the Fourth Week of Advent
Click here to join the effort!
Bible Encyclopedias
Stream
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or is the rendering in the A.V. of the following words in the original. (See TOPOGRAPHICAL TERMS).
1. אָפַיק, aphik (Job 6:15; Psalms 126:4; "brook," Psalms 42:1 [2]; "channel," 2 Samuel 22:16; Psalms 18:15 [16]; Isaiah 8:7; elsewhere "river"), properly denotes a violent torrent, sweeping through a mountain gorge, like a pipe. It occurs only in the poetical books, and is derived from a root aphak, signifying " to be strong." (See CHANNEL).
2. אֵשֵׁד, eshed (Numbers 21:15), literally an outpouring, is a place where the torrents from the mountains flow down into the valleys and plains, i.e. a ravine. (See VALLEY).
3. יְאוֹר, yeor (Isaiah 33:21; "brook," Isaiah 19:6-8; Isaiah 23:3; Isaiah 23:10; "flood," Jeremiah 46:78; Amos 8:8-9; elsewhere "river"), is an Egyptian word, generally applied to the Nile, or to the canals by which Egypt was watered. The only exceptions to this usage are found in Daniel 12:5-7. (See NILE).
4. יָבָל, yabal (Isaiah 30:25; "course," Isaiah 44:4), denotes strictly a deluging rain; hence an overflowing river. (See FLOOD).
5. נֹזֵל, nozel (Psalms 78:16; Song of Solomon 4:15; "flood," Exodus 15:8 Psalms 78:44; Isaiah 44:3; elsewhere "running" or "flowing" water), signifies a trickling rill, and is hardly a denominative at all.
6. נִחִל, nachal (Psalms 78:20; Isaiah 11:15; Isaiah 27:12; Isaiah 30:28; Isaiah 30:33; Isaiah 34:9; Isaiah 35:6; Isaiah 37:6; Isaiah 66:12; Amos 5:24; elsewhere "river," "brook," or "valley," occasionally "flood"), is a term applied both to the dry torrent bed (Numbers 21:12; Judges 16:4) and to the torrent itself (1 Kings 17:3). It corresponds with the Arabic wady, the Greekχειμάῤῥους, the Italian fiumara, and the Indian nullah. (See VALLEY).
7. נִחְלָה, nachlah (only found in Psalms 124:4), is merely the fem. of the preceding. (See BROOK).
8. פֶּלֶג, peleg (Psalms 46:4 [5]; elsewhere "river"), denotes an artificial rivulet or channel for watering land. (See IRRIGATION).
9. Chald. נְהִר, nehar (Daniel 7:10; elsewhere "river"), corresponds to the Heb. נָהָר, nahar, which designates a perennial current of water, and is the most regular term. (See RIVER).
10. Ποταμός (Luke 6:48-49; elsewhere usually "river," sometimes "flood" or "water") is the proper Greek word for a river of any kind. (See WATER).
These files are public domain.
McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Stream'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/s/stream.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
