עֵ֫מֶק
e.meq
Valley (of Rephaim)
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# Valley (Hebrew: עֵמֶק) The Hebrew word *emeq* denotes a valley, as evidenced by its most prominent biblical usage in the "Valley of Rephaim," a specific geographical location mentioned across multiple scriptural passages. With eight occurrences in the Bible, this term refers to a natural topographical feature—a low-lying area between hills or mountains. The word's presence throughout the biblical text suggests it was a recognized and important geographical reference point for the ancient Hebrew-speaking communities. The concentrated usage of this term in connection with the Valley of Rephaim indicates that certain valleys held strategic or historical significance in ancient Israelite geography and memory. Rather than serving as a generic descriptor for any depression in terrain, *emeq* appears to function as a specific locational term, naming particular valleys that were familiar enough to require no additional explanation in the biblical narrative. This pattern of usage suggests the word carried both geographical and possibly cultural weight for biblical audiences.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences across the text
It will be like when the harvester gathers the wheat, and his arm reaps the grain. Yes, it will be like when one gleans grain in the valley of Rephaim.
Joshua 15:8The border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the side of the Jebusite (also called Jerusalem) southward; and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the farthest part of the valley of Rephaim northward.
Joshua 18:16The border went down to the farthest part of the mountain that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of Rephaim northward. It went down to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite southward, and went down to En Rogel.
2 Samuel 5:18Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
2 Samuel 5:22The Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
2 Samuel 23:13Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
1 Chronicles 11:15Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
1 Chronicles 14:9Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim.