Thread by @Elishabenabuya

In this week's #Torah portion, we are introduced to several supernatural entities, one of which is called "Rephaim".

Keep in mind that "Rephaim" is older than the OT and is an appropriated word from the Canaanites.

So what were they in ANE literature?

#Devarim
#EBAMeme

1/5

In ANE religions lie the OT, death was dreary and undesirable. It is a lonely existence unless you were deserving in life, meaning, a great hero or leader. In such a case you could serve the Gods, interact with the living, making you one of the Rephaim.

#Devarim
#EBAMeme

2/5

We see this from the author of the Divine War story in Genesis 14 or Joshua 9-13, where the Rephaim of the Goddess Ashteroth are participants.

And in Job where the Rephaim are mentioned as being distinct from the other residents of Sheol.

#Devarim
#EBAMeme

3/5

Remember, the #Torah has many contributors, and each one had his own view about the Rephaim. This is why the Deuteronomist(s), who was obsessed with giants, made his Rephaim gigantic while others did not.

In killing them, Yahweh eliminated competition.

#Devarim
#EBAMeme

4/5

To confuse things further, the Deuteronomist(s) gave the Rephaim different names, depending upon which tribe they were from, and corrupted one of the names used by the Genesis authors.

Did they exist?

Of course not.

But they are a fun literary device!

#Devarim
#EBAMeme

5/5