17 וַ/יִּרְפָּ֨א vayirepa HC/Vqw3ms healed and he healed and he healed
H7495-06 Genesis 50:2 הָ/רֹ֣פְאִ֔ים harofeim HTd/Vqrmpa the physicians the healers the physicians
H7495-06 Genesis 50:2 הָ/רֹפְאִ֖ים harofeim-2 HTd/Vqrmpa the physicians the healers the physicians
H7495-25 Exodus 15:26 רֹפְאֶֽ/ךָ rofeekha HVqrmsc/Sp2ms your healer your healer your healer
H7495-46 Exodus 21:19 וְ/רַפֹּ֥א verapo HC/Vpa and healing thoroughly heal and thoroughly heal
H7495-52 Exodus 21:19 יְרַפֵּֽא yerape HVpi3ms he shall heal he will thoroughly heal he will thoroughly heal
H7495-42 Leviticus 13:18 וְ/נִרְפָּֽא venirepa HC/VNq3ms and it is healed and he was healed and he was healed
H7495-13 Leviticus 13:37 נִרְפָּ֥א nirepa HVNp3ms has healed was healed was healed
H7495-13 Leviticus 14:3 נִרְפָּ֥א nirepa HVNp3ms has been healed was healed he was healed
H7495-13 Leviticus 14:48 נִרְפָּ֖א nirepa HVNp3ms has been healed was healed it was healed
H7495-15 Numbers 12:13 רְפָ֥א refa HVqv2ms heal Heal! Heal
H7495-09 Deuteronomy 28:27 לְ/הֵרָפֵֽא leherafe HR/VNc be healed to be healed to be healed
H7495-09 Deuteronomy 28:35 לְ/הֵרָפֵ֑א leherafe HR/VNc be healed to be healed to be healed
H7495-02 Deuteronomy 32:39 אֶרְפָּ֔א erepa HVqi1cs heal I will heal I will heal
H7495-28 1 Samuel 6:3 תֵּרָֽפְאוּ֙ terafeu HVNi2mp you will be healed you will be healed you will be healed
H7495-35 1 Kings 18:30 וַ/יְרַפֵּ֛א vayerape HC/Vpw3ms And he repaired he restored to wholeness he restored to wholeness
H7495-23 2 Kings 2:21 רִפִּ֨אתִי֙ ripiti HVpp1cs I have healed I have healed I have healed
H7495-34 2 Kings 2:22 וַ/יֵּרָפ֣וּ vayerafu HC/VNw3mp and were healed and they were healed and they were healed
H7495-11 2 Kings 8:29 לְ/הִתְרַפֵּ֣א lehiterape HR/Vtc to be healed to heal oneself to be healed
H7495-11 2 Kings 9:15 לְ/הִתְרַפֵּ֣א lehiterape HR/Vtc to be healed to heal oneself to be healed
H7495-24 2 Kings 20:5 רֹ֣פֶא rofe HVqrmsa will heal healing-one healer
H7495-53 2 Kings 20:8 יִרְפָּ֥א yirepa HVqi3ms will heal he will heal he will heal
H7495-44 Isaiah 6:10 וְ/רָ֥פָא verafa HC/Vqq3ms and be healed and he healed and is healed
H7495-45 Isaiah 19:22 וְ/רָפ֑וֹא verafo HC/Vqa and-healing and healing and healing
H7495-30 Isaiah 19:22 וּ/רְפָאָֽ/ם urefaam HC/Vqq3ms/Sp3mp and-heal-them and he healed them and he will heal them
H7495-53 Isaiah 30:26 יִרְפָּֽא yirepa HVqi3ms will heal he will heal he will heal
H7495-13 Isaiah 53:5 נִרְפָּא nirepa HVNp3ms we are healed was healed was healed
H7495-41 Isaiah 57:18 וְ/אֶרְפָּאֵ֑/הוּ veerepaehu HC/Vqi1cs/Sp3ms and I will heal him and I will heal him and I will heal him
H7495-32 Isaiah 57:19 וּ/רְפָאתִֽי/ו urefativ HC/Vqq1cs/Sp3ms and-I-will-heal-him and I healed him and I heal him
H7495-04 Jeremiah 3:22 אֶרְפָּ֖ה erepah HVqi1cs I will heal I will heal I will heal
H7495-36 Jeremiah 6:14 וַֽ/יְרַפְּא֞וּ vayerapeu HC/Vpw3mp and they have healed and they thoroughly healed and they thoroughly healed
H7495-37 Jeremiah 8:11 וַ/יְרַפּ֞וּ vayerapu HC/Vpw3mp and they healed and they restored to wholeness and they restored to wholeness
H7495-24 Jeremiah 8:22 רֹפֵ֖א rofe HVqrmsa physician healing-one healer
H7495-07 Jeremiah 15:18 הֵֽרָפֵ֔א herafe HVNc to be healed to be healed to be healed
H7495-17 Jeremiah 17:14 רְפָאֵ֤/נִי refaeni HVqv2ms/Sp1cs Heal me heal me heal me
H7495-39 Jeremiah 17:14 וְ/אֵ֣רָפֵ֔א veerafe HC/VNh1cs and I will be healed and let me be healed and I will be healed
H7495-10 Jeremiah 19:11 לְ/הֵרָפֵ֖ה leherafeh HR/VNc repaired to be healed to be healed
H7495-03 Jeremiah 30:17 אֶרְפָּאֵ֖/ךְ erepaekhe HVqi1cs/Sp2fs I will heal you I will heal you I will heal you
H7495-31 Jeremiah 33:6 וּ/רְפָאתִ֑י/ם urefatim HC/Vqq1cs/Sp3mp and I will heal them and I will heal them and I will heal them
H7495-27 Jeremiah 51:8 תֵּרָפֵֽא terafe HVNi3fs she may be healed she will be healed it will be healed
H7495-20 Jeremiah 51:9 רפאנו rfnv HVpp1cp We have healed we have healed we have healed
H7495-22 Jeremiah 51:9 רִפִּ֣ינוּ ripinu HVpp1cp Babylon we have healed we have healed
H7495-14 Jeremiah 51:9 נִרְפָּ֔תָה nirepatah HVNp3fs was she healed she was healed it was healed
H7495-21 Ezekiel 34:4 רִפֵּאתֶ֗ם ripetem HVpp2mp you healed you restored to wholeness you restored to wholeness
H7495-50 Ezekiel 47:8 ו/נרפאו vnrfv HC/VNq3cp and they will be healed and they were healed and they were healed
H7495-43 Ezekiel 47:8 וְ/נִרְפּ֥וּ venirepu HC/VNq3cp and will be healed and they were healed and they were healed
H7495-47 Ezekiel 47:9 וְ/יֵרָֽפְאוּ֙ veyerafeu HC/VNi3mp and they will be healed they will be healed and they will be healed
H7495-51 Ezekiel 47:11 יֵרָפְא֖וּ yerafeu HVNi3mp they will be healed they will be healed they will be healed
H7495-12 Hosea 5:13 לִ/רְפֹּ֣א lirepo HR/Vqc to heal to heal to heal
H7495-49 Hosea 6:1 וְ/יִרְפָּאֵ֑/נוּ veyirepaenu HC/Vqi3ms/Sp1cp and He will heal us and he will heal us and he will heal us
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