The Concept of God as רפא in the pentateuch

Abstract

The study sought to discuss the concept of God as רפא in the Pentateuch. The research will use a Diachronic/Historical Critical approach, taking Form Criticism as the specific approach. A branch of the historical-critical method pioneered by Hermann Gunkel (1862-1932) and developed by Martin Noth and Gerhard von Rad, among other scholars, is applied. The design is appropriate since the research aims to trace the concept of God as the healer and its relevance in the contemporary world's pandemics and sicknesses. An outline of the Exegesis to the main text has been given using the named approaches. The text of this study is found in the Pentateuch, the Hebrew Bible's first five books. Moreover, it is found in Exodus, the second book in the Old Testament canon. The overall theme of this passage is to show God as the healer. The text is situated between two passages; the text before this text is Exodus (15:1-19), which talks about the song of the Israelites led by Miriam and Moses.