A waterfall is a natural feature where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops in the course of a stream or river. While the Bible does not explicitly mention waterfalls, the imagery of cascading waters can be inferred from various scriptural passages that describe the power and majesty of God's creation. Waterfalls, as part of the natural world, can be seen as a testament to the grandeur and creativity of the Creator.

Symbolism and Imagery

In the Bible, water often symbolizes life, purification, and the presence of God. The imagery of rushing or cascading waters can evoke the overwhelming power and majesty of God. For instance, in Psalm 42:7 , the psalmist writes, "Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me." This verse uses the imagery of waterfalls to express the depth of the psalmist's longing for God and the overwhelming nature of divine presence and trials.

Creation and God's Majesty

The natural world, including features like waterfalls, is frequently used in the Bible to illustrate God's power and majesty. In Romans 1:20 , Paul writes, "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse." Waterfalls, with their beauty and power, serve as a visible reminder of God's handiwork and His sovereign control over creation.

Spiritual Refreshment and Renewal

Waterfalls can also symbolize spiritual refreshment and renewal. In John 4:14 , Jesus speaks of the living water He provides: "But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life." While not directly referencing waterfalls, the concept of a continuous, life-giving flow of water can be likened to the perpetual and renewing nature of a waterfall, symbolizing the sustenance and eternal life found in Christ.

Judgment and Power

The force and power of waterfalls can also be seen as a metaphor for God's judgment and might. In Nahum 1:3-4 , the prophet describes the Lord's power over nature: "The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet. He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry." While not directly mentioning waterfalls, the imagery of controlling and altering the natural flow of water underscores God's authority and power over creation.

Conclusion

While waterfalls are not specifically mentioned in the Bible, the themes and imagery associated with water in Scripture can be applied to understand the spiritual significance of these natural wonders. They serve as a powerful reminder of God's majesty, the refreshment found in His presence, and His sovereign control over all creation.1. (n.) A fall, or perpendicular descent, of the water of a river or stream, or a descent nearly perpendicular; a cascade; a cataract.

2. (n.) An arrangement of a woman's back hair over a cushion or frame in some resemblance to a waterfall.

3. (n.) A certain kind of neck scarf.

WATERFALL

wo'-ter-fol (tsinnor; only in the American Standard Revised Version (Psalm 42:7)):

"Deep calleth unto deep at the

noise of thy waterfalls;

All thy waves and thy billows

are gone over me."

The King James Version and the English Revised Version have "waterspouts," the English Revised Version margin "cataracts." The etymology of the word is uncertain. It occurs also in 2 Samuel 5:8, translated "watercourse," the King James Version "gutter." Compare (tsanteroth), "spouts" (Zechariah 4:12).

The Savanna of Aripo
... enough, on a rise at the southern foot of the mountains, and at the mouth of a torrent
which comes down from the famous 'Chorro,' or waterfall, of Maraccas. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xii the savanna of.htm

Deaf Ears and Stammering Tongues.
... hear. There is the voice of praise and thanksgiving going up from singing
bird, and rustling forest, and rushing waterfall. Every ...
/.../the life of duty a years plain sermons v 2/sermon xlvii deaf ears and.htm

Friedrich Von Spee
... Or again, the poet wanders into the woods: near a waterfall he utters the name of
Jesus; it is repeated; at first he thinks it is some kindred heart responding ...
/.../winkworth/christian singers of germany/friedrich von spee.htm

Missed Ends
... and needing a change, she had to go and rest for awhile; but no one was sent to
guard her gap, and over and over the people fell, like a waterfall of souls. ...
/.../wilson-carmichael/things as they are/chapter vi missed ends.htm

Visits of Angels.
... The snapping of twigs, the low whistle of a bird, the groan of the wind, the murmur
of a waterfall must all be listened to with care. EVIL TIDINGS. ...
/.../rees/the heart-cry of jesus/chapter xi visits of angels.htm

The Prince Returns
... Finally he ventured to lift a wilted and fragile hand and looked at it. It was not
white; but it was unsteady as a laurel leaf beside a waterfall. ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter xii the prince returns.htm

The River of Life
... There needs a waterfall to generate electricity; the power which is to come into
humanity and deal with its miseries must have its source high above the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the river of life.htm

The Psalmist's Remonstrance with his Soul
... grim black rocks by the side of the fall, whose verdure is made greener and whose
brightness is made brighter, by the freshening of the spray of the waterfall. ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture j/the psalmists remonstrance with his.htm

Three Afternoons Off the Track
... Brahman quarter was set in the deep green of shadowy trees; just behind it the
mountains rose outlined in mist, and out of the mist a waterfall gleamed white ...
/.../wilson-carmichael/things as they are/chapter ii three afternoons off.htm

Effects Require Causes
... The second threw on his canvas a thundering waterfall, with a fragile birch-tree
bending over the foam; at the fork of a branch, almost wet with the cataract's ...
/.../the greatest thing in the world and other addresses/effects require causes.htm

Waterfall
... 2. (n.) An arrangement of a woman's back hair over a cushion or frame in some
resemblance to a waterfall. 3. (n.) A certain kind of neck scarf. Int. ...WATERFALL. ...
/w/waterfall.htm - 7k

Watereth (9 Occurrences)

/w/watereth.htm - 9k

Kenath (2 Occurrences)
... of the Romans, on both sides of Wady Kanawat, where, descending from the slopes
of Jebel ed-Druze, it plunges over a precipice, forming a picturesque waterfall...
/k/kenath.htm - 8k

Watercourse (6 Occurrences)
... 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. ...
/w/watercourse.htm - 10k

Waterspout
... Revised Version margin, "sea-monsters" or "water-spouts." "Praise Yahweh from the
earth, Ye sea-monsters, and all deeps." See DRAGON; SEA-MONSTER; WATERFALL. ...
/w/waterspout.htm - 7k

Waterfalls (1 Occurrence)

/w/waterfalls.htm - 6k

Force (250 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To stuff; to lard; to farce. 2. (n.)
A waterfall; a cascade. 3. (n.) Strength or energy of body ...
/f/force.htm - 40k

Rapid (1 Occurrence)
... 4. (n.) The part of a river where the current moves with great swiftness, but without
actual waterfall or cascade; -- usually in the plural; as, the Lachine ...
/r/rapid.htm - 7k

Aner (3 Occurrences)
... a'-ner (`aner; Septuagint Aunan; Samaritan Pentateuch, `anram, "sprout," "waterfall"):
One of the three "confederates" of Abraham in his pursuit after the four ...
/a/aner.htm - 8k

Spray (1 Occurrence)
... 5. (vt) Water flying in small drops or particles, as by the force of wind,
or the dashing of waves, or from a waterfall, and the like. ...
/s/spray.htm - 7k

Waterfall: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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