Topical Encyclopedia
The Orontes River, known in modern times as the Asi River, is a significant waterway in the ancient Near East, flowing through present-day Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey. Although the Orontes is not directly mentioned by name in the Bible, its geographical and historical context provides valuable insights into the biblical narrative and the ancient world.
Geographical ContextThe Orontes River originates in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon, near the ancient city of Baalbek, and flows northward through Syria, passing by the ancient cities of Homs and Hama. It continues its course into Turkey, eventually emptying into the Mediterranean Sea near the ancient city of Antioch. The river's length is approximately 450 kilometers (280 miles), making it one of the major rivers in the region.
Historical SignificanceThe Orontes River served as a critical geographical marker and a natural boundary in the ancient Near East. It was a vital water source for the civilizations that flourished along its banks, including the Arameans, Hittites, and later the Seleucid Empire. The river's fertile valley supported agriculture and trade, contributing to the prosperity of the cities in its vicinity.
Biblical ConnectionsWhile the Orontes is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, its surrounding regions and cities play a role in biblical history. The city of Antioch, located near the mouth of the Orontes, is of particular importance in the New Testament. Antioch became a central hub for early Christianity and is noted for being the place where the disciples were first called Christians (
Acts 11:26: "and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch").
The Orontes region also intersects with the narratives of various biblical peoples and events. The Arameans, who frequently interacted with the Israelites, inhabited areas near the Orontes. The river's proximity to the northern borders of ancient Israel and Judah made it a strategic location during the various military campaigns recorded in the Old Testament.
Cultural and Religious InfluenceThe Orontes River region was a melting pot of cultures and religions, influenced by the various empires that controlled it over the centuries. This cultural diversity is reflected in the religious practices and syncretism observed in the area. The spread of Hellenistic culture following the conquests of Alexander the Great further shaped the religious landscape, setting the stage for the later spread of Christianity.
ConclusionThe Orontes River, while not directly mentioned in the biblical text, provides a backdrop for understanding the historical and cultural context of the ancient Near East. Its significance in the development of early Christian communities, particularly in Antioch, highlights its role in the broader narrative of biblical history.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
KADESH ON THE ORONTESo-ron'-tez (in Massoretic Text of2 Samuel 24:6, under the corrupt form tachtim chodhshi, which should be corrected from the Septuagint (Luc.) reading: eis ten genitive Chettieim Kades, "to the land of the Hittites unto Kadesh," into 'erets ha-chittim qadheshah. Ewald and others, fixing the northern ideal boundary of Israel at the sources of the Jordan, would read "Hermon" for chodhshi, but the conjectures of Thenius and Hitzig of a reference to the northern Kadesh are fully confirmed by the reading given): Kadesh was the southern capital of the Hittites, and was situated on the upper waters of the Orontes, 80 miles North of Damascus. It is now represented by a large mound 5 miles South of what, till the Middle Ages, was called the Lake of Kades, but now the Lake of Homs. Here Thothmes III of Egypt (flourished circa 1650 B.C.), after the battle of Megiddo, met and received hostages from the Assyrians, and here too Rameses II defeated Hatesar, king of the Hittites (circa 1320 B.C.), and concluded with him a treaty, which was formally inscribed on a disk of silver. The incidents of the battle are depicted on the walls of the Ramesseum, and an Egyptian epic records the heroic deeds of Rameses. Under the name Kadytis, it is mentioned as being taken by Pharaoh-necoh (Herodotus ii.159) in 609 B.C. In the only Bible reference (2 Samuel 24:6), it is named as the northern limit of the census made by David.
W. M. Christie
Greek
3708. horao -- to see, perceive, attend to... (oro) -- 2 Occurrences. (oromen) -- 1 Occurrence. (oron) -- 1 Occurrence. (
orontes) --
1 Occurrence. (orosai) -- 1 Occurrence. (opse) -- 3 Occurrences.
...490. Antiocheia -- Antioch, the name of two cities
... Transliteration: Antiocheia Phonetic Spelling: (an-tee-okh'-i-ah) Short Definition:
Antioch Definition: Antioch, (a) Antioch on the riverOrontes, capital of...
Library
The Persecution which Occurred at Antioch, on theOrontes. The...
... Book VI. Chapter XVIII."The Persecution which occurred at Antioch, on
theOrontes. The Place of Prayer in Edessa, called after...
Of the Number and Character of the Deeds done by Pagans against...
... [610] Heliopolis, the modern Baalbec, the "City of the Sun," was built at the
west foot of Anti-Libanus, near the sources of theOrontes....
The Nations of the North-East
... From their southern capital at Kadesh on theOrontes their armies had gone forth
to contend on equal terms with the forces of the Nile, and after twenty-one...
The Gathering Storm
... The deep and rapid waters of her river"the legendaryOrontes"not only clothed the
banks with flowering masses of pink oleander and delicately scented...
Canaan
... Here, too, we are told that Kadesh on theOrontes, the Hittite capital, was "in
the land of the Amorites." It was, in fact, on the shores of the Lake of Homs...
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4
... Syria, owing to its geographical position, condemned to be subject to neighbouring
powers-Lebanon, Anti-Lebanon, the valley of theOrontes and of the Litany...
Introductory Note to Clement of Alexandria
... From its primitive base on theOrontes, it has extended itself to the deltas
of the Nile; and the Alexandria of Apollos and of St....
Thus did God Subdue all those who Persecuted his Name...
... But before their death, their mother had been thrown into theOrontes, in which
river she herself had frequently commanded chaste women to be drowned....
The Hermit and the Boy
... Then theOrontes, far beneath his feet, began to gleam out here and there in streaks
of silver under the rich foliage of its banks, and he saw the grove of...
First Impressions
... What were these crimson and gold-embroidered tapestries to the shadows
of the blossoming trees on the banks of his lovedOrontes?...
Thesaurus
Orontes... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia KADESH ON THE
ORONTES. o-ron'-tez (in Massoretic
Text of 2 Samuel 24:6, under the corrupt form tachtim
...Kadesh (30 Occurrences)
... (see SPIES.). The sacred city of the Hittites, on the left bank of theOrontes,
about 4 miles south of the Lake of Homs.... KADESH ON THEORONTES....
Riblah (12 Occurrences)
... ancient town on the northern frontier of Palestine, 35 miles north-east of Baalbec,
and 10 or 12 south of Lake Homs, on the eastern bank of theOrontes, in a...
Syria (73 Occurrences)
... Guided, it was said, by the flight of an eagle, he fixed its site on the left
bank of theOrontes (the El-`Asi) about 15 miles from the sea....
Lake (45 Occurrences)
... The Lake of Kums on theOrontes is artificial, though ancient. On the lower
Orontes is the Lake of Antioch. Alfred Ely Day. LAKE OF FIRE....
Daphne
... daf'-ne (Daphne, "bay-tree"): A suburb of Antioch on theOrontes, according to Strabo
and the Jerusalem itinerary, about 40 furlongs, or 5 miles distant....
Antioch (21 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary. (1.) In Syria, on the riverOrontes, about 16 miles
from the Mediterranean, and some 300 miles north of Jerusalem....
Seleucia (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary The sea-port of Antioch, near the mouth of the
Orontes. Paul and his companions sailed from this port...
Lebanon (66 Occurrences)
... The valley is here about 10 miles wide, and forms the watershed between
theOrontes and the Litany. To the Northeast the valley...
Tarsus (5 Occurrences)
... the Sarus at Adana and the Pyramus at Mopsuestia; there it divided, one branch running
southeastward by way of Issus to Antioch on theOrontes, while another...
Resources
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