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Concordances
Nave Topical Bible
• Water
• Bitter Water
Scofield Reference Index
• Water
Thompson Chain Reference
• Waters of Affliction
• Waters Controlled
• Water of Life
•   (only first 3 shown)
The Topic Concordance
• Living Waters
Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
• Water: & Healing, Holy
• Merom, Waters
Torrey Topical Textbook
• Water
Dictionaries
American Church Dictionary
• Water
American Tract Society
• Water-Spouts
• Water
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
• Water
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary
• Water
Chabad Knowledge Base
• Water Drawing Celebrations, the:
CARM Theological Dictionary
• Holy Water
Easton's Bible Dictionary
• Water of Separation
• Water of Purification
• Water of Jealousy
•   (only first 3 shown)
Fausset Bible Dictionary
• Water of Jealousy
• Water
• Shiloah, Waters of
•   (only first 3 shown)
Spurgeon's Illustration Collection
• Holy Water
Holman Bible Dictionary
• Water
• Shiloah, Waters of
• Jealousy, Water of
•   (only first 3 shown)
Hastings' BibleDictionary
• Water of Separation
• Water of Bitterness
• Water
•   (only first 3 shown)
Hastings' NT Dictionary
• Water (2)
• Water
• Blood and Water
King James Dictionary
• Watering
• Watered
• Water
Morrish Bible Dictionary
• Water of Separation
• Shiloah, Waters of
• Nimrim, Waters of
•   (only first 3 shown)
1910 New Catholic Dictionary
• Waters, Living
• Water, Holy
• Water, Gregorian
•   (only first 3 shown)
Hawker's Poor Man's Dictionary
• Water
• Springs of Water
Smith Bible Dictionary
• Water of Separation
• Water of Jealousy
• Shiloah The Waters of
Vines' Expository Dictionary
• Water Watering, Waterless
• Water
Wilson's Bible Types
• Water
Webster Dictionary
• Territorial Waters
• Tail-Water
• Surfeit-Water
•   (only first 3 shown)
Watson's Theological Dictionary
• Water
Encyclopedias
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
• Aerated Waters
• Delaware Water-Gap
• Holy Water
•   (only first 3 shown)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
• Bitter Water
• Bitterness, Water of
• Blood and Water
•   (only first 3 shown)
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia
• Water
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia
• Avery, Samuel Waters
• Blood and Water
• Blood and Water (2)
•   (only first 3 shown)
The Nuttall Encyclopedia
• Aerated Waters
• Coniston Water
The Catholic Encyclopedia
• Holy Water
• Holy Water Fonts
• Liturgical Use of Water
The Jewish Encyclopedia
• Drawer of Water
• Water
• Water-Drawing, Feast of
•   (only first 3 shown)
Lexicons
• ܐܰܓ݂ܳܢܶܐ
• ܡܰܝܳܐ
• ܫܳܩܳܐ
• ἄνυδρος
• βάθος
• ποταμός
•   (only first 3 shown)
• אֵיתָן
• דָּלָה , דָּלָה
• זַרְזִיף , זָרַף
•   (only first 3 shown)

In a hot and dry country such as Palestine, water was extremely important. God promised his people that if they were obedient to him, he would always send them enough rain to ensure a constant supply for all their needs. But if they were disobedient, he would send them droughts and famine (Deuteronomy 28:12-24; Joel 2:23; Amos 4:7-8). (For further details concerning the problems of water in Palestine see PALESTINE; WEATHER.)

The refreshing and life-giving benefits of water made it a popular biblical symbol to picture the spiritual refreshment and eternal life that God gives to those who trust in him (Psalms 1:3; Psalms 23:1-3; Isaiah 44:3; Isaiah 55:1; Jeremiah 17:13; John 4:14; John 7:37-39; Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:1-2). Water could, however, be a means of judgment (Genesis 6:17; Exodus 14:23; Exodus 14:26-27; Psalms 32:6; Matthew 7:24-27; 2 Peter 2:5).

Water was also used in the cleansing rituals of the Israelite religion. Ceremonial washings for the priests spoke of the purity required of those in official religious positions (Exodus 29:4-5). At times the washing had additional practical benefits (Exodus 30:18-21). If people became ceremonially unclean, they had to be ceremonially cleansed with water. Again there were cases where the washing had additional practical benefits (Leviticus 14:1-9; Leviticus 15:16-18; Numbers 19:11-13; see UNCLEANNESS).

Ritual cleansings may have involved bathing the whole body (Numbers 19:7), bathing only parts of the body (Exodus 30:19), or merely sprinkling (Numbers 8:7). The water used in the rituals in some cases was pure water, in others a specially prepared mixture (Leviticus 15:13; Numbers 19:17).

In figurative speech, water was a picture of cleansing from sin (Psalms 51:1-2; Ezekiel 36:25-26; John 13:5-10; Acts 22:16; Ephesians 5:26; Hebrews 10:22; see also BAPTISM). Such cleansing can occur only through the activity of God, who in his mercy removes sin and creates new life within the cleansed sinner (John 3:5-7; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Titus 3:5-7; Revelation 7:14; Revelation 7:17; see REGENERATION).