Water:
wo'-ter (mayim; hudor):
(1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creation (Ge 1:2) water plays an elemental part.
(2) Because of the scarcity of water in Palestine it is especially appreciated by the people there. They love to go and sit by a stream of running water. Men long for a taste of the water of their native village (1Ch 11:17). A town or village is known throughout the country for the quality of its water, which is described by many adjectives, such as "light," "heavy," etc.
(3) The rainfall is the only source of supply of water for Palestine. The moisture is carried up from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow. This supplies the springs and fountains. The rivers are mostly small and have little or no water in summer. For the most part springs supply the villages, but in case this is not sufficient, cisterns are used. Most of the rain falls on the western slopes of the mountains, and most of the springs are found there. The limestone in many places does not hold the water, so wells are not very common, though there are many references to them in the Bible.
(4) Cisterns are usually on the surface of the ground and vary greatly in size. Jerusalem has always had to depend for the most part on water stored in this way, and carried to the city in aqueducts. A large number of cisterns have been found and partially explored under the temple-area itself. The water stored in the cisterns is surface water, and is a great menace to the health of the people. During the long, dry summer the water gets less and less, and becomes so stagnant and filthy that it is not fit to drink. In a few instances the cisterns or pools are sufficiently large to supply water for limited irrigation.
See CISTERN.
(5) During the summer when there is no rain, vegetation is greatly helped by the heavy dews. A considerable amount of irrigation is carried on in the country where there is sufficient water in the fountains and springs for the purpose. There was doubtless much more of it in the Roman period. Most of the fruit trees require water during the summer.
(6) Many particular wells or pools are mentioned in the Bible, as: Beersheba (Ge 21:19), Isaac's well (Ge 24:11), Jacob's well (Joh 4:6), Pool of Siloam (Joh 9:7), "waters of Nephtoah" (Jos 15:9).
(7) Washing with water held a considerable place in the Jewish temple-ceremony (Le 11:32; 16:4; 17:15; 22:6; Nu 19:7; Ex 30:18; 40:7). Sacrifices were washed (Ex 29:4; Le 1:9; 6:28; 14:5).
(8) The lack of water caused great suffering (Ex 15:22; De 8:15; 2Ki 3:9; Ps 63:1; Pr 9:17; Eze 4:11; La 5:4).
Written by Alfred H. Joy
See FOUNTAIN
See PIT
See POOL
See SPRING
See WELL
Water: One of the Elements of the World
Water: God Originally
Created the firmament to divide
Collected into one place
Created fowls and fishes, &c from
Water: Some Plants Particularly Require
Water: Collected In
Springs
Pools
Ponds
Fountains
Wells
Brooks
Streams
Rivers
The sea
The clouds
Water: Described As
Fluid
Unstable
Penetrating
Reflecting images
Wearing the hardest substances
Cleansing
Refreshing
Water: Congealed by Cold
Water: Was Used by Jews
As their principal beverage
Gen 24:43; 1Ki 13:19,22; 18:4; Hsa 2:5
For culinary purposes
For washing the person
For legal purification
Water: Kept for Purification in Large Waterpots
Water: Artificial Mode of Conveying, into Large Cities
Water: The Want Of, Considered a Great Calamity
Water: In Times of Scarcity, Sold at an Enormous Price
Water: Miracles Connected With
Turned into blood
Turned into wine
Brought from the rock
Brought from the jaw-bone of an ass
Consumed by fire from heaven
Divided and made to stand on heap
Trenches filled with
Iron made to swim in
Our Lord, &c walking on
Healing powers communicated to
Water: The World and Its Inhabitants Once Destroyed By
Water: The World Not to Be Again Destroyed By
Water: Illustrative
Of the support of God
Of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit
Isa 41:17,18; 44:3; Eze 36:25; Jhn 7:38,39
Of persecutors
Of persecutions
Of hostile armies
(Still,) of the ordinances of the gospel
(Deep,) of severe affliction
Psa 66:12; 69:1; Isa 30:20; 43:2
(Deep,) of counsel in the heart
(Deep,) of the words of the wise
(Poured out,) of the wrath of God
(Poured out,) of faintness by terror
(Pouring, out of buckets,) of a numerous progeny
(Spilled on the ground,) of death
(Its instability,) of a wavering disposition
(Its weakness,) of faintness and cowardice
(Difficulty of stopping,) of strife and contention
(Rapidly flowing away,) of the career of the wicked
(Many,) of different nations and people
(Many,) of a variety of afflictions
(Noise of many,) of the word of Christ
(Covering the sea,) of the general diffusion of the knowledge of God
The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.
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