The Nile, the major river of Egypt, is mentioned in various contexts throughout the Bible, often in relation to the history of Israel and God's judgment on Egypt.
Also known as canals,streams,river · canals,river · brooks,flood · Shihor · Sihor
The Nile is the longest river in the world and played a crucial role in the history and culture of ancient Egypt. It is mentioned numerous times in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament. In the story of Joseph, the Nile and its canals are the setting for Pharaoh's dreams about the seven years of plenty and seven years of famine (Gen. 41:1-3, 17-18). During the Israelites' bondage in Egypt, the Nile was the site of the miraculous plagues, such as the turning of the water into blood (Exod. 7:17-21) and the emergence of frogs from the river (Exod. 8:3-11). The Nile also played a role in the early life of Moses, who was placed in a basket among the reeds of the river as an infant (Exod. 2:3-5).
The prophets often used the Nile as a symbol of Egypt's power and pride, which would be brought low by God's judgment (Isa. 19:6-8; Jer. 46:7-8; Ezek. 29:3-9; 30:12; Amo.8.8; 9:5; Nah. 3:8; Zech. 10:11). The Nile was also a source of economic prosperity for Egypt, as it provided water for irrigation and served as a major transportation route (Isa. 23:3, 10).
Approximate location: 30.093, 31.231 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
Dark; blue, not found in Scripture, but frequently referred to in the Old Testament under the name of Sihor, i.e., “the black stream” (Isa. 23:3; Jer. 2:18) or simply “the river” (Gen. 41:1; Ex. 1:22, etc.) and the “flood of Egypt” (Amos 8:8). It consists of two rivers, the White Nile, which takes its rise in the Victoria Nyanza, and the Blue Nile, which rises in the Abyssinian Mountains. These unite at the town of Khartoum, whence it pursues its course for 1,800 miles, and falls into the Mediterranean through its two branches, into which it is divided a few miles north of Cairo, the Rosetta and the Damietta branch. (See EGYPT.)
(blue, dark), the great river of Egypt. The word Nile nowhere occurs in the Authorized Version but it is spoken of under the names of Sihor [Sihor] and the “river of Egypt.” (Genesis 15:18) We cannot as yet determine the length of the Nile, although recent discoveries have narrowed the question. There is scarcely a doubt that its largest confluent is fed by the great lakes on and south of the equator. It has been traced upward for about 2700 miles, measured by its course, not in a direct line, and its extent is probably over 1000 miles more. (The course of the river has been traced for 3300 miles. For the first 1800 miles (McClintock and Strong say 2300) from its mouth it receives no tributary; but at Kartoom, the capital of Nubia, is the junction of the two great branches, the White Nile and the Blue Nile, so called from the color of the clay which tinges their waters. The Blue Nile rises in the mountains of Abyssinia and is the chief source of the deposit which the Nile brings to Egypt. The White Nile is the larger branch. Late travellers have found its source in Lake Victoria Nyanza, three degrees south of the equator. From this lake to the mouth of the Nile the distance is 2300 miles in a straight line—one eleventh the circumference of the globe. From the First Cataract, at Syene, the river flows smoothly at the rate of two or three miles an hour with a width of half a mile. to Cairo. A little north of Cairo it divides into two branches, one flowing to Rosetta and the other to Damietta, from which place the mouths are named. See Bartlett’s “Egypt and Palestine,” 1879. The great peculiarity of the river is its annual overflow, caused by the periodical tropical rains. “With wonderful clock-like regularity the river begins to swell about the end of June, rises 24 feet…
NILE (blue, dark), the great river of Egypt and of Africa, and probably the second longest river in the world, its entire length being estimated at 4000 miles. The word "Nile" does not occur in Scripture, but the river is frequently referred to as Sihor or Shihor, which means "black" or "turbid" stream. Josh 13:3; Isa 23:3; Jer 2:18; 1 Chr 13:5. It is also designated simply "the river," Gen 41:1; Ex 1:22; Num 2:3, 1 Chr 6:5, and the "flood of Egypt." Am 8:8; Neh 9:5. In the plural form this word year, rendered "river," frequently refers to the branches and canals of the Nile. This famous river is connected with the earliest history of the Egyptian and the Israelitish nations. Ex 2:3; Ex 7:20-21; Num 11:5; Ps 105:29; Jer 46:7-8; Zech 14:17-18. The Nile is not named in the N.T. Physical Features. - The discovery of the true source of the Nile, and the reason for its annual overflow, are two scientific problems which have been discussed for upward of 2000 years. The course of the stream is now known for about 3300 miles, and with two interruptions - the cataract of Syene (Assouan) and the Upper Cataract - it is claimed by Baedeker's Handbook on Lower Egypt to be navigable throughout nearly the whole of that distance. But as there are many other cataracts, this statement cannot be correct. The principal stream is now known to be the White Nile, while the Blue or Black Nile is of greater importance in contributing to the annual inundation of the lower river. The two streams unite at the town of Khartoom, the capital of Nubia, and from this point to the mouths of the stream at Damietta and Rosetta, upward of 1800 miles, it falls 1240 feet, and attains its greatest width a little below Khartoom and a little above Cairo, at each of which places it is about 1100 yards wide. The…
NILE (blue, dark), the great river of Egypt and of Africa, and probably the second longest river in the world, its entire length being estimated at 4000 miles. The word "Nile" does not occur in Scripture, but the river is frequently referred to as Sihor or Shihor, which means "black" or "turbid" stream. Josh 13:3; Isa 23:3; Jer 2:18; 1 Chr 13:5. It is also designated simply "the river," Gen 41:1; Ex 1:22; Num 2:3, 1 Chr 6:5, and the "flood of Egypt." Am 8:8; Neh 9:5. In the plural form this word year, rendered "river," frequently refers to the branches and canals of the Nile. This famous river is connected with the earliest history of the Egyptian and the Israelitish nations. Ex 2:3; Ex 7:20-21; Num 11:5; Ps 105:29; Jer 46:7-8; Zech 14:17-18. The Nile is not named in the N.T. Physical Features. - The discovery of the true source of the Nile, and the reason for its annual overflow, are two scientific problems which have been discussed for upward of 2000 years. The course of the stream is now known for about 3300 miles, and with two interruptions - the cataract of Syene (Assouan) and the Upper Cataract - it is claimed by Baedeker's Handbook on Lower Egypt to be navigable throughout nearly the whole of that distance. But as there are many other cataracts, this statement cannot be correct. The principal stream is now known to be the White Nile, while the Blue or Black Nile is of greater importance in contributing to the annual inundation of the lower river. The two streams unite at the town of Khartoom, the capital of Nubia, and from this point to the mouths of the stream at Damietta and Rosetta, upward of 1800 miles, it falls 1240 feet, and attains its greatest width a little below Khartoom and a little above Cairo, at each of which places it is about 1100 yards wide. The…
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
38 verses in 9 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H2975
After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,
when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.
After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside the well-fed cows on the bank of the river.
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,
when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds.
Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”
But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in the basket and set it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.
Soon the daughter of Pharaoh went down to bathe in the Nile, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. And when she saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maidservant to retrieve it.
But if they do not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. Then the water you take from the Nile will become blood on the ground.”
Go to Pharaoh in the morning as you see him walking out to the water. Wait on the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake.
This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD. Behold, with the staff in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will turn to blood.
The fish in the Nile will die, the river will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink its water.’”
And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over their rivers and canals and ponds and all the reservoirs—that they may become blood.’ There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in the vessels of wood and stone.”
Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded; in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised the staff and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was turned to blood.
The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. And there was blood throughout the land of Egypt.
So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, because they could not drink the water from the river.
And seven full days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile.
The Nile will teem with frogs, and they will come into your palace and up to your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and your people, and into your ovens and kneading bowls.
And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers and canals and ponds, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Egypt.’”
Moses said to Pharaoh, “You may have the honor over me. When shall I pray for you and your officials and your people that the frogs (except for those in the Nile) may be taken away from you and your houses?”
The frogs will depart from you and your houses and your officials and your people; they will remain only in the Nile.”
And the LORD said to Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.
So David assembled all Israel, from the River Shihor in Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.
The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and dry up; the reeds and rushes will wither.
The bulrushes by the Nile, by the mouth of the river, and all the fields sown along the Nile, will wither, blow away, and be no more.
Then the fishermen will mourn, all who cast a hook into the Nile will lament, and those who spread nets on the waters will pine away.
On the great waters came the grain of Shihor; the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre; she was the merchant of the nations.
Cultivate your land like the Nile, O Daughter of Tarshish; there is no longer a harbor.
Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn?
Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.’
Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies among his rivers, who says, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it myself.’
The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the LORD. Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it,’
I will make the streams dry up and sell the land to the wicked. By the hands of foreigners I will bring desolation upon the land and everything in it. I, the LORD, have spoken.
Will not the land quake for this, and all its dwellers mourn? All of it will swell like the Nile; it will surge and then subside like the Nile in Egypt.
The Lord GOD of Hosts, He who touches the earth and it melts, and all its dwellers mourn— all the land rises like the Nile, then sinks like the river of Egypt—
Are you better than Thebes, stationed by the Nile with water around her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the water?
They will pass through the sea of distress and strike the waves of the sea; all the depths of the Nile will dry up. The pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt will depart.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.