Spirit

[Ian]

It seems like the translators take their pick of meanings.  I see everything from 'the dead' to 'giants'.

Literally, the Rephaim are the people of Repha or Rephah (the -im suffix is pluralizing like Elohim) and are mentioned often in the early books.  It was a particular place-name, and the inhabitants of the place 'repha' are 'rephaim' in the same way the inhabitants of Australia are Australians.

One (?) of the 'rephaim' in the early books is described as a man of great stature. This may be the source of calling ALL 'rephaim' giants.  Seems like a stretch to me.  Later mentions of them use the term symbolically much as Sodom is used symbolically after the destruction of the city.

That's what I get.

Ah. Thank you, Dave..

I think that to be cast into the pit/grave is just a crude way of implying what happens to the wicked.

But do these texts indicate that the righteous go there as well (Ps 28:1, Ps 13:30, Ps 30:9,  Isaiah 38:18, Isaiah 14:15, Isaiah 14:19, etc...)? I always assumed "pit" was synonymous with the grave...until I read that article.

[Kat]

Hi Ian,

All die and we have the word of Scripture for that.

Eze 18:20  The soul who sins shall die.

Rom 3:23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Yes all, even the righteous, die and go to the grave. We have Scripture that show David died.

1Ki 2:10  So David rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David.

Now in the Psalms David frequently cries out to God to save him from being killed by his enemies or do not let him "go down to the pit."

Psa 30:8  I cried out to You, O LORD;
       And to the LORD I made supplication:
v. 9  "What profit is there in my blood,
       When I go down to the pit?
       Will the dust praise You?
       Will it declare Your truth?
v. 10  Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me;
       LORD, be my helper!"

In Psalms 30 we see how David speaks of how God spared his life.

Psa 30:3  O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. (KJ)

Psa 30:3  you kept me from the grave. I was on my way to the depths below, but you restored my life. (GNB)

In Isaiah 38 it speaks of our life being over and not being able to do anything in the grave.

Isa 38:18  For Sheol (the grave) cannot thank You, death cannot praise You; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness. (RSV)

So look at Scripture from the perspective that all do die and that the grave or pit in a hole in the ground where dead people are cast/buried. Hope that helps.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[Joel]

Here are some helpful scriptures also.

Acts 13:36-37 For David after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

Psalms 16: 9-10 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory [my inner self] rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety. For You will not abandon me to Sheol [the place of the dead], neither will You suffer Your holy one to see corruption.

Joel