Jump to: Smith's • ATS • ISBE • Easton's • Webster's • Concordance • Thesaurus • Greek • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Terms • Resources Smith's Bible Dictionary Nile(blue, dark), the great river of Egypt. The word Nile nowhere occurs in the Authorized Version but it is spoken of under the names of Sihor [SIHOR] and the "river of Egypt." (Genesis 15:18) We cannot as yet determine the length of the Nile, although recent discoveries have narrowed the question. There is scarcely a doubt that its largest confluent is fed by the great lakes on and south of the equator. It has been traced upward for about 2700 miles, measured by its course, not in a direct line, and its extent is probably over 1000 miles more. (The course of the river has been traced for 3300 miles. For the first 1800 miles (McClintock and Strong say 2300) from its mouth it receives no tributary; but at Kartoom, the capital of Nubia, is the junction of the two great branches, the White Nile and the Blue Nile, so called from the color of the clay which tinges their waters. The Blue Nile rises in the mountains of Abyssinia and is the chief source of the deposit which the Nile brings to Egypt. The White Nile is the larger branch. Late travellers have found its source in Lake Victoria Nyanza, three degrees south of the equator. From this lake to the mouth of the Nile the distance is 2300 miles in a straight line --one eleventh the circumference of the globe. From the First Cataract, at Syene, the river flows smoothly at the rate of two or three miles an hour with a width of half a mile. to Cairo. A little north of Cairo it divides into two branches, one flowing to Rosetta and the other to Damietta, from which place the mouths are named. See Bartlett's "Egypt and Palestine," 1879. The great peculiarity of the river is its annual overflow, caused by the periodical tropical rains. "With wonderful clock-like regularity the river begins to swell about the end of June, rises 24 feet at Cairo between the 20th and 30th of September and falls as much by the middle of May. Six feet higher than this is devastation; six feet lower is destitution." --Bartlett . So that the Nile increases one hundred days and decreases one hundred days, and the culmination scarcely varies three days from September 25 the autumnal equinox. Thus "Egypt is the gift of the Nile." As to the cause of the years of plenty and of famine in the time of Joseph, Mr. Osburn, in his "Monumental History of Egypt," thinks that the cause of the seven years of plenty was the bursting of the barriers (and gradually wearing them away) of "the great lake of Ethiopia," which once existed on the upper Nile, thus bringing more water and more sediment to lower Egypt for those years. And he shows how this same destruction of this immense sea would cause the absorption of the waters of the Nile over its dry bed for several years after thus causing the famine. There is another instance of a seven-years famine-A.D. 1064-1071.--ED.) The great difference between the Nile of Egypt in the present day and in ancient times is caused by the failure of some of its branches and the ceasing of some of its chief vegetable products; and the chief change in the aspect of the cultivable land, as dependent on the Nile, is the result of the ruin of the fish-pools and their conduits and the consequent decline of the fisheries. The river was famous for its seven branches, and under the Roman dominion eleven were counted, of which, however, there were but seven principal ones. The monuments and the narratives of ancient writers show us in the Nile of Egypt in old times a stream bordered By flags and reeds, the covert of abundant wild fowl, and bearing on its waters the fragrant flowers of the various-colored lotus. Now in Egypt scarcely any reeds or waterplants --the famous papyrus being nearly, if not quite extinct, and the lotus almost unknown--are to he seen, excepting in the marshes near the Mediterranean. Of old the great river must have shown a more fair and busy scene than now. Boats of many kinds were ever passing along it, by the painted walls of temples and the gardens that extended around the light summer pavilions, from the pleasure,valley, with one great square sail in pattern and many oars, to the little papyrus skiff dancing on the water and carrying the seekers of pleasure where they could shoot with arrows or knock down with the throw-stick the wild fowl that abounded among the reeds, or engage in the dangerous chase of the hippopotamus or the crocodile. The Nile is constantly before us in the history of Israel in Egypt. ATS Bible Dictionary NileThe celebrated river of Egypt. It takes this name only after the junction of the two great streams of which it is composed, namely, the Bahr el Abiad, or White River, which rises in the mountains of the Moon, in the interior of Africa, and runs northeast till it is joined by the other branch, the Bahr el Azrek, or Blue river, which rises in Abyssinia, and after a large circuit to the southeast and southwest, in which it passes through the lake of Dembea, flows northwards to join the White river. This Abyssinian branch has in modern times been regarded as the real Nile, although the White River is much the largest and longest, and was in ancient times considered as the true Nile. The junction takes place about latitude sixteen degrees north. From this point the Nile flows always in a northerly direction, with the exception of one large bend to the west. About thirteen hundred miles form the sea it receives its last branch, the Tacazze, a large stream from Abyssinia, and having passed through Nubia, it enters Egypt at the cataracts near Syene, or Essuan, which are formed by a chain of rocks stretching east and west. There are here three falls; after which the river pursues its course in still and silent majesty through the whole length of the land of Egypt. Its average breadth is about seven hundred yards. In Lower Egypt it divides into several branches and forms the celebrated Delta; for which see under EGYPT. See also a view of the river in AMMON, or NoAmmon, or No. As rain very seldom falls, even in winter, in Southern Egypt, and usually only slight and infrequent showers in Lower Egypt, the whole physical and political existence of Egypt may be said to depend on the Nile; since without this river, and even without its regular annual inundation's, the whole land would be but a desert. These inundation's, so mysterious in the view of ancient ignorance and superstition, are caused by the regular periodical rains in the countries farther south, around the sources of the Nile, in March and later. The river begins to rise in Egypt about the middle of June, and continues to increase through the month of July. In August it overflows its banks, and reaches its highest point early in September; and the country is then mostly covered with its waters, Am 8:8 9:5 Nahum 3:8. In the beginning of October, the inundation still continues; and it is only towards the end of this month that the stream returns within its banks. From the middle of August till towards the end of October, the whole land of Egypt resembles a great lake or sea, in which the towns and cities appear as islands. The cause of the fertility which the Nile imparts lies not only in its thus watering the land, but also in the thick slimy mud which its waters bring down along with them and deposit on the soil of Egypt. It is like a coat of rich manure; and the seed being immediately sown upon it, without digging or ploughing, springs up rapidly, grows with luxuriance, and ripens into abundance. See EGYPT. It must not, however, be supposed that the Nile spreads itself over every spot of land, and waters it sufficiently without artificial aid. Niebuhr justly remarks, "Some descriptions of Egypt would lead us to think that the Nile, when it swells, lays the whole province under water. The lands immediately adjoining to the banks of the river are indeed laid under water, but the natural inequality of the ground hinders it from overflowing the interior country. A great part of the lands would therefore remain barren, were not canals and reservoirs formed to receive water from the river, when at its greatest height, which is thus conveyed everywhere through the fields, and reserved for watering them when occasion requires." In order to raise the water to grounds, which lie higher, machines have been used in Egypt from times immemorial. These are chiefly wheels to which buckets are attached. One kind is turned by oxen; another smaller kind, by men seated, and pushing the lower spokes from them with their feet, while they pulled the upper spokes towards them with their hands, De 11:10. As the inundations of the Nile are of so much importance to the whole land, structures have been erected on which the beginning and progress of its rise might be observed. These are called Nilometers; that is, "Nile measures." At present there is one, one thousand years old and half in ruins, on the little island opposite Cairo; it is under the care of the government, and according to it the beginning and subsequent progress of the rise of the Nile were carefully observed and proclaimed by authority. If the inundation reached the height of twenty-two Paris feet, a rich harvest was expected; because then all the fields had received the requisite irrigation. If it fell short of this height and in proportion as it thus fell short, the land was threatened with want and famine of which many horrible examples occur in Egyptian history. Should the rise of the water exceed twenty-eight Paris feet, a famine was in like manner feared. The annual rise of the river also varies exceedingly in different parts of its course, being twenty feet greater where the river is narrow than in Lower Egypt. The channel is thought to be gradually filling up; and many of the ancient outlets at the Delta are dry in summer and almost obliterated. The drying up of the waters of Egypt would involve its destruction as a habitable land to the destruction as a habitable land to the same extent; and this fact is recognized in the prophetic denunciations of this remarkable country, Isaiah 11:15 19:1-10 Ezekiel 29:10 30:12. The water of the Nile, although during a great part of the year turbid, from the effects of the rains above, yet furnishes, when purified by settling, the softest and sweetest water for drinking. Its excellence is acknowledged by all travelers. The Egyptians are full of its praises, and even worshipped the river as a god. The Hebrews sometimes gave both to the Euphrates and the Nile the name of "sea," Isaiah 19:5 Nahum 3:8. In this they are borne out by Arabic writers, and also by the common people of Egypt, who to this day commonly speak of the Nile as "the sea." It is also still celebrated for its fish. Compare Numbers 11:5 Isaiah 19:8. In its waters are likewise found the crocodile or leviathan, and the hippopotamus or behemoth. See EGYPT, and SIHOR. Easton's Bible Dictionary Dark; blue, not found in Scripture, but frequently referred to in the Old Testament under the name of Sihor, i.e., "the black stream" (Isaiah 23:3; Jeremiah 2:18) or simply "the river" (Genesis 41:1; Exodus 1:22, etc.) and the "flood of Egypt" (Amos 8:8). It consists of two rivers, the White Nile, which takes its rise in the Victoria Nyanza, and the Blue Nile, which rises in the Abyssinian Mountains. These unite at the town of Khartoum, whence it pursues its course for 1,800 miles, and falls into the Mediterranean through its two branches, into which it is divided a few miles north of Cairo, the Rosetta and the Damietta branch. (see EGYPT.) Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (n.) The great river of Egypt.International Standard Bible Encyclopedia NILEnil (Neilos, meaning not certainly known; perhaps refers to the color of the water, as black or blue. This name does not occur in the Hebrew of the Old Testament or in the English translation): Greek 125. Aiguptos -- Egypt, the land of the Nile ... Egypt, the land of the Nile. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Aiguptos Phonetic Spelling: (ah'-ee-goop-tos) Short Definition: Egypt Definition ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/125.htm - 6k 3033. Libue -- "the west bank of the Nile," Libya, a region in N. ... Strong's Hebrew 2975. yeor -- stream (of the Nile), stream, canal... 2974, 2975. yeor. 2976 . stream (of the Nile), stream, canal. Transliteration: yeor Phonetic Spelling: (yeh-ore') Short Definition: Nile. ... /hebrew/2975.htm - 6k 3568a. Kush -- a son of Ham, also his desc., also a land in the S. ... 3568. Kuwsh -- a son of Ham, also his desc., also a land in the S. ... 7883. Shichor -- a stream on the border of Egypt 5104. nahar -- a stream, river 930. Behemoth -- a kind of animal 260. achu -- reeds, rushes Library The Margin of the Nile The Nile and Egypt Extension of Our Doctrines, and Complete Demolition of Idolatrous ... "Not Far from the Desert, and Close to the Nile... Prohibition of Sacrifices, of Mystic Rites, Combats of Gladiators ... The Cost of Being Cruel and Stubborn On the Way to Thebes Something Different from the New Birth. A Prisoner who Became a Mighty Ruler Marah; Or, the Bitter Waters Sweetened Thesaurus Nile (37 Occurrences)... 2:18) or simply "the river" (Genesis 41:1; Exodus 1:22, etc.) and the "flood of Egypt" (Amos 8:8). It consists of two rivers, the White Nile, which takes ...NILE. ... /n/nile.htm - 29k Canals (5 Occurrences) Shihor (5 Occurrences) Bulrushes (3 Occurrences) Goshen (16 Occurrences) Zoan (7 Occurrences) Drinking (114 Occurrences) River (189 Occurrences) Smell (77 Occurrences) On (40792 Occurrences) Resources What was the meaning and purpose of the ten plagues of Egypt? | GotQuestions.orgDo the news reports of rivers turning blood red have anything to do with the end times? | GotQuestions.org What is the significance of Egypt in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Nile: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Nile (37 Occurrences)Genesis 41:1 Genesis 41:2 Genesis 41:3 Genesis 41:17 Genesis 41:18 Exodus 1:22 Exodus 2:3 Exodus 2:5 Exodus 4:9 Exodus 7:15 Exodus 7:17 Exodus 7:18 Exodus 7:20 Exodus 7:21 Exodus 7:24 Exodus 7:25 Exodus 8:3 Exodus 8:9 Exodus 8:11 Exodus 17:5 Isaiah 18:2 Isaiah 19:5 Isaiah 19:6 Isaiah 19:7 Isaiah 19:8 Isaiah 23:3 Isaiah 23:10 Jeremiah 2:18 Jeremiah 46:7 Jeremiah 46:8 Ezekiel 29:3 Ezekiel 29:9 Ezekiel 30:12 Amos 8:8 Amos 9:5 Nahum 3:8 Zechariah 10:11 Subtopics the River Nile: Abounded in Crocodiles the River Nile: Abounded in Fish the River Nile: Abounded in Reeds and Flags the River Nile: Annual Overflow of Its Banks Alluded To the River Nile: Called: The Egyptian Sea the River Nile: Called: The River the River Nile: Called: The Stream of Egypt the River Nile: Empties Itself Into the Mediterranean Sea by Seven Streams the River Nile: Remarkable Events Connected With: Its Waters Turned Into Blood the River Nile: Remarkable Events Connected With: Male Children Drowned In the River Nile: Remarkable Events Connected With: Miraculous Generation of Frogs the River Nile: Remarkable Events Connected With: Moses Exposed on Its Banks the River Nile: The Egyptians: Bathed In the River Nile: The Egyptians: Carried on Extensive Commerce By the River Nile: The Egyptians: Drank of the River Nile: The Egyptians: Punished by Destruction of Its Fish the River Nile: The Egyptians: Punished by Failure of Its Waters the River Nile: The Egyptians: Took Great Pride In Related Terms |