XXstrem: (1) nachal, English Versions of the Bible "stream," as: "Behold, he smote the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed" (Ps 78:20). Often "valley," as "the valley (the King James Version "river") of the Arnon" (Dt 2:24); or "brook," as "the brook (the King James Version "river") of Egypt" (Josh 15:4; see BROOK or EGYPT); or "river," as "the river Kishon" (Jdg 4:7). (2) nahar (Aramaic nehar (Dan 7:10); compare Arabic nahr, "river"): "He bindeth the streams," the King James Version "floods" (Job 28:11); "the River" (Euphrates) (Ex 23:31, etc.); "Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus" (2 Ki 5:12). (3) pelegh, the root palagh, "to split," "to divide," hence, "cleft," "channel": "a tree planted by the streams (the King James Version "rivers") of water" (Ps 1:3); "There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God" (Ps 46:4); but: "The kings heart is .... as the watercourses" (the King James Version "rivers of water") (Prov 21:1). (4) aphiq, the root aphaq, "to be strong," hence, "channel," "valley," as holding, confining (BDB): "the streams in the South" (Ps 126:4); elsewhere "brook," as "the brooks (the King James Version "rivers") of Judah" (Joel 3:18); or "channel," as "the channel of brooks" (Job 6:15); or "watercourses" (the Revised Version margin "ravines," the King James Version "rivers") (Ezek 6:3, etc.). (5) yeor, from Egyptian iotr, ior, especially of the Nile, as: "Seven other kine came up after them out of the river" (Gen 41:3); the Revised Version (British and American) "stream," the King James Version "river" (Ex 7:19; 8:5);, the Revised Version (British and American) "stream," the King James Version "brook"; "The streams (margin "canals") of Egypt shall be diminished and dried up" (Isa 19:6). (6) yabhal, the root yabhal, "to bear along": "brooks and streams of waters" (Isa 30:25); compare yabhal, "river," "that spreadeth out its roots by the river" (Jer 17:8); ubhal, "the river Ulai" (Dan 8:2). (7) nazal, "to flow," "to trickle": "He brought streams also out of the rock" (Ps 78:16). (8) eshedh, "the slope of the valleys," the King James Version "the stream of the brooks" (Nu 21:15); compare ashedhoth, "the slopes" (Josh 10:40); "the slopes (margin "springs") of Pisgah" (Dt 3:17). (9) potamos, "The stream brake against that house" (Lk 6:48,49); elsewhere "river," as "the river Jordan" (Mk 1:5). (10) kludon, "stream," the King James Version The Wisdom of Solomon 19:7 (the Revised Version (British and American) "surge").
See BROOK; CANALS; CHANNEL; RIVER; VALE; WATERCOURSE.
Alfred Ely Day