Nile River. Photographer: Givaga. Licensed.

Rivers of the Bible

Many rivers are mentioned in Scripture.

in alphabetical order

  1. Abana River of Syria

  2. Afik — Hebrew: 'Aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds water (2 Samuel 22:16), sometimes translated “brook,” “river,” or “stream,” but not necessarily a perennial stream (Ezek. 6:3; 31:12; 32:6; 34:13).

  3. Ahava River of the Kingdom of Babylon

  4. Amana River of Syria

  5. Arnon River of Israel

  6. Besor

  7. Cestrus River, in southwestern Turkey / Primarily fed by Taurus Mountain springs, it discharges into the Mediterranean near the city of Antalya.

  8. Chebar River of Chaldea

  9. Cherith

  10. Cydnus River of Tarsus

  11. Euphrates River

  12. Gihon River (pre-Flood)

  13. River of Gozan in Mesopotamia

  14. Habor River of Mesopotamia

  15. Hasbani River, major tributary of the Jordan River which receives much of its water from 2 springs / Hebrew: נחל שניר‎

  16. Hiddekel River (Tigris)

  17. Jabbok River (near Penuel/Peniel)

  18. Jordan River. Also see: Swelling of Jordan

  19. Kanah stream of Israel

  20. Khabur (same as Habor River and Chebar)

  21. Kidron

  22. Kishon River of Israel

  23. Lycus River of the city of Colossae, home of the Colossians in Phrygia

  24. Me-jarkon River of Israel

  25. Nahal

    Hebrew: nahal, in winter a “torrent,” in summer a “wady” or valley (Genesis 32:23; Deuteronomy 2:24; 3:16; Isaiah 30:28; Lam. 2:18; Ezek. 47:9).

    These winter torrents sometimes come down with great suddenness and with desolating force. A distinguished traveller thus describes his experience in this matter:

    “I was encamped in Wady Feiran, near the base of Jebel Serbal, when a tremendous thunderstorm burst upon us. After little more than an hour’s rain, the water rose so rapidly in the previously dry wady that I had to run for my life, and with great difficulty succeeded in saving my tent and goods; my boots, which I had not time to pick up, were washed away. In less than two hours a dry desert wady upwards of 300 yards broad was turned into a foaming torrent from 8 to 10 feet deep, roaring and tearing down and bearing everything upon it, tangled masses of tamarisks, hundreds of beautiful palmtrees, scores of sheep and goats, camels and donkeys, and even men, women, and children, for a whole encampment of Arabs was washed away a few miles above me. The storm commenced at five in the evening; at half-past nine the waters were rapidly subsiding, and it was evident that the flood had spent its force.” (Compare Matthew 7:27; Luke 6:49)

  26. Nahar, a “river” continuous and full, a perennial stream, as the Jordan, the Euphrates (Genesis 2:10; 15:18; Deuteronomy 1:7; Psalm 66:6; Ezek. 10:15).

  27. Nile River in Egypt

  28. Orontes River at Antioch

  29. Pactolus River at Sardis

  30. Peleg, properly “waters divided,” i.e., streams divided, throughout the land (Psalm 1:3); “the rivers [i.e., ‘divisions’] of waters” (Job 20:17; 29:6; Proverbs 5:16).

  31. Pharpar River of Syria

  32. Pison River (aka Pishon) (pre-Flood)

  33. Rivers of Babylon

  34. Rivers of Damascus

  35. River of Egypt. Also see: Stream of Egypt

  36. “A river of fire was flowing” in Daniel’s prophetic vision of four beasts (Daniel 7:10).

  37. River of Gad

  38. River of God

  39. Rivers of Judah

  40. River of Life

    River of Life (aka Water of Life River, or River of the Water of Life)

    This river will exist in the future New Jerusalem of the New Earth. The Apostle John was permitted to see it in a Divine vision.

    Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. —Revelation 22:1-2 ESV

    Dr. John MacArthur notes,

    This river is unlike any on Earth because no hydrological cycle exists. Water of life symbolizes the continual flow of eternal life from God’s throne to heaven’s inhabitants. —John MacArthur, Litt.D., D.D., The MacArthur Study Bible

  41. Sihor River, ancient extremity of the Nile, or possibly a Nile canal

  42. Shihor-Libnath in Israel

  43. Sorek (aka Nahal Sorek or Soreq) in Israel which passes Samson’s hometown of Zorah

  44. Tel’alah, a Hebrew word meaning a channel, conduit, or water-course (Job 38:25; Ezek. 31:4; 2 Kings 18:17; 20:20; )

  45. Ulai (aka Ubhal or 'Ubhal), at Susa (Susiana, Shushan), “a river” or “canal” mentioned by Daniel in Daniel 8:2

  46. Yeor (aka Ye'or), that is a “great river,” probably from an Egyptian word (Aur), commonly applied to the Nile (Genesis 41:1-3), but also to other rivers (Job 28:10; Isaiah 33:21).

  47. Yubal (aka yubhal), “spreads out its roots by the river” (Jeremiah 17:8 KJV, NKJV), by a “stream” (Jeremiah 17:8 NASB, ESV); full flowing stream

  48. Zered (river or “brook” of the wilderness; Numbers 21:12; Deu. 2:13, 14)

Idolatrous worship of rivers (fetishism)

Idolatrous people worshiped many rivers, including the…

The Greek false god Oceanus was considered the father of the river gods. The pre-Olympian god Pontus, aka Pontos, was a divinity of the rivers and sea. Yam was the Canaanite god of rivers and sea.

What are some details of Nile worship?

The Egyptians placed offerings on altars or threw offerings into the Nile. These included food, flowers, incense, amulets, and sometimes animals. The people tried to appease the Nile god Hapi for proper flood levels. They also held processions and parades, carrying statues of Hapi through towns and on river boats adorned with flowers and flags. The public gathered along banks expressing gratitude for his divine favor and throwing offerings into the river.

Festivals: “Arrival of Hapi” a Nile inundation festival (late summer, around July-August) lasted days with music, dance, feasts, sacrifices, and prayers. Wepet Renpet (“Opening of the Year” / a New Year festival) was tied to the Nile flood onset and the rising of the bright star Sirius, and included purification, offerings to Hapi/others, processions, and renewal rites.

Priestly duties included rituals at pagan temples using nilometers to measure and predict the floods. The pharaoh and priests performed ceremonies in hopes of ensure steady flow and cosmic order (Ma'at).

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Article Version: February 9, 2026