In biblical times, agriculture was a central aspect of life and survival, and irrigation played a crucial role in the cultivation of crops. The concept of irrigation is implicitly present in various biblical narratives and descriptions, reflecting the agrarian society of ancient Israel and surrounding regions.

Biblical Context

The Bible often references the fertility of the land and the importance of water for sustaining life and agriculture. While the term "irrigated" itself is not explicitly used in the Berean Standard Bible, the practice is alluded to in several passages that describe the management and provision of water for crops.

Genesis 2:10-14 provides an early example of a well-watered land, describing a river that flowed out of Eden to water the garden, which then divided into four headwaters. This passage highlights the significance of water in maintaining the lushness and productivity of the land.

In Deuteronomy 11:10-11, the contrast between Egypt and the Promised Land is drawn, emphasizing the reliance on rain from heaven rather than manual irrigation: "For the land you are entering to possess is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated by hand as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven."

Isaiah 58:11 metaphorically uses the imagery of a well-watered garden to describe the blessings of the Lord: "The LORD will always guide you; He will satisfy you in a sun-scorched land and strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."

Agricultural Practices

In ancient Israel, irrigation was essential for maximizing agricultural output, especially in regions with limited rainfall. The Israelites employed various methods to manage water resources, including the construction of cisterns, terraces, and channels to direct water to fields. These practices were vital for growing staple crops such as wheat, barley, grapes, and olives.

The reliance on natural water sources, such as rivers and rainfall, is evident in the biblical narrative. The Jordan River and its tributaries, along with seasonal rains, were crucial for sustaining agriculture in the region. The dependence on rain is frequently mentioned in the Bible, underscoring the Israelites' reliance on God's provision for their agricultural success.

Spiritual Significance

Water and irrigation in the Bible often carry spiritual symbolism, representing God's provision, blessing, and sustenance. The imagery of a well-watered garden or land is frequently used to describe spiritual abundance and divine favor. This symbolism is evident in passages like Psalm 1:3, which compares a righteous person to "a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does."

In summary, while the specific term "irrigated" may not appear in the biblical text, the concept is deeply embedded in the agricultural practices and spiritual symbolism of the Bible. The management of water resources was essential for the survival and prosperity of ancient Israel, and it continues to serve as a powerful metaphor for God's provision and blessing.(imp. & p. p.) of Irrigate.

The Disciple, -- what is the Meaning and Purpose of the Cross...
... 4. Just as after a shock of earthquake springs of sweet water sometimes emerge in
desert places, and the arid wastes are irrigated and become fruitful, so in ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/singh/at the masters feet/section i the disciple 5.htm

Christ the Water of Life.
... It is generally held that the river continued to flow from a stationary source at
Horeb, and that it irrigated the country in its following of the people, and ...
/.../iii christ the water of life.htm

The Gathering Storm
... the banks with flowering masses of pink oleander and delicately scented jasmine,
but also refreshed her groves of laurel and myrtle and irrigated her gardens ...
/.../chapter i the gathering storm.htm

What Sin Does to Men
... The prophet draws another picture, that of a garden not irrigated, and
therefore, in the burning East, given over to barrenness. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/what sin does to men.htm

Episcopate at Cyrus.
... [28] The Cyrestica is a fertile plain lying between the spurs of the Alma Dagh and
the Euphrates, irrigated by three streams and blessed with a rich soil. ...
/.../theodoret/the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/ii episcopate at cyrus.htm

Argument from the Destruction of Jerusalem and Desolation of Judea ...
... the prophet predicts the fruit of this "tree," saying "The earth hath given her
blessings," [1399] "of course that virgin-earth, not yet irrigated with rains ...
/.../tertullian/an answer to the jews/chapter xiii argument from the destruction.htm

Mirage or Lake
... whose fruit remains. The desert irrigated becomes a garden of the Lord.
Note, too, how this river drowns out wild beasts. The true ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/mirage or lake.htm

Happy Pilgrims
... Irrigated thus by the pilgrims' labour, and rained upon thus by God's gift from
heaven, 'the wilderness rejoices and blossoms as the rose.'. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/happy pilgrims.htm

Why Men do not Attain Quickly to the Perfect Love of God. Of Four ...
... He prepared himself better than I did, and therefore is his garden without labour
on his part, irrigated by these four waters"though the last of them is only ...
/.../teresa/the life of st teresa of jesus/chapter xi why men do.htm

The Valley of Achor
... the cisterns by the wayside, and draw refreshment and strength from their very sorrows,
and then, when thus we in our wise husbandry have irrigated the soil ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the valley of achor.htm

Irrigated (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Irrigate. Multi-Version Concordance
Irrigated (1 Occurrence). Deuteronomy 11:10 For the ...
/i/irrigated.htm - 6k

Irrigation
... (n.) The act or process of irrigating, or the state of being irrigated; especially,
the operation of causing water to flow over lands, for nourishing plants. ...
/i/irrigation.htm - 9k

Kidron (11 Occurrences)
... Where the three valleys run together is a large open space filled with gardens
(the KING'S GARDEN, which see), which are kept irrigated all the year round by ...
/k/kidron.htm - 17k

Enrogel (4 Occurrences)
... which is not extraordinary when we remember that a large part of the rock strata
from which the water comes is overlaid by land constantly irrigated with the ...
/e/enrogel.htm - 15k

En-rogel (4 Occurrences)
... which is not extraordinary when we remember that a large part of the rock strata
from which the water comes is overlaid by land constantly irrigated with the ...
/e/en-rogel.htm - 15k

Brook (75 Occurrences)
... Where the three valleys run together is a large open space filled with gardens
(the KING'S GARDEN, which see), which are kept irrigated all the year round by ...
/b/brook.htm - 45k

Irrigate (1 Occurrence)

/i/irrigate.htm - 6k

Dumah (4 Occurrences)
... Its people in the time of Mohammed were Christians of the tribe of Kelb. It contained
a great well from which the palms and crops were irrigated. ...
/d/dumah.htm - 9k

Agriculture
... In highly irrigated spots the seed was trampled in by cattle (Isaiah 32:20); but
doubtless there was some kind of harrow also for covering in the seed ...
/a/agriculture.htm - 27k

Goshen (16 Occurrences)
... and South. This region is an irrigated plain which is still considered
to include some of the best land in Egypt. The description ...
/g/goshen.htm - 19k

Irrigated: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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