Heb. 'aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds water (2 Samuel 22:16 ), translated "brook," "river," "stream," but not necessarily a perennial stream (Ezekiel 6:3; 31:12; 32:6; 34:13 ).

Heb. 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; Ezekiel 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." (Compare Matthew 7:27; Luke 6:49 .)

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; Ezekiel 10:15 ).

Tel'alah, a conduit, or water-course (1 Kings 18:32; 2 Kings 18:17; 20:20; Job 38:25; Ezekiel 31:4 ).

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 ).

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 ).

Yubhal, "a river" (Jeremiah 17:8 ), a full flowing stream.

'Ubhal, "a river" (Daniel 8:2 ).

Copyright Statement
These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information
Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'River'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/r/river.html. 1897.

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