In biblical times, a ford was a shallow place in a river or stream that could be crossed on foot or by vehicle. Fords were significant in the ancient Near East due to the lack of bridges and the necessity of crossing water bodies for travel, trade, and military campaigns. The presence of a ford often determined the location of roads and settlements, making them strategic points in both commerce and warfare.

Biblical References:

1. Genesis 32:22 · "During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok." This passage describes Jacob's crossing of the Jabbok River, a tributary of the Jordan, as he prepared to meet his brother Esau. The ford of the Jabbok is significant as it marks the location where Jacob wrestled with God and was renamed Israel.

2. Judges 3:28 · "He said to them, 'Follow me, for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.' So they followed him down and took control of the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and they allowed no one to cross over." Here, the fords of the Jordan River are mentioned as strategic military points. By controlling these fords, the Israelites were able to prevent the Moabites from escaping, leading to a decisive victory.

3. Judges 12:5-6 · "The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, 'Let me cross over,' the Gileadites would ask him, 'Are you an Ephraimite?' If he replied, 'No,' they would say, 'Please say Shibboleth.' If he said, 'Sibboleth,' because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan." This account highlights the use of fords as checkpoints during conflict, where the Gileadites used the fords to identify and eliminate fleeing Ephraimites.

4. 2 Samuel 19:18 · "They crossed at the ford to bring over the king’s household and to do what was good in his sight. Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, fell down before the king, and said..." This passage describes the return of King David to Jerusalem after the rebellion of Absalom. The crossing at the ford signifies a moment of reconciliation and restoration of David's kingship.

Cultural and Historical Context:

Fords were not only practical for travel but also held symbolic significance. They often represented transitions or turning points in biblical narratives. The crossing of a ford could symbolize a change in status, a new beginning, or divine intervention. In the ancient world, controlling a ford meant controlling a critical access point, which could determine the outcome of battles and the movement of peoples.

In addition to their strategic importance, fords were also places where people gathered, exchanged news, and conducted trade. They served as natural meeting points in a landscape where water was a precious resource.

Theological Implications:

From a theological perspective, fords in the Bible often serve as settings for divine encounters and revelations. Jacob's wrestling at the ford of the Jabbok is a profound moment of transformation and covenantal blessing. Similarly, the control of the fords of the Jordan by the Israelites underscores God's providence and deliverance in their military endeavors.

Fords, therefore, are more than mere geographical features; they are imbued with spiritual significance, representing moments of decision, divine intervention, and the unfolding of God's plan in the history of His people.Mention is frequently made of the fords of the Jordan (Joshua 2:7; Judges 3:28; 12:5, 6), which must have been very numerous; about fifty perhaps. The most notable was that of Bethabara. Mention is also made of the ford of the Jabbok (Genesis 32:22), and of the fords of Arnon (Isaiah 16:2) and of the Euphrates (Jeremiah 51:32). 1. (n.) A place in a river, or other water, where it may be passed by man or beast on foot, by wading.

2. (n.) A stream; a current.

3. (v. t.) To pass or cross, as a river or other water, by wading; to wade through.

FORD

ford (ma`abhar (Genesis 32:22; "pass" (of Michmash), 1 Samuel 13:23; "stroke" (the Revised Version, margin "passing"), Isaiah 30:32); ma`barah (Joshua 2:7 Judges 3:28; Judges 12:5, 6 Isaiah 16:2 "pass" (of Michmash), 1 Samuel 14:4; "passages" (the Revised Version, margin "fords"), Jeremiah 51:32); `abharah (2 Samuel 15:28; 2 Samuel 17:16; "ferry-boat" (the Revised Version, margin "convoy"), 2 Samuel 19:18); from `abhar, "to pass over"; compare Arabic `abar, "to pass over" and ma`bar, "a ford"):

In the journeyings of the children of Israel, in addition to the miraculous passages of the Red Sea and the Jordan, they had other streams to pass over, especially the Zered (Chisa') and the Arnon (Maujib) (Numbers 21:12, 13 Deuteronomy 2:24). The Jabbok (Zarqa) is frequently referred to, particularly in connection with Jacob (Genesis 32:22). The most frequent references are to the Jordan which, in time of flood, was impassable (Joshua 3:15).

The lower Jordan is about 100 ft. wide, and from 5 to 12 ft. deep, so that in the absence of bridges, the places where it was possible to ford were of great importance. The passage of the Jordan is referred to in connection with Jacob (Genesis 32:10), Gideon (Judges 8:4), the children of Ammon (Judges 10:9), Abner and his men (2 Samuel 2:29), David (2 Samuel 10:17; 2 Samuel 17:22), Absalom (2 Samuel 17:24), and others. Jesus undoubtedly crossed the Jordan, and John is thought to have baptized at the ford of the Jordan near Jericho. The fords of the Jordan are specifically mentioned in Joshua 2:7 in connection with the pursuit of the spies who were hidden in Rahab's house, and in 2 Samuel 15:28; 2 Samuel 17:16 in connection with the flight of David. In the last two passages we have abharah, the same word which, in the account of David's return (2 Samuel 19:18), is rendered "ferry-boat" (the Revised Version, margin "convoy").

See JORDAN.

Alfred Ely Day

4198. poreuomai -- to go
... Word Origin from poros (a ford, passage) Definition to go NASB Word Usage accompany*
(1), am on my way (1), depart (1), departed (1), departure (1), following ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4198.htm - 10k4569. ma'abar -- a ford, pass, passing
ma'abar. 4568, 4569. ma'abar. 4569a . a ford, pass, passing. Transliteration:
ma'abar Phonetic Spelling: (mah-ab-awr') Short Definition: ford. ford, place ...
/hebrew/4569.htm - 5k

5679. abarah -- ford
... ford. Transliteration: abarah Phonetic Spelling: (ab-aw-raw') Short Definition:
ford. Word Origin from abar Definition ford NASB Word Usage ford (1), fords (1). ...
/hebrew/5679.htm - 6k

1012. Beth Barah -- "place of ford," a place in Palestine
... Beth Barah. 1013 . "place of ford," a place in Palestine. Transliteration: Beth
Barah Phonetic Spelling: (bayth baw-raw') Short Definition: Beth-barah. ...
/hebrew/1012.htm - 6k

4569a. maabar -- a ford, pass, passing
... 4569, 4569a. maabar. 4569b . a ford, pass, passing. Transliteration: maabar
Short Definition: blow. Word Origin from abar Definition ...
/hebrew/4569a.htm - 5k

4569b. mabarah -- a ford, pass, passage
... 4569a, 4569b. mabarah. 4570 . a ford, pass, passage. Transliteration: mabarah
Short Definition: fords. Word Origin from abar Definition ...
/hebrew/4569b.htm - 5k

5674a. abar -- to pass over, through, or by, pass on
... 1), drew across (1), drifting (1), enter (1), escapes the notice (1), ever bring
(1), ever bring...over (1), excel (1), fail (2), flood (1), ford (1), forded (1 ...
/hebrew/5674a.htm - 7k

8607. Tiphsach -- a place on the Euphrates
... Tipsah. From pacach; ford; Tiphsach, a place in Mesopotamia -- Tipsah. see HEBREW
pacach. 8606, 8607. Tiphsach. 8608 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/8607.htm - 6k

Prefatory Note
... In 1845 Richard Ford published his Hand-Book for Travellers in Spain and Readers
at Home [2 Vols.8vo.], a work which still commands attention, and the ...
/.../borrow/a supplementary chapter to the bible in spain/prefatory note.htm

Letter F
... Orin "Received 1821, Located 1824 * Foot, Reuben C. "Received 1836 * Forbes, William
J. "Received 1837 * Force, Manning "Received 1811 * Ford, Charles T ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bangs/an alphabetical list of m e preachers/letter f.htm

John's First Testimony to Jesus.
... variation in the manuscripts, we may read "Bethany" or "Bethabara," or even possibly
"Bethabara in Bathania." Tradition fixes upon the Jericho ford, which is ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xx johns first testimony to.htm

A Nation's Struggle for a Home and Freedom.
... silt. The other ford is six miles further north below the point where the
Wady Nimrin comes down from the highlands of Gilead. Here ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study xii a nations struggle.htm

The Life of Mr. John Semple.
... could hinder him in his purposes; for one time going to the presbytery of Kirkudbright,
twenty miles distant from Carsphairn, when about to ford the water of ...
/.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the life of mr john 9.htm

Jesus Baptized by John in the Jordan.
... a 13 Then} ^b it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came { ^a cometh} ^b from
Nazareth of Galilee, ^a to the Jordan [Tradition fixes upon a ford of Jordan ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xviii jesus baptized by john.htm

How Our People Served the Moabites Eighteen Years, and were Then ...
... The Israelites seized upon the ford of Jordan, and pursued them, and slew them,
and many of them they killed at the ford, nor did one of them escape out of ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 4 how our people.htm

The Witness of John.
... Bethany is said to mean "the house of the boat," and Bethabara "the house of the
ford," both alike pointing to a ferry or ford of the Jordan. ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/the witness of john.htm

The Perseverance of Faith
... Come with me up the river till we can find a place where we can ford it." Faith
said, "No; I was bidden to cross the river here." So another came, and said, "I ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/the perseverance of faith.htm

A Supplementary Chapter to the Bible in Spain
... Title Page. A SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER TO THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. Inspired by FORD'S
"HAND-BOOK FOR TRAVELLERS IN SPAIN.". BY GEORGE BORROW. ...
/.../borrow/a supplementary chapter to the bible in spain/title page.htm

Ford (3 Occurrences)
... Mention is also made of the ford of the Jabbok (Genesis 32:22), and of the fords
of Arnon (Isaiah 16:2) and of the Euphrates (Jeremiah 51:32). ...FORD. ...
/f/ford.htm - 11k

Bethabara (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary House of the ford, a place on the east bank of
the Jordan, where John was baptizing (John 1:28). It may ...
/b/bethabara.htm - 10k

Tiphsah (2 Occurrences)
... Passing over; ford, one of the boundaries of Solomon's dominions (1 Kings 4:24),
probably "Thapsacus, a great and wealthy town on the western bank of the ...
/t/tiphsah.htm - 9k

Jordan (188 Occurrences)
... Beginning near the mouth of the Jordan and proceeding northward, there was a ford
at el-Henu leading directly from Jericho to the highlands Northeast of the ...
/j/jordan.htm - 70k

Pass (1172 Occurrences)
... road, or track, available for passing; especially, one through or over some dangerous
or otherwise impracticable barrier; a passageway; a defile; a ford; as, a ...
/p/pass.htm - 44k

Sea (4178 Occurrences)
... In 1818 Irby and Mangles (Travels, 454) saw a company of Arabs ford the lake from
Point Molyneux to the west side, and noted that the line of the ford was ...
/s/sea.htm - 87k

Jabbok (7 Occurrences)
... The river is fordable at many points, save when in full flood. The particular ford
referred to in Genesis 32 cannot now be identified. W. Ewing. ...
/j/jabbok.htm - 11k

Passenger (1 Occurrence)
... The former word denotes (1) the ford of a river (Genesis 32:23 King James Version
margin); (2) the pass of a mountain range (1 Samuel 13:23). ...
/p/passenger.htm - 10k

Bethbarah (1 Occurrence)
... It was probably the chief ford of the Jordan in that district, and may have been
that by which Jacob crossed when he returned from Mesopotamia, near the Jabbok ...
/b/bethbarah.htm - 8k

Beth-barah (1 Occurrence)
... It was probably the chief ford of the Jordan in that district, and may have been
that by which Jacob crossed when he returned from Mesopotamia, near the Jabbok ...
/b/beth-barah.htm - 8k

What is objective truth? | GotQuestions.org

Is truth relative? | GotQuestions.org

Does the Bible say anything about the existence of black holes? | GotQuestions.org

Ford: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus