Reference: Cistern
Easton
the rendering of a Hebrew word bor, which means a receptacle for water conveyed to it; distinguished from beer, which denotes a place where water rises on the spot (Jer 2:13; Pr 5:15; Isa 36:16), a fountain. Cisterns are frequently mentioned in Scripture. The scarcity of springs in Palestine made it necessary to collect rain-water in reservoirs and cisterns (Nu 21:22). (See Well.)
Empty cisterns were sometimes used as prisons (Jer 38:6; La 3:53; Ps 40:2; 69:15). The "pit" into which Joseph was cast (Ge 37:24) was a beer or dry well. There are numerous remains of ancient cisterns in all parts of Palestine.
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and they took him, and cast him into the pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.
Let me pass through thy land. We will not turn aside into field, or into vineyard. We will not drink of the water of the wells. We will go by the king's highway, until we have passed thy border.
He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and he set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Let not the water flood overwhelm me, nor let the deep shallow me up. And let not the pit shut its mouth upon me.
Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
Hearken not to Hezekiah. For thus says the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me, and eat ye everyone of his vine, and everyone of his fig tree, and drink ye everyone the waters of his own cistern,
For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Then they took Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king's son, that was in the court of the guard. And they let Jeremiah down with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire, and Jeremiah sank in th
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone upon me.
Fausets
Bor, a dug pit for receiving water conducted from a spring or the rainfall. (See CONDUIT.) The dryness between May and September in Palestine makes reservoirs necessary; of which the larger are called "pools," the smaller "cisterns." The rocky soil facilitates their construction. The top, with stonework and a round opening, has often a wheel for the bucket; an image of the aorta or great artery circulating the blood from the ventricle of the heart, or the wheel expresses life in its rapid motion (Jas 3:6; Ec 12:6). The rain is conducted to them from the roofs of the houses, most of which are furnished with them; from whence is derived the metaphor, Pr 5:15, "drink waters out of thine own cistern," i.e. draw thy enjoyments only from the sources that are legitimately thine.
Hezekiah stopped the water supply outside Jerusalem at the invasion of Sennacherib, while within there was abundant water (2Ch 32:3-4). So it has been in all the great sieges of Jerusalem, scarcity of water outside, abundance within. Empty cisterns were used as prisons. So Joseph was cast into a "pit" (Ge 37:22); Jeremiah into one miry at the bottom, and so deep that he was let down by cords (Jer 38:6), said to be near "Herod's gate." Cisterns yield only a limited supply of water, not an everflowing spring; representing creature comforts soon exhausted, and therefore never worth forsaking the never failing, ever fresh supplies of God. for (Jer 2:13). The stonework of tanks often becomes broken, and the water leaks into the earth; and, at best, the water is not fresh long. Compare Isa 55:1-2; Lu 12:33.
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And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood. Cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him, that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.
And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood. Cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him, that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.
he took counsel with his rulers and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were outside the city. And they helped him.
he took counsel with his rulers and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were outside the city. And they helped him. So there was gathered together many people. And they stopped all the fountains, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
So there was gathered together many people. And they stopped all the fountains, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
Ho, everyone who thirsts, come ye to the waters. And he who has no money, come ye, buy, and eat. Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Ho, everyone who thirsts, come ye to the waters. And he who has no money, come ye, buy, and eat. Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Why do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Then they took Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king's son, that was in the court of the guard. And they let Jeremiah down with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire, and Jeremiah sank in th
Then they took Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king's son, that was in the court of the guard. And they let Jeremiah down with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire, and Jeremiah sank in th
Sell things possessed by you, and give charity. Make for yourselves purses not becoming old, a treasure unfailing in the heavens, where no thief approaches, nor moth corrupts.
Sell things possessed by you, and give charity. Make for yourselves purses not becoming old, a treasure unfailing in the heavens, where no thief approaches, nor moth corrupts.
And the tongue is a fire, the world of unrighteousness. Thus, the tongue is made to lead among our body-parts, defiling the whole body, and setting the cycle of nature on fire, and being set on fire by hell.
And the tongue is a fire, the world of unrighteousness. Thus, the tongue is made to lead among our body-parts, defiling the whole body, and setting the cycle of nature on fire, and being set on fire by hell.
Hastings
In Palestine, the climate and geological formation of the country render the storage of water a prime necessity of existence. Hence cisterns, mostly hewn in the solid rock, were universal in Bible times, and even before the Hebrew conquest (De 6:11; Ne 9:25, both RV). Thus at Gezer it has been found that 'the rock was honeycombed with cisterns, one appropriated to each house [cf. 2Ki 18:31] or group of houses
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Come now therefore, and let us kill him, and cast him into one of the pits. And we will say, An evil beast has devoured him. And we shall see what will become of his dreams.
And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit and not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls in it,
and houses full of all good things, which thou did not fill, and cisterns hewn out, which thou did not hew, vineyards and olive trees, which thou did not plant, and thou shall eat and be full,
Do not hearken to Hezekiah. For thus says the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me. And eat ye every man of his vine, and every man of his fig tree, and drink ye every man the waters of his own cistern,
And they took fortified cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns hewn out, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted t
before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
Then they took Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king's son, that was in the court of the guard. And they let Jeremiah down with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire, and Jeremiah sank in th
Smith
Cistern,
a receptacle for water, either conducted from an external spring or proceeding from rain-fall. The dryness of the summer months and the scarcity of springs in Judea made cisterns a necessity, and they are frequent throughout the whole of Syria and Palestine. On the long-forgotten way from Jericho to Bethel, "broken cisterns" of high antiquity are found at regular intervals. Jerusalem depends mainly for water upon its cisterns, of which almost every private house possesses one or more, excavated in the rock on which the city is built. The cisterns have usually a round opening at the top, sometimes built up with stonework above and furnished with a curb and a wheel for a bucket.
Empty cisterns were sometimes used as prisons and places of confinement. Joseph was cast into a "pit,"
as was Jeremiah.
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And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood. Cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him, that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.
before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
Then they took Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king's son, that was in the court of the guard. And they let Jeremiah down with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire, and Jeremiah sank in th
Watsons
CISTERN, a reservoir chiefly for rain water. Numbers of these are still to be seen in Palestine, some of which are a hundred and fifty paces long, and sixty broad. The reason of their being so large was, that their cities were many of them built in elevated situations; and the rain falling only twice in the year, namely, spring and autumn, it became necessary for them to collect a quantity of water, as well for the cattle as for the people. A broken cistern would of course be a great calamity to a family, or in some cases even to a town; and with reference to this we may see the force of the reproof, Jer 2:13.
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For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.