There are several names and descriptions given to God, especially in the Old Testament. Each of them gives us a different way to grasp the Almighty’s character. Unfortunately, the Hebrew words that give such insight into the names is hidden when translators simply use “God” or “LORD,” so using a study help to see the original Hebrew (or Greek for the New Testament) like Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance is helpful.

One of these Old Testament names is Jehovah Rapha (or Yahweh Rapha). This can be understood to mean Jehovah (God), the Self?Existing One Who Heals.

While this exact phrase did not first appear in the accounts of Abraham, a similar phrase did. Abraham and his wife Sarah moved to the town of Gerar, ruled by King Abimelech (note, there are several men called “Abimelech” in the Bible). For the second time, Abraham told people a half?truth, that Sarah was his sister (they had the same father but different mothers), thinking that beautiful Sarah would be taken and he would be killed. The king did take Sarah, not knowing she was married, but found out in a dream from God that Sarah was actually Abraham’s wife and to return her, which he did (along with cattle, servants and money to settle any claim against him).

The LORD made all the women in the household infertile as a warning to Abimelech for having taken Abraham’s wife. Once the issue was made right, Abraham prayed: Genesis 20:17?18: (KJV) “17So Abraham prayed unto God: and God (rapha) healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. 18For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.”

God healed (verb: rapha) Abimelech. (The verb is next used in Genesis 50:2.)

The verb rapha is used, but not yet as a specific name of God.

This word later appears as a formal name for God in the book of Exodus when the bitter waters of Marah were sweetened: Exodus 15:26: (KJV) “And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am (Jehovah Rapha) the LORD that healeth thee.”

Abraham prays to Elohim, the God of might and power, because a healing of the woman in Pharaoh’s household is needed. God answers with another description of Himself, Jehovah Rapha – the LORD that healeth. Elohim healed the woman, but Jehovah Rapha was not presented as a formal name of God until the waters of Marah were healed.

Additional Resource:
Christian Questions Podcast
“Who is God” Series