Raphu רָפוּא
Father of Palti, a spy sent by Moses
Who is Raphu in the Bible?
Raphu was the father of Palti, one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore Canaan (Numbers 13:9). Palti represented the tribe of Benjamin among the spies chosen to assess the land, its people, and resources before the Israelites entered it. After forty days of exploration, Palti was among the ten spies who gave a negative report, discouraging the people with accounts of the challenges they would face, though Joshua and Caleb urged faith in God's promise. This discouraging report led the Israelites to rebel against the Lord, resulting in their punishment of forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Though Raphu himself is mentioned only briefly as Palti's father, his son's role in this pivotal moment of doubt and disobedience became a significant turning point in Israel's history.
Biography
Raphu is mentioned in the book of Numbers as the father of Palti, who was from the tribe of Benjamin (Num.13.9). Palti was one of the twelve spies chosen by Moses to explore the land of Canaan before the Israelites were to enter it. Each spy was a leader from his respective tribe. The spies were sent to assess the land, its people, and its resources. After forty days, they returned with their report, but only Joshua and Caleb gave a positive assessment. The other ten spies, including Palti, discouraged the people by emphasizing the challenges they would face. As a result, the Israelites rebelled against God and were punished with forty years of wandering in the wilderness.
Family
In Scripture
1 biblical bookNumbers 1 verse
- Numbers 13:9
"from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu;"
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | רָפוּא |
Raphu
rinus and Codex Vaticanus, Rhasseis; Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) Tharsis; Old Latin Thiras et Rasis): The children of Rasses are mentioned with Put, Lud and the childre