River
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Heb. ‘aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds water (2 Sam 22:16), translated “brook,” “river,” “stream,” but not necessarily a perennial stream (Ezek 6:3; 31:12; 32:6; 34:13).
Heb. nahal, in winter a “torrent,” in summer a “wady” or valley (Gen 32:23; Deut 2:24; 3:16; Isa 30:28; Lam 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. Matt 7:27; Luke 6:49.)
Nahar, a “river” continuous and full, a perennial stream, as the Jordan, the Euphrates (Gen 2:10; 15:18; Deut 1:7; Ps 66:6; Ezek 10:15).
Tel’alah, a conduit, or water-course (1 Kgs 18:32; 2 Kgs 18:17; 20:20; Job 38:25; Ezek 31:4).
Ye’or, i.e., “great river”, probably from an Egyptian word (Aur), commonly applied to the Nile (Gen 41:1-3), but also to other riverse (Job 28:10; Isa 33:21).
Yubhal, “a river” (Jer 17:8), a full flowing stream.
‘Ubhal, “a river” (Dan 8:2).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
riv'-er:
(1) The usual word is nahar (Aramaic nehar (Ezra 4:10, etc.)), used of the rivers of Eden (Gen 2:10-14), often of the Euphrates (Gen 15:18, etc.), of Abana and Pharpar (2 Kgs 5:12), the river of Gozan (2 Kgs 17:6), the river Chebar (Ezek 1:1), the riverse (canals?) of Babylon (Ps 137:1), the rivers of Ethiopia (Isa 18:1; Zech 3:10). Compare nahr, the common Arabic word for "river."
(2) ye'or, according to BDB from Egyptian iotr, 'io'r, "watercourse," often of the Nile (Exod 1:22, etc.). In Isa 19:6, for ye'ore matsor, the King James Version "brooks of defense," the Revised Version (British and American) has "streams of Egypt." In Isa 19:7; Isa 19:8, for ye'or, the King James Version "brooks," and Zech 10:11, the King James Version "river," the Revised Version (British and American) has "Nile." In Job 28:10, the King James Version "He cutteth out rivers among the rocks," the Revised Version (British and American) has "channels," the Revised Version margin "passages."
(3) There are nearly 100 references to nachal. In about half of these the King James Version has "brook" and in about half "river." the Revised Version (British and American) has more often "brook" or "valley." But the Revised Version (British and American) has river in "whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers" (Lev 11:9); "the river Jabbok" (Deut 2:37; Josh 12:2); the stream issuing from the temple (Ezek 47:5-12). the Revised Version (British and American) has "brook of Egypt," i.e. el-`Arish (Num 34:5; Josh 15:47; 1 Kgs 8:65; 2 Kgs 24:7; 2 Chr 7:8; Amos 6:14, "of the Arabah"); "brook (the King James Version "river") of Kanah" (Josh 16:8); "valley (the King James Version "river") of the Arnon" (Deut 2:24). English Versions of the Bible has "valley": of Gerar (Gen 26:17), of Zered (Num 21:12), but "brook Zered" (Deut 2:13), of Eschol (Num 32:9), of Sorek (Judg 16:4), of Shittim (Joel 3:18). English Versions of the Bible has "brook": Besor (1 Sam 30:10), Kidron (2 Sam 15:23), Gaash, (2 Sam 23:30), Cherith (1 Kgs 17:3); also the feminine nachalah, "brook (the King James Version "river") of Egypt" (Ezek 47:19; Ezek 48:28). The torrent-valley (wady) is often meant.
(4) pelegh, with feminine pelaggah, the King James Version "river," is in the Revised Version (British and American) translated "stream," except English Versions of the Bible "river of God" (Ps 65:9); "streams of water" (Ps 1:3; Prov 5:16; Isa 32:2; Lam 3:48); "streams of honey" (Job 20:17); "streams of oil" (Job 29:6).
(5) 'aphiq, the King James Version "river," except English Versions of the Bible "water brooks" (Ps 42:1), is in the Revised Version (British and American) "watercourses" (Ezek 6:3; Ezek 31:12; Ezek 32:6; Ezek 34:13; Ezek 35:8; Ezek 36:4; Ezek 36:6), "water-brooks" (Song 5:12; Joel 1:20).
(6) yubhal, English Versions of the Bible "river" (Jer 17:8). 'ubhal, and 'ubhal, English Versions of the Bible "river" (Dan 8:2; Dan 8:3; Dan 8:6).
(7) potamos: of the Jordan (Mark 1:5); Euphrates (Rev 9:14); "rivers of living water" (John 7:38); "river of water of life" (Rev 22:1). So always in Greek for "river" in the Revised Version (British and American) Apocrypha (1 Esdras 4:23, etc.).
See BROOK; STREAM; VALLEY.
Alfred Ely Day
Kilde: Easton's Bible Dictionary (M.G. Easton, 1897) og International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (red. James Orr, 1915/1939), public domain. Translated into Danish with AI and not yet proofread (fully or partially). Links to people and places: Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0).