 | River | |
River
(1.) Hebrews `aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds water (2 Samuel 22:16), translated "brook," "river," "stream," but not necessarily a perennial stream (Ezek. 6:3; 31:12; 32:6; 34:13).
(2.) Hebrews nahal, in winter a "torrent," in summer a "wady" or valley (Genesis 32:23; Deuteronomy 2:24; 3:16; Isaiah 30:28; Lamentations 2:18; Ezek. 47:9).
These winter torrents sometimes come down with great suddenness and with desolating force. A distinguished traveller thus describes his experience in this matter:, "I was encamped in Wady Feiran, near the base of Jebel Serbal, when a tremendous thunderstorm burst upon us. After little more than an hour's rain, the water rose so rapidly in the previously dry wady that I had to run for my life, and with great difficulty succeeded in saving my tent and goods; my boots, which I had not time to pick up, were washed away. In less than two hours a dry desert wady upwards of 300 yards broad was turned into a foaming torrent from 8 to 10 feet deep, roaring and tearing down and bearing everything upon it, tangled masses of tamarisks, hundreds of beautiful palmtrees, scores of sheep and goats, camels and donkeys, and even men, women, and children, for a whole encampment of Arabs was washed away a few miles above me. The storm commenced at five in the evening; at half-past nine the waters were rapidly subsiding, and it was evident that the flood had spent its force." (Comp. Matthew 7:27; Luke 6:49.)
(3.) Nahar, a "river" continuous and full, a perennial stream, as the Jordan, the Euphrates (Genesis 2:10; 15:18; Deuteronomy 1:7; Psalm 66:6; Ezek. 10:15).
(4.) Tel'alah, a conduit, or water-course (1 Kings 18:32; 2 Kings 18:17; 20:20; Job 38:25; Ezek. 31:4).
(5.) Peleg, properly "waters divided", i.e., streams divided, throughout the land (Psalm 1:3); "the rivers [i.e., `divisions'] of waters" (Job 20:17; 29:6; Proverbs 5:16).
(6.) Ye'or, i.e., "great river", probably from an Egyptian word (Aur), commonly applied to the Nile (Genesis 41:1-3), but also to other rivers (Job 28:10; Isaiah 33:21).
(7.) Yubhal, "a river" (Jeremiah 17:8), a full flowing stream.
(8.) `Ubhal, "a river" (Dan. 8:2).
River of Egypt
(1.) Hebrews nahar mitsraim, denotes in Genesis 15:18 the Nile, or its eastern branch (2 Chronicles 9:26).
(2.) In Numbers 34:5 (R.V., "brook of Egypt") the Hebrew word is nahal, denoting a stream flowing rapidly in winter, or in the rainy season. This is a desert stream on the borders of Egypt. It is now called the Wady el-`Arish. The present boundary between Egypt and Palestine is about midway between this wady and Gaza. (See Numbers 34:5; Joshua 15:4, 47; 1 Kings 8:65; 2 Kings 24:7; Isaiah 27:12; Ezek. 47:19. In all these passages the R.V. has "brook" and the A.V. "river.")
River of Gad
Probably the Arno (2 Samuel 24:5).
River of God
(Psalm 65:9), as opposed to earthly streams, denoting that the divine resources are inexhaustible, or the sum of all fertilizing streams that water the earth (Genesis 2:10).
