Nile River, River of Egypt, the Nile

River of Egypt - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

(1.) Heb. nahar mitsraim, denotes in Gen. 15:18 the Nile, or its eastern branch (2 Chr. 9:26). (2.) In Num. 34:5 (R.V., "brook of Egypt") the Hebrew word is nahal, denoting a stream flowing rapidly in winter, or in the rainy season. This is a desert stream on the borders of Egypt. It is now called the Wady el-Arish. The present boundary between Egypt and Palestine is about midway between this wady and Gaza. (See Num. 34:5; Josh. 15:4, 47; 1 Kings 8:65; 2 Kings 24:7; Isa. 27:12; Ezek. 47:19. In all these passages the R.V. has "brook" and the A.V. "river.")

See BROOK OF EGYPT.

1. The Nile. (Genesis 15:18) [NILE]
2. A desert stream on the border of Egypt, still occasionally flowing in the valley called Wadi-l-’Areesh . The centre of the valley is occupied by the bed of this torrent, which only flows after rains, as is usual in the desert valleys. This stream is first mentioned as the point where the southern border of the promised land touched the Mediterranean, which formed its western border. (Numbers 34:3-6) In the latter history we find Solomon’s kingdom extending from the "entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt," (1 Kings 8:65) and Egypt limited in the same manner where the loss of the eastern provinces is mentioned. (2 Kings 24:7)

Definition

The Nile is a very long and wide river in northeastern Africa. It is especially well known as the main river of Egypt.

• The Nile River flows north through Egypt and into the Mediterranean Sea.
• Crops grow well in the fertile land on either side of the Nile River.
• Most Egyptians live near the Nile River since it is an important source of water for food crops.
• The Israelites lived in the land of Goshen, which was very fertile because it was located along the Nile River.
• When Moses was a baby, his parents placed him in a basket among the reeds of the Nile to hide him from Pharaoh’s men.

(Translation suggestions: How to Translate Names)

(See also: Egypt, Goshen, Moses)

Bible References

• Amos 8:8
• Genesis 41:1-3
• Jeremiah 46:8

Examples from the Bible stories

• __8:4 Egypt was a large, powerful country located along the Nile River__.
• __9:4 Pharaoh saw that the Israelites were having many babies, so he ordered his people to kill all Israelite baby boys by throwing them into the Nile River__.
• __9:6 When the boy’s parents could no longer hide him, they put him in a floating basket among the reeds along the edge of the Nile River__ in order to save him from being killed.
• __10:3 God turned the Nile River__ into blood, but Pharaoh still would not let the Israelites go.

Word Data

• Strong’s: H0216, H2975, H4714, H5104