One Model Simultaneously Address Discrepancy and

Apart from hills and mountains, rivers and river valleys constitute other prominent features of landscapes generally and Israel/Bible land in particular.

Like hills and mountains, the Israelites were warned, before their arrival in the Promised Land, of the existence of “hills and valleys” (Deut.

11:11). However, while hills and mountains are prominent in the life and events in the Bible, the rivers and river valleys are not so emphasized.

This does not mean, however, that they are less important. The warning by God that the Promised Land is one of “river and river valleys”, like that of “hills and mountains” is to stress the marked difference from Goshen, where life centred on the Nile (irrigation), as against “rains of heaven” in the Promised Land (Deut. 11:12).

A source described the difference between Goshen and Canaan (Promised Land) thus:

On entering the land of Israel, they were faced with the problems of adaptation to very different conditions and farming methods. The Israelites found themselves in a land of hills and valleys, with streams, springs, underground water… The agricultural and irrigation techniques so effective in the Nile Valley could not be applied here … Entrance into the Promised Land exposed the Israelites to phenomena of nature which they had not known in Egypt or in the Sinai Desert.

Water, the source of all life, was totally dependent on rainfall brought by wind-driven clouds (quoted by Faniran 2001:34).

The implication is that the strange phenomena of rivers and river valleys, like hills and mountains, were capable of being misconstrued, more so when they had alternative explanations of deities among the native peoples they were replacing. God, therefore, warned against such misconception, leading to idolatry, especially in Exodus 20:3-4:

Worship no other god but me. Do not make for yourselves images of anything in heaven or on earth. do not bow down to any idol or worship it, because I am the LORD your God and I tolerate no rivals.

The rivers mentioned in the Bible are not restricted to those in Israel,

nation in Biblical times. Table 6.2 shows the most commonly mentioned rivers in the Bible, with the Nile, Euphrates and Jordan standing out among them, in terms, not only of their frequency of mention, but mainly on account of their significance in the life of the peoples. For example,

Table 6.2: Some rivers of Israel/Bible land River Text

Euphrates Gen. 15:18; Ex. 23:31; Deut. 1:7; Jos. 1:4;

Chr.5:9; 2Sam 8:3; 1Chr. 18:3, etc

Nile Gen.46:33-34; Ex. 2:1-10; 7:14; 19:35 etc

Jordan Jos 3:4; 14-15; 2kgs. 5; Lk 4:27

Memon B rook Jos 11:5;7

Mizpah Jn 11:18

Arnon Jos 12:1

Megiddo & Kishom Jud 4:5

Kibbok Jos 12:2

Lebanon Jos 12:7

Enshemesh Jos 14:7

Hinnon Jos 14:8

Rephaim Jos 14:8

Nephroah Jos 14:9

Jezreel Jos 17:18

Iphtahel Jos 19:14

Elah 1 jam. 17:2; 19:21:9

The Euphrates, the only one referred to in the Bible as “The

 provided a route of communication between east and west

 marked the boundary of the land promised to the “seed of Abraham” (Gen. 15:18)

 had the city of Babylon on its banks

 was mentioned in connection with:

Jacob’s return journey from Median (Gen. 31:21) Balaam (Nu. 23:24) David’s military campaigns (2 Sam. 8:3) Solomon’s kingdom (2 Kgs.

4:21)

the defeat of the Syrian army

the destructive power of God (Is. 11:15) the punishment of Israel (Is.

7:20; 8:7) judgement of God (Is. 27:12; Jer. 2:18) restoration of Israel (Mic. 7:12; Zech. 9:10)

Similarly, the Nile is the “sacred” river of Egypt mentioned most frequently in connection with the ‘Israelites’ sojourn in Egypt and Goshen, where the Israelites lived for over 400 years and multiplied in number several fold was in the Nile Delta region (Fig. 5.4). the most significant mention was in connection with the events that led to the deliverance of the Israelites and their successful exodus to the Promised Land (Ex. 7:14; 9:35)

Finally, River Jordan is the most important river in Palestine, being the largest river and with the associated lakes and seas the most important source of water in Palestine.

Three significant events took place there, viz:

Passage of the Israelites, under Joshua, on dry land to enter the Promised Land. Prophets Elijah and Elisha also crossed the Jordan dry land, just as the spies on Jericho.

The healing of Naaman (2 Kgs. 5; Lk 4:27) Baptism of Jesus by John (Matt. 3:14-17)

A valley is any hollow low-lying land bounded by higher ground and usually traversed by a river; a stretch of land between two hills or mountains, often with a river flowing through it.

Unlike river, water, land, hill, mountain, etc., the word “valley” occurs less frequently in the Bible. Nevertheless, significant events occurred in valleys as well in the Bible, e.g.

Sites for the prescription for the expiation of crime or concerning

Sites of both successful battles (with God’s help, 1 Kgs. 20:23- 34) as well as disastrous ones (without His help, 2 Chr. 25:5-13) The valley of dry bones (Ez. 37:1-14).

SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 5

1. Locate five rivers and river valleys on any maps in units 5 and 6.

2. write at least two important events that occurred on any two important rivers mentioned in this section.

3.5 Rocks and Stones (Earth Materials) of Israel/Bible Land