רְפֻאָה (re.phu.ah)
re.phu.ah
remedy
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun rephuah means a healing agent or remedy, specifically referring to physical medicine rather than the abstract concept of health. It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times in the book of Jeremiah, where it denotes tangible substances used to treat illness.
In Jeremiah 8:22, the prophet asks if there is no balm in Gilead or medicine there, using rephuah to highlight the people’s spiritual crisis. The verse suggests that while physical remedies exist, they cannot cure a nation that has turned away from God. This usage underscores the word's concrete nature as a prepared treatment.
The second occurrence in Jeremiah 46:11 mentions Babylonian warriors seeking rephuah for their wounds. Here, it refers to medicinal preparations applied to injuries sustained in battle. The term consistently points to external aids for physical restoration, distinguishing it from verbs that describe the act of healing itself.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word rephuah refers to a tangible remedy or physical medicine. It appears only twice in the Old Testament, both within the book of Jeremiah. In these contexts, it describes concrete substances used to treat illness or wounds, rather than an abstract sense of well-being.
Jeremiah 46:11 highlights this by mentioning many medicines used in vain. This reminds us that physical treatments have limits. Sometimes our struggles go deeper than what a bottle of medicine can fix. The text points to needs that require more than just external aid.
This word invites us to look beyond surface-level fixes. It acknowledges the value of care while pointing toward a greater source of restoration. When we face pain, we can trust in God’s lasting peace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- remedies1×
- [are] medications of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- רְפֻא֥וֹת1×
- רְפֻא֔וֹת1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 46:11
Go up into Gilead, and take balm, virgin daughter of Egypt. You use many medicines in vain. There is no healing for you.
This verse uses rephuah to describe the many medicines used in vain, showing that physical remedies cannot cure a nation's spiritual crisis.
-
Jeremiah 30:13
There is no one to plead your cause, that you may be bound up. You have no healing medicines.
Here the word appears as healing medicines that are missing, emphasizing the people's lack of any remedy for their broken state.