re'-zef (retseph;

1. Forms of the Name:

Codex Vaticanus Rhapheis; Rhaphes; Codex Alexandrinus ten Rhapheth (2 Kings 19:12), B Q margin Rhapheth Codex Sinaiticus Q Rhafes; Codex Alexandrinus Rhapheis (Isaiah 37:12); Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) Roseph (2 Kings 19:12), Reseph (Isaiah 37:12)): One of the places referred to by Sennacherib's Rabshakeh when delivering that king's message to Hezekigh demanding the surrender of Jerusalem. The names which precede are Gozan and Haran; and "the children of Eden that were Telassar" follows.

2. Now Called Rucafa:

It is now represented by Rucafa, East of Tipsah and Northeast of Hamath, and is regarded as the (Rhesapha) of Ptolemy (v.15). It was for some time under Assyrian dominion, and appears in a geographical list (2 R 53, 37a) preceded by Arrapba (Arrapachitis) and Halabbu (Halah), and followed by Tamnunu, uder the form of Rasappa (elsewhere Racapi).

3. Its Assyrian Governors:

From the Eponym Canons, Ninip-kibsi-ucur was, it appears, prefect in 839 B.C., Uras-eres from 804 to 775 B.C., Sin-sallimanni in 747, and Bel-emuranni in 737 B.C. Judging from their names, all these were Assyrians, but a seemingly native governor, Abda'u (or Abda'i), possibly later than the foregoina, is mentioned in a list of officials (K. 9921). Yabutu was sanu (deputy-governor?) of Rezeph in 673 B.C. Its mention in the Assyrian geographical lists implies that Rezeph was an important trade-center in Old Testament times.

T. G. Pinches