Jehovah Rapha (also spelled Jehovah Rophe or Yahweh Rapha) means the LORD who heals. It comes from Exodus 15:26, where God told Israel, "I am the LORD that healeth thee" (Exodus 15:26). The Hebrew word rapha means to heal, restore or make whole. The exact phrase Jehovah Rapha does not appear in the King James text; it is a name Bible teachers drew from that verse. It describes God as the healer of bodies, hearts, souls and nations, and Jesus showed this name in His ministry of healing.
Three days after crossing the Red Sea, Israel was thirsty in the desert. They found water at a place called Marah, but it was bitter and undrinkable. The people complained, Moses cried to the LORD, and God showed him a tree. When Moses threw it into the water, the water became sweet. Right there God made a promise and revealed something about Himself: I am the LORD that healeth thee (Exodus 15:26). Christians often call this name Jehovah Rapha. Jehovah is the traditional English form of God's personal name, which the KJV usually prints as LORD in small capitals. Rapha is the Hebrew verb for heal. Together they say: the covenant God of Israel is the God who heals. This name is a comfort to anyone who is sick, hurting or worn down, and it covers more than physical illness. In Scripture, God heals bodies, broken hearts, sin-sick souls and wounded nations. One important note: trusting Jehovah Rapha does not mean refusing medical care. Luke, who wrote two books of the Bible, was the beloved physician (Colossians 4:14). Keep seeing your doctor, and pray. The twelve King James verses below follow the name from Marah to the ministry of Jesus. For the other Hebrew names, see Hebrew names of God.
Where the name comes from: Marah and Elim
1. Exodus 15:23
"And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah."
When they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Marah means bitter. Israel had just watched God part the sea, and three days later they were thirsty and afraid again. Most of us know that pattern. God did not scold them first. He healed the water and then gave them His name, Jehovah Rapha. Bitter places are often where we learn who God really is.
2. Exodus 15:27
"And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters."
Right after Marah, God led Israel to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees. Twelve wells, one for each tribe, and seventy palm trees for shade. The God who heals also leads to places of rest and refreshment. If you are at Marah now, remember that Elim is the very next stop in the story. Healing often comes in stages, and God knows the way to the oasis.
3. Exodus 23:25
"And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee."
Ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. This promise was part of God's covenant with Israel as a nation. It shows God's heart: He cares about everyday needs like food, water and health. It is not a guarantee that faithful people never get sick, as Job, Timothy and Paul's friend Epaphroditus show, but it is a reminder to bring physical needs to God.
4. Numbers 12:13
"And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee."
When Miriam was struck with leprosy, Moses prayed one of the shortest prayers in the Bible: Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. Miriam had just spoken against him, but Moses prayed for her anyway. Healing prayer does not need long words. It needs an honest cry to Jehovah Rapha. And it can be a prayer for someone who has hurt us. God answered, and after seven days Miriam was restored.
The LORD who heals the body, the heart and the soul
5. 2 Chronicles 30:20
"And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people."
During King Hezekiah's great Passover, many people ate without being ceremonially clean. Hezekiah prayed for God to pardon them, And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. This healing was spiritual and relational as much as physical. It is linked to a famous promise from the same book: if God's people humble themselves and pray, He will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).
6. Psalms 41:4
"I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee."
LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee. The deepest healing anyone needs is the healing of the soul. David connects sickness of heart with sin and asks for mercy. Jehovah Rapha heals guilt and shame through forgiveness. Isaiah promised of the coming Saviour, with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). The cross is where the healing of the soul was purchased.
7. Job 5:18
"For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole."
For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. These words come from Job's friend Eliphaz, and parts of his advice were wrong, but this line echoes truth found elsewhere (Deuteronomy 32:39; Hosea 6:1). God sometimes allows painful seasons, but His hands are the hands that bind up and make whole. Like a surgeon, He wounds only to heal. If you are hurting, you can trust the hands that hold you.
8. Ezekiel 34:16
"I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment."
God, as the true Shepherd, promises, I will seek that which was lost... and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick. Israel's leaders had neglected the weak, so God Himself would come to care for them. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, fulfilled this. If you feel broken, weak or forgotten, Jehovah Rapha is the Shepherd who comes looking for you with bandages, not blame.
Jehovah Rapha revealed in Jesus
9. Matthew 4:23
"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people."
Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching... preaching... and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Teaching, preaching and healing went together in Jesus' ministry. When people saw Him heal, they were seeing Jehovah Rapha in human flesh. Matthew later says this fulfilled Isaiah: Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses (Matthew 8:17).
10. Luke 7:21
"And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight."
When John the Baptist's messengers came asking whether Jesus was the promised One, in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues... and unto many that were blind he gave sight. Then Jesus told them to report what they had seen. His healings were evidence that God had come to His people. Luke, the doctor, records many of these details with care.
11. Acts 10:38
"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."
Peter summed up Jesus' life in one sentence: God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. Jesus' healing was part of His war on everything that harms people. Healing, in the Bible, is a sign of God's kingdom pushing back darkness.
12. Acts 3:16
"And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all."
After a man lame from birth was healed at the temple gate, Peter refused to take credit: his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong. The power was not in Peter but in the name of Jesus. Christians still pray for healing in Jesus' name, trusting God's power and His wisdom about how and when He answers. Ultimately, every believer is promised full healing when God makes all things new (Revelation 21:4).
A short prayer
Jehovah Rapha, LORD who heals, I come to You as I am. You know my body, my mind and my heart better than anyone. Where I am sick, I ask for Your healing touch. Where I am broken, bind me up. Where I am bitter, make the waters sweet. Give wisdom to my doctors and nurses, and give me patience and peace while I wait. Heal my soul through the forgiveness of Jesus, and let me trust Your love whatever the answer. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Keep Jehovah Rapha and the other names in your Bible with the free Names of God printable · Record your healing prayers and God's answers in the Prayer Journal · Carry a healing verse with you on the Scripture Memory Cards
Frequently asked questions
What does Jehovah Rapha mean?
It means the LORD who heals, or the LORD your healer. Jehovah is an English form of God's personal name, YHWH, and rapha is the Hebrew word for heal, repair or make whole. The name comes from Exodus 15:26. Bible teachers often list it with other compound names such as Jehovah Jireh (Genesis 22:14) and Jehovah Nissi (Exodus 17:15), both of which do appear as place names in the KJV text. See Bible verses about God providing.
Where is Jehovah Rapha in the Bible?
The idea comes from Exodus 15:26 at the bitter waters of Marah, where God says, "I am the LORD that healeth thee" (Exodus 15:26). The KJV does not print the phrase Jehovah Rapha. Other verses use the same Hebrew verb for healing, such as Psalm 103:3, which says God healeth all thy diseases, and Psalm 147:3, He healeth the broken in heart. Read more in Bible verses about healing.
Does Jehovah Rapha always heal?
God always hears, and He is always good, but He does not always heal in the way or timing we ask. Paul prayed three times for his thorn in the flesh and was told, "My grace is sufficient for thee" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul also left his friend Trophimus sick (2 Timothy 4:20). Christians hold to the hope of complete healing in the resurrection, and pray boldly now while trusting God's wisdom. See Bible verses for the sick.
How do I pray to Jehovah Rapha?
Pray honestly and specifically, as Moses did for Miriam. Ask for healing, thank God for His care, and invite others to pray with you, as James 5:14-16 encourages. Ask for wisdom for your medical team. If you are caring for someone who is ill, pray for strength for yourself too. Writing your prayers down can help you see God's answers over time. Try the printable prayer journal, and see Bible verses for caregivers.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Hebrew names of God · Healing · Strength and healing · Verses for the sick · God providing · Health · Verses for caregivers · Faith
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