Biblical Geography

Rivers, Seas & Water

Rivers, seas, springs and wells. In a dry land, water decides where people can live, and Scripture says so.

  • The Jordan RiverRiveridentification debated

    The boundary river of the promised land, and the one place Scripture returns to across a thousand years: Israel's crossing, Elijah's departure, Naaman's washing, John's preaching and the baptism of Jesus.

    Rivers, Seas & WaterThe Jordan RiverJoshua 3:14-17

  • Egypt's river of life: the basket of Moses, the plagues, and the water that turned to blood.

    Rivers, Seas & WaterThe NileExodus 2:3-5

  • The great river of Mesopotamia: Eden's boundary marker, the promised land's far border, Babylon's water, and a boundary of Revelation.

    Rivers, Seas & WaterThe EuphratesGenesis 15:18

  • The swift eastern river: Eden's third river, Assyria's water, and the river of Daniel's vision.

    Rivers, Seas & WaterThe TigrisDaniel 10:4

  • The tributary gorge east of the Jordan where Jacob wrestled through the night and left as Israel.

    Rivers, Seas & WaterWadi ZarqaGenesis 32:22-28

  • The seasonal river of the Jezreel valley that swept away Sisera's chariots and ran at Elijah's hand on Carmel.

    Rivers, Seas & WaterNahr al-Muqatta (the Kishon)Judges 5:20-21

  • The Red SeaSeaidentification debated

    The sea of the Exodus: Israel's deliverance, Pharaoh's judgment, and the Song of Moses on the far shore.

    Rivers, Seas & WaterThe Red Sea, with the Gulfs of Suez and AqabaExodus 14:13-31

  • The freshwater lake below sea level around which most of Jesus' Galilean ministry happened: the call of the fishermen, the storm, the walking on the water.

    Rivers, Seas & WaterLake KinneretMark 1:16-18

  • The Dead SeaSeaidentification debated

    The Salt Sea at the bottom of the rift valley, the border of Judah and the sea that receives the Jordan and gives nothing back.

    Rivers, Seas & WaterThe Dead SeaGenesis 14:3

  • The Great Sea of the Old Testament and the sailing water of Acts: Israel's western border and the gospel's road to the nations.

    Rivers, Seas & WaterNumbers 34:6

Every entry begins with the biblical text. Where a site is debated, the entry says so. Browse the whole geography library or see these places on the atlas.