Water-courses in the Bible refer to natural or man-made channels through which water flows. These include rivers, streams, brooks, and canals, which are essential for sustaining life, agriculture, and civilization in the biblical lands. The significance of water-courses is evident throughout Scripture, where they are often used symbolically and literally to convey spiritual truths and practical realities.

Biblical References and Symbolism

1. Creation and Provision: In the creation narrative, water is a fundamental element. Genesis 2:10 describes a river flowing out of Eden to water the garden, dividing into four headwaters. This illustrates God's provision and the life-giving nature of water-courses.

2. Blessing and Abundance: Water-courses are frequently associated with divine blessing and abundance. In Deuteronomy 8:7, the Promised Land is described as "a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills." This imagery underscores the fertility and prosperity that water-courses bring.

3. Judgment and Desolation: Conversely, the drying up of water-courses symbolizes judgment and desolation. In Isaiah 19:5-6, the prophecy against Egypt includes the drying up of the Nile, leading to economic and ecological disaster: "The waters of the river will dry up, and the riverbed will be parched and empty."

4. Spiritual Refreshment: Water-courses also serve as metaphors for spiritual refreshment and renewal. Psalm 1:3 compares a righteous person to "a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season," highlighting the sustenance and growth that come from a life rooted in God's Word.

5. Divine Guidance and Protection: In Isaiah 43:19-20, God promises to make "a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland," symbolizing His guidance and provision for His people even in the most challenging circumstances.

6. Eschatological Hope: The imagery of water-courses extends to eschatological hope, as seen in Revelation 22:1, where the river of the water of life flows from the throne of God and the Lamb, representing eternal life and the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises.

Practical and Cultural Context

In the arid climate of the Near East, water-courses were vital for survival. They enabled agriculture, supported livestock, and facilitated trade and travel. The control and management of water-courses were crucial for ancient societies, often leading to the construction of aqueducts, cisterns, and irrigation systems.

Theological Implications

Water-courses in the Bible not only reflect God's provision and sustenance but also serve as powerful symbols of His presence and activity in the world. They remind believers of the necessity of spiritual nourishment and the promise of divine guidance and protection. As such, water-courses are a recurring theme that underscores the interconnectedness of the physical and spiritual realms in God's creation.

Thine Head Upon Thee is Like Carmel, and the Hair of Thy Head Like ...
... CHAPTER VII. 5. Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thy
head like the King's purple, bound by the water courses. ...
/.../guyon/song of songs of solomon/5 thine head upon thee.htm

Recreant Reuben
... At the watercourses of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.'"Judges 5:16
(RV). I. The fight. The warfare is ever repeated, though in new forms. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/recreant reuben.htm

Deborah's Song
... Men. By the watercourses of Reuben There were great resolves of heart. Women. ... Men.
At the watercourses of Reuben There were great searchings of heart! Women. ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/iv deborahs song.htm

Discipline
... nature or in art. They are spread forth like the water-courses, which carry
verdure and fertility as they flow. They are planted ...
/.../kingsley/discipline and other sermons/sermon i discipline.htm

The Holy Spirit of Promise
... will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: and they
shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.""Isa.44 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/byers/sanctification/chapter iv the holy spirit.htm

Preaching (iii. ).
... sure the streams that make Thy garden grow Are never fed but by an overflow: Not
till Thy prophets with Thyself run o'er Are Israel's watercourses full once ...
/.../moule/to my younger brethren/chapter xii preaching iii.htm

The Promises of the Christian Home.
... children," "I will pour my spirit on thy seed, and my blessing on thine offspring;
and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the watercourses. ...
/.../philips/the christian home/chapter xxv the promises of.htm

Happy Children and Prosperous Days
... PROSPEROUS DAYS. Like the flower of roses in the spring of the year, and
like lilies by the watercourses."Ecclesiasticus. We need ...
/.../chapter lxxi happy children and.htm

The Mind Clearer when Cleansed from Sin; the Ornaments of the Mind ...
... because "the just," according to the prophet, shall spring up "as grass in the midst
of the waters, as willows by the watercourses," [2774] flourishing in the ...
/.../chapter iv the mind clearer when.htm

That Passage of David Explained; what the Harps Hung Upon the ...
... [2618] And in Isaiah the righteous are said to "spring up as willows by the water
courses." [2619] Surely, then, the shoot of virginity is raised to a great ...
/.../chapter iii that passage of david.htm

Watercourses (14 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Watercourses (14 Occurrences). ... By the watercourses
of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart. (WEB ASV). ...
/w/watercourses.htm - 11k

Water-courses (9 Occurrences)
Water-courses. Watercourses, Water-courses. Water-door . Multi-Version Concordance ...
(DBY). Watercourses, Water-courses. Water-door . Reference Bible.
/w/water-courses.htm - 9k

Ravines (17 Occurrences)
... 3 and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Jehovah: Thus saith
the Lord Jehovah to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to ...
/r/ravines.htm - 11k

Watercourse (6 Occurrences)
... river," elsewhere "stream," "channel," or "brook." (2) pelegh (Proverbs 21:1).
"The king's heart is in the hand of Yahweh as the watercourses," the King James ...
/w/watercourse.htm - 10k

Valleys (38 Occurrences)
... 6:3 and say, You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Yahweh: Thus says
the Lord Yahweh to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to ...
/v/valleys.htm - 18k

Willows (5 Occurrences)
... Tristram thinks that by the "willow by the water-courses," the Nerium oleander,
the ... 4 and they will spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses. ...
/w/willows.htm - 11k

Reservoir (1 Occurrence)
... The largest of these are made by damming watercourses, in which water
flows during the winter or at least after showers of rain. ...
/r/reservoir.htm - 12k

Districts (22 Occurrences)
... By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart. (See NIV). ... At
the watercourses of Reuben There were great searchings of heart. (See NIV). ...
/d/districts.htm - 13k

Pond (2 Occurrences)
... The largest of these are made by damming watercourses, in which water
flows during the winter or at least after showers of rain. ...
/p/pond.htm - 12k

Channels (10 Occurrences)
... cut him off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches
are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the watercourses of the land ...
/c/channels.htm - 9k

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