Hebrew transliteration of the Ugaritic-speaking Rāpiʾūma. Like the An•âq•imꞋ, the Rāpiʾūma were a tribe of the cursed Kᵊna•an•imꞋ (aka by dysphemism Nᵊphil•imꞋ). The Rāpiʾūma were differentiated from the An•âq•imꞋ and other tribes of Nᵊphil•imꞋ (Kᵊna•an•imꞋ) by their Ugaritic religious denomination of Ethno­salvif­ic Intercessory Necro­demi­god­al Mysticism (EINM).

According to the Keilschrift Texte aus Ugarit (KTU 1.20–22) describing Syria's Ugarit cult of the dead: rapi'uma (long deceased demigods)… were invoked in a funeral liturgy, offered food & drink & entreated to grant requests (e.g. healing) of the current king.

Note that their religion was very similar to the Mi•tzᵊraꞋyim Par•ōhꞋs' Ethno­salvif­ic Intercessory Demi­god­al Mysticism (EIDM).; lacking the central focus on necromancy.

The Ugarit-speaking Rāpiʾūma Tribe of Syrians settled as far south as the eastern coast of Yâm Ki•nërꞋët. Conquered by the Hellenist Romans in BCE 3rd century, The Nᵊtzârim Reconstruction of Hebrew Matitᵊyâhu 8.28 refer­ence to "pig herd­ing demoniacs… emerging from the sepulchres" undoubt­edly descibres the EINM religion of the Rāpiʾūma, who inhabited Bashan.

The רְפָאִים, whom the •mōn•imꞋ called זַמְזֻמִּֽים, tribe emerged from Neolithic prehistory into the Bronze Age era of the earliest writing, where they are describ­ed as the inhabitants of the twin-citiy of AshᵊtᵊrōtꞋ-Qa•rᵊn•ayꞋim, in Bâsh•ânꞋ. The region of Bâsh•ânꞋ (modern NW Jordan), formerly inhabited by the רְפָאִֽים, was subsequently assigned by יְהוָׂה to Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ.

• Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 2.9-10 — The land of the Mō•âv•imꞋ  was formerly inhabited by the אֵמִ֥ים who were an

  עַ֣ם גָּד֥וֹל וְרַ֛ב וָרָ֖ם כָּעֲנָקִֽים׃
  
  and
   רְפָאִ֛ים יֵחָשְׁב֥וּ

  The אֵמִ֥ים, like the An•âq•imꞋ, were both kindred tribes of the Rᵊphâ•imꞋ.

• Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu ha-Nâ•viꞋ describes the Rᵊphâ•imꞋ as residents of the netherworld (ShᵊōlꞋ)

• An often erroneously related term is עִ֣יר, used by the idolatrous Nᵊvu-khad-nëtz•arꞋ in explaining his dream and merely repeated back by Dân•iy•eilꞋ when interpreting the king's dream (Dân•iy•eilꞋ 4.10, 14, 20)

Neanderthal WilmaA רְפָאיָה giant? Perplexingly, it was the European Neanderthals who were "stockier" while the Homo sapi­ens, out of Africa (see •dâmꞋ), were taller. (Wilma design & photo National Geographic, 1996)

Bâsh•ânꞋ King Ōg's Bed — was 14'x6'. So arts-degreed, theologian-agendized interpreters and "archaeologists" know he was over 13 feet tall (while misdirecting away from the conspicuous meaning of "circle-drawer"—which convicts many charlatan Ultra-Orthodox Jews (and every Christian) for practicing intercessory religion).

Since Shaq O'Neil's bed is 30'x15' we know equally well that Shaq is ≈30 feet tall.

Based on archaeologists' measurements of ancient skeletons, Bronze Age Mi•tzᵊr•imꞋ, Yi•sᵊr•â•eil•imꞋ and Kᵊna•an•imꞋ averaged ≈1.70m (≈5' 6"). A "giant" to ancient people—at about 20cm (8") taller than average—was only ≈2m (≈6' 2").

Cognate Hebrew Verb רָפָא

The cognate Hebrew verb, רָפָא, was adapted by singularizing the plural noun that had been derived from Rāpiʾūma. But Necro­demigodal EINM religious aspects from the Rāpiʾūma cult of the dead are intractably incompatible with ESES. Consequently, the emerging Hebrew adaptation was necessarily sanitized of the Necro­demigodal EINM religious aspects from the Rāpiʾūma cult of the dead.

Subsequent theolog­iically driven, traditional religious translators have universally blurred "treat­ment" with (the hoped-for) healing or cure—a logical fallacy. This is true of the Καινής Διαθήκης (NT) Greek terms as well: the action is θεραπεύω. Not until the θεραπεύω has subsequently proven successful is healing or cure acknowledged—only יְהוָׂה heals and cures, not mortal "healer" supplanters (=idolaters).

Thus, the ESES meaning (Biblical usage) was historically limited to patching, sewing-up or mending; including administering medical therapy & treatment—but not extending to a resulting healing or cure, which was the exclusive Domain of the Existant (יְהוָׂה).

A patch is typically weaker than the original, perfectly lending itself to the heretofore unrelated, universally acknowledged secondary meaning of רָפָא—confirming the analyses!