Rivers: Chebar
Jump to: Torrey'sLibrarySubtopicsTerms
Topical Encyclopedia
The River Chebar is a significant waterway mentioned in the Old Testament, particularly in the Book of Ezekiel. It is most notably associated with the prophet Ezekiel, who received visions from God while in exile by this river. The Chebar is referenced in several passages, providing a backdrop for divine revelations and prophetic experiences.

Biblical References:

1. Ezekiel 1:1 : "In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the River Chebar, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God." This verse introduces the setting for Ezekiel's prophetic ministry, marking the beginning of his visions and the revelation of God's messages to the exiled Israelites.

2. Ezekiel 3:15 : "I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were living by the River Chebar. And I sat there among them for seven days, overwhelmed." Here, the Chebar is depicted as a place of gathering for the exiles, where Ezekiel joins his fellow Israelites, sharing in their plight and preparing for his prophetic mission.

3. Ezekiel 10:15 : "Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures I had seen by the River Chebar." This passage connects the Chebar with Ezekiel's vision of the cherubim, emphasizing the river as a site of divine encounter and revelation.

Historical and Geographical Context:

The River Chebar is traditionally identified with the Khabur River, a tributary of the Euphrates, located in what is now modern-day Syria. During the Babylonian exile, many Israelites were settled in this region, and the Chebar served as a geographical marker for their displacement from the Promised Land. The river's location in Mesopotamia underscores the historical context of the Babylonian captivity, a period of profound spiritual and cultural significance for the Jewish people.

Theological Significance:

The Chebar holds theological importance as the setting for Ezekiel's prophetic ministry. It symbolizes the presence of God among His people, even in exile. The river serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and His ability to communicate with His people regardless of their physical location. Ezekiel's visions by the Chebar convey messages of judgment, hope, and restoration, reflecting God's ongoing relationship with Israel despite their circumstances.

Prophetic Ministry of Ezekiel:

Ezekiel's experiences by the River Chebar highlight his role as a prophet during a time of national crisis. His visions and messages were intended to call the Israelites to repentance and to assure them of God's ultimate plan for redemption. The Chebar, therefore, is not merely a geographical location but a symbol of divine communication and the enduring faithfulness of God to His covenant people.

In summary, the River Chebar is a pivotal location in the biblical narrative, serving as the setting for Ezekiel's prophetic visions and symbolizing God's presence and revelation during the Babylonian exile.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Ezekiel 1:1,3
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 10:15,20
And the cherubim were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

And V the Kingdom Undivided and the Kingdom Divided
... Assyria and Babylon. Let the map include the Tigris, Euphrates and Chebar
Rivers. See Map 4, also Bible Atlas. Draw dotted lines ...
/.../palmer/a birds-eye view of the bible/iv and v the kingdom.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... The rivers were banked out and the inundation regulated by means of canals. ... as the
"older Bel." Nippur was watered by the canal Kabaru, the Chebar of Ezekiel ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

The Four Gospels.
... The symbolical poesy of the church compares them with the four rivers of Paradise,
and ... the prophet saw in his exile on the banks of the Chebar, symbolize the ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 78 the four gospels.htm

Letter Xlvi. Paula and Eustochium to Marcella.
... the waves of this world, and to ford its rivers; those by which the saints sat down
and wept when they remembered Zion, [943] and Chebar's flood, whence ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xlvi paula and eustochium.htm

Light through Darkness
... Daniel in the court of Babylon, through Ezekiel on the banks of the Chebar, the
Lord in ... will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 38 light through darkness.htm

The Greater Prophets.
... as then, goes before his people, opening for them in their extremity "rivers in
high ... 16); and lived with other captives at Tell-abib on the Chebar (perhaps the ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxii the greater prophets.htm

The Iranian Conquest
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9. <. ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
... I saw, even according to the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city,
and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy city or the.htm

Resources
What is the significance of Damascus in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who were the Sumerians? | GotQuestions.org

Is Göbekli Tepe where the Garden of Eden was located? | GotQuestions.org

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Rivers

Rivers of Abundance

Rivers of Ahava

Rivers of Babylon

Rivers of Canaan Abounded With Fish

Rivers of Damascus

Rivers of Eden

Rivers of Egypt

Rivers of Ethiopia

Rivers of Heavy Afflictions

Rivers of Jotbath

Rivers of Judah

Rivers of People Flying from Judgments

Rivers of Philippi

Rivers of the Abundance of Grace in Christ

Rivers of the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit

Rivers: (Drying up of) of God's Judgments

Rivers: (Fruitfulness of Trees Planted By) of the Permanent

Rivers: (Overflowing of) God's Judgments

Rivers: (Steady Course of) Peace of Saints

Rivers: Abana

Rivers: Arnon

Rivers: Banks of Covered With Flags

Rivers: Banks of Frequented by Doves

Rivers: Banks of Frequented by Wild Beasts

Rivers: Banks of Frequently Overflowed

Rivers: Banks of Peculiarly Fruitful

Rivers: Banks of Places of Common Resort

Rivers: Banks of Planted With Trees

Rivers: Baptism often Performed In

Rivers: Broad

Rivers: Chebar

Rivers: Cities often Built Beside

Rivers: Deep

Rivers: Enclosed Within Banks

Rivers: Euphrates

Rivers: Flow Through Valleys

Rivers: Gardens often Made Beside

Rivers: Gihon

Rivers: God's Power Over, Unlimited

Rivers: Gozan

Rivers: Great and Mighty

Rivers: Hiddekel

Rivers: Jabbok

Rivers: Jordan

Rivers: Kanah

Rivers: Kishon

Rivers: Many, Fordable in some Places

Rivers: Often the Boundaries of Kingdoms

Rivers: Parted Into Many Streams

Rivers: Pharpar

Rivers: Pison

Rivers: Rapid

Rivers: Run Into the Sea

Rivers: Source of

Rivers: Ulai

Rivers: Useful For: Bathing

Rivers: Useful For: Commerce

Rivers: Useful For: Promoting Vegetation

Rivers: Useful For: Supplying Drink to the People

Related Terms

Flags (9 Occurrences)

Brink (11 Occurrences)

Bank (28 Occurrences)

Kine (24 Occurrences)

Lign (1 Occurrence)

Wicker (1 Occurrence)

Fetched (26 Occurrences)

Tar (3 Occurrences)

Tarsus (5 Occurrences)

Rushes (13 Occurrences)

Reeds (27 Occurrences)

Riverside (4 Occurrences)

Daubed (9 Occurrences)

Maids (28 Occurrences)

Bulrushes (3 Occurrences)

Coated (2 Occurrences)

Amphipolis (1 Occurrence)

Sedge (2 Occurrences)

Station (78 Occurrences)

Slime (6 Occurrences)

Pitch (25 Occurrences)

Fetch (45 Occurrences)

Hide (135 Occurrences)

Rod (138 Occurrences)

Changed (177 Occurrences)

Basket (40 Occurrences)

Covered (325 Occurrences)

Rivers (81 Occurrences)

Herself (121 Occurrences)

Wash (105 Occurrences)

Philippi (8 Occurrences)

Morning (264 Occurrences)

Midst (657 Occurrences)

Meet (281 Occurrences)

Ark (212 Occurrences)

Papyrus (4 Occurrences)

Serpent (40 Occurrences)

Rivers: Broad
Top of Page
Top of Page