A watercourse in biblical terms refers to a natural or man-made channel through which water flows. This term is significant in the Bible, symbolizing both physical sustenance and spiritual nourishment. Watercourses are often associated with God's provision and blessing, as well as His judgment and cleansing.

Biblical References:

1. Genesis 2:10-14 · The first mention of a watercourse in the Bible is found in the description of the Garden of Eden. A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided into four headwaters: Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates. This passage highlights the abundance and life-giving properties of watercourses, as they sustained the lushness of Eden.

2. Job 38:25 · "Who cuts a channel for the flood or clears a path for the thunderbolt?" This rhetorical question posed by God to Job emphasizes His sovereignty over creation, including the establishment of watercourses. It underscores the divine control over natural phenomena and the purposeful design of the earth's waterways.

3. Proverbs 21:1 · "The king’s heart is a watercourse in the hand of the LORD; He directs it wherever He pleases." Here, the watercourse metaphor illustrates God's authority over human affairs, particularly the hearts and decisions of rulers. Just as a watercourse can be directed, so can the intentions and actions of a king be guided by God.

4. Isaiah 30:25 · "And on every high mountain and every raised hill there will be streams of water, on the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall." This prophecy speaks of a future time of restoration and blessing, where watercourses will flow abundantly, symbolizing peace and prosperity following judgment.

5. Isaiah 32:2 · "Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in a dry land, like the shade of a great rock in an arid land." Watercourses here are used metaphorically to describe the refreshing and protective presence of righteous leaders, providing relief and sustenance in times of spiritual drought.

6. Ezekiel 31:4 · "The waters nourished it, the deep made it grow tall, directing its rivers around the place of its planting and sending its streams to all the trees of the field." This passage describes the Assyrian empire as a mighty tree, sustained by abundant watercourses. It illustrates how nations and peoples thrive under God's provision.

7. Psalm 1:3 · "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does." The righteous person is compared to a tree planted by a watercourse, symbolizing spiritual vitality and fruitfulness derived from a constant source of divine nourishment.

Symbolism and Themes:

Watercourses in the Bible often symbolize life, growth, and prosperity. They are seen as channels of God's blessing, providing the necessary resources for physical and spiritual flourishing. In contrast, the absence of watercourses can signify desolation and judgment, as seen in the imagery of dry and barren lands.

Moreover, watercourses are used to illustrate God's control over nature and human affairs. Just as He directs the flow of rivers, He guides the hearts and actions of individuals and nations. This imagery reinforces the theme of divine sovereignty and the assurance of God's providential care.

In prophetic literature, watercourses frequently appear in visions of restoration and renewal, pointing to a future hope where God's people will experience abundance and peace. These references serve as reminders of God's faithfulness and the ultimate fulfillment of His promises.WATERCOURSE

wo'-ter-kors:

(1) 'aphiq (Ezekiel 6:3; Ezekiel 31:12; Ezekiel 32:6; Ezekiel 34:13; Ezekiel 35:8; 36:4, 6), the King James Version "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 Version "rivers," elsewhere "streams" or "rivers."

(3) yabhal, yibheley mayim, "watercourses" (English Versions of the Bible) (Isaiah 44:4); in Isaiah 30:25, English Versions of the Bible has "streams of water"; compare yubhal, "rivers" (Jeremiah 17:8); yubhal, "Jubal" (Genesis 4:21); 'ubhal, "the river Ulai" (Daniel 8:2, 3, 6).

(4) te`alah, "channel," the King James Version "watercourse" (Job 38:25); elsewhere "conduit," "the conduit of the upper pool" (2 Kings 18:17 Isaiah 7:3; Isaiah 36:2).

(5) tsinnor, "watercourse," the King James Version "gutter" (2 Samuel 5:8).

See BROOK; RIVER; STREAM; WATERFALL.

Alfred Ely Day

2988. yabal -- watercourse, stream
... 2987, 2988. yabal. 2989 . watercourse, stream. Transliteration: yabal Phonetic
Spelling: (yaw-bawl') Short Definition: running. ... watercourse, stream. ...
/hebrew/2988.htm - 6k

8585. t'alah -- a watercourse
... a watercourse. Transliteration: t'alah Phonetic Spelling: (teh-aw-law') Short
Definition: conduit. conduit, cured, healing, little river, trench, watercourse ...
/hebrew/8585.htm - 5k

8585a. tealah -- a watercourse
... 8585, 8585a. tealah. 8585b . a watercourse. Transliteration: tealah
Short Definition: conduit. Word Origin from alah Definition ...
/hebrew/8585a.htm - 5k

One Fold and one Shepherd
... The king's quick eye had seen a practical path for scaling the cliffs up some
watercourse, where there might be projections or vegetation to pull oneself up by ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/one fold and one shepherd.htm

The City of the "Elegant Gate"[*]
... Wherever the Chinese, at least in this part of the Empire, can find a watercourse,
by cultivation they will turn the most barren soil into a garden. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/fagg/forty years in south china/iii the city of the.htm

Letter iii. To Rufinus the Monk.
... clouds. [46] No watercourse pleasant to the view supplies his wants, but
from the Lord's side he drinks the water of life. [47] Place ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter iii to rufinus the.htm

The Water of Life;
... water. For though the channel or watercourse in which the water runs is
the same, yet the waters themselves are always new. That ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the water of life.htm

Sargon of Assyria (722-705 BC )
... Shatt Umm-el-Jemal; according to Delattrc, the Kerkha; the account of the campaign
under consideration would lead me to recognise in it a watercourse like the ...
/.../chapter iiisargon of assyria 722-705.htm

Watercourse (6 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia WATERCOURSE. wo ... Alfred Ely Day. Multi-Version
Concordance Watercourse (6 Occurrences). Deuteronomy ...
/w/watercourse.htm - 10k

Tilled (6 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 21:4 and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto an
ever-flowing watercourse, which is not tilled, nor is it sown, and shall break ...
/t/tilled.htm - 8k

Ever-flowing (4 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 21:4 and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto an
ever-flowing watercourse, which is not tilled, nor is it sown, and shall break ...
/e/ever-flowing.htm - 7k

Peleg (8 Occurrences)
... Arabia. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. PELEG. pe'-leg (pelegh, "watercourse,"
"division"): A son of Eber, and brother of Joktan. The ...
/p/peleg.htm - 10k

Watercourses (14 Occurrences)

/w/watercourses.htm - 11k

Kishon (6 Occurrences)
... ki'-shon, kish'on (qishon; Keison): The "watercourse" or "torrent stream" along
the banks of which the great battle was fought between Israel, led by Deborah ...
/k/kishon.htm - 12k

Overflowing (54 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Job 38:25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters,
or a way for the lightning of thunder; (KJV WBS). Job ...
/o/overflowing.htm - 23k

Water-brooks (6 Occurrences)
Water-brooks. Water, Water-brooks. Watercourse . Multi-Version Concordance ...
(DBY). Water, Water-brooks. Watercourse . Reference Bible.
/w/water-brooks.htm - 8k

Waterfall
... It occurs also in 2 Samuel 5:8, translated "watercourse," the King James Version
"gutter." Compare (tsanteroth), "spouts" (Zechariah 4:12). ...
/w/waterfall.htm - 7k

Tarsus (5 Occurrences)
... 527-65 AD) attempted to provide by cutting a new channel, starting a short distance
North of the city, to divert the surplus water into a watercourse which lay ...
/t/tarsus.htm - 30k

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