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Resheph was a significant deity in ancient Near Eastern cultures, worshipped from the mid-third millennium BCE to the end of the first century BCE across regions like Ebla, Ugarit, Phoenicia, and Egypt. His roles and attributes varied by culture but generally included:
God of War and Plague: Resheph was often depicted as a war god, represented as a bearded man wielding an axe, holding a shield, and wearing a tall, pointed headdress adorned with a goat’s or gazelle’s head. He was also associated with pestilence and disease, sometimes linked to the Babylonian god Nergal, who shared similar attributes.

Underworld and Healing: In some traditions, Resheph was a gatekeeper of the underworld or a deity of healing, reflecting his dual role as both destructive and protective. In Ugaritic texts, he is called the "doorkeeper of the sun goddess Shapash."

Multiple Hypostases: In Eblaite tradition, Resheph appeared in various forms, such as Resheph of Adanni, Resheph of gunum (possibly a palatial enclosure or garden), and Resheph of Tunip. These hypostases suggest localized worship tied to specific places or functions.

Resheph in the Hebrew Bible
In the Hebrew Bible, Resheph appears seven times, often not as a deity but as a term with meanings like "pestilence," "arrow," "fire," or "spark," connoting destructive forces under divine control:
Deuteronomy 32:24: Resheph is paired with Qeteb, a demon, as a personified force of destruction (e.g., plague or fever).

Psalms 78:48: Refers to "reshafim" as "lightning bolts" or "fiery bolts" during the plagues of Egypt, possibly alluding to Resheph’s association with fire.

Psalms 76:4: Mentions "rishfei kashet" (fiery arrows of the bow), linking Resheph to arrows or sparks, symbolizing divine judgment.

Habakkuk 3:5: Describes Resheph as a subordinate deity or demon alongside pestilence, emphasizing Yahweh’s power over destructive forces.

The Hebrew word resheph (רֶשֶׁף) derives from a root meaning "flame," "burning," or "fever," and is used figuratively for lightning, arrows, or plague. Some scholars debate whether it always refers to the deity or sometimes just the concept of destruction.