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 a pit. But the pit was empty and had no water therein.
"Let us go through thy land; We will not turn into thy fields nor into thy vineyards, neither drink of the water of the wells: but we will go along by the common way, until we be past thy country."
He brought me out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay; he set my feet upon the rock, and ordered my goings.
Let not the water-flood drown me, neither let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
Drink of the water of thine own well, and of the rivers that run out of thine own springs.
But thus sayeth the king of Assyria, 'Obtain my favour, incline to me: so may every man enjoy his vineyards and fig trees, and drink the water of his cistern:
For my people hath done two evils: They have forsaken me, the well of the water of life; and digged them pits, yea, vile and broken pits, that hold no water.
Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that dwelt in the fore entry of the prison. And they let down Jeremiah with cords into a dungeon, where there was no water, but mire.
They have put down my life into a pit, and laid 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 moreover unto them, "Shed not his blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hands upon him." For he would have rid him out of their hands and delivered him to his father again.
And Reuben said moreover unto them, "Shed not his blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hands upon him." For he would have rid him out of their hands and delivered him to his father again.
he took counsel with his captains and men of might, to stop the water of the fountains that were without the city - and they were content to help him.
he took counsel with his captains and men of might, to stop the water of the fountains that were without the city - and they were content to help him. And so there gathered much people together and stopped all the wells, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land; intending that the kings of Assyria should not find much water when they came.
And so there gathered much people together and stopped all the wells, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land; intending that the kings of Assyria should not find much water when they came.
Drink of the water of thine own well, and of the rivers that run out of thine own springs.
Drink of the water of thine own well, and of the rivers that run out of thine own springs.
Before the silver lace be taken away, and or the golden band be broken; or the pot be broken at the well, and the wheel upon the cistern;
Before the silver lace be taken away, and or the golden band be broken; or the pot be broken at the well, and the wheel upon the cistern;
Come to the waters, all ye that be thirsty, and ye that have no money. Come buy, that ye may have to eat. Come buy wine and milk, without any money, or money worth.
Come to the waters, all ye that be thirsty, and ye that have no money. Come buy, that ye may have to eat. Come buy wine and milk, without any money, or money worth. Wherefore do ye lay out your money, for the thing that feedeth not, and spend your labour about the thing that satisfieth you not? But hearken rather unto me, and ye shall eat of the best, and your soul shall have her pleasure in plenteousness.
Wherefore do ye lay out your money, for the thing that feedeth not, and spend your labour about the thing that satisfieth you not? But hearken rather unto me, and ye shall eat of the best, and your soul shall have her pleasure in plenteousness.
For my people hath done two evils: They have forsaken me, the well of the water of life; and digged them pits, yea, vile and broken pits, that hold no water.
For my people hath done two evils: They have forsaken me, the well of the water of life; and digged them pits, yea, vile and broken pits, that hold no water.
Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that dwelt in the fore entry of the prison. And they let down Jeremiah with cords into a dungeon, where there was no water, but mire.
Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that dwelt in the fore entry of the prison. And they let down Jeremiah with cords into a dungeon, where there was no water, but mire.
Sell that ye have, and give alms. And make you bags, which wax not old, and treasure that faileth not in heaven, where no thief cometh, neither moth corrupteth.
Sell that ye have, and give alms. And make you bags, which wax not old, and treasure that faileth not in heaven, where no thief cometh, neither moth corrupteth.
and the tongue is fire, and a world of wickedness. So is the tongue set among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth afire all that we have of nature, and is itself set afire, even of hell.
and the tongue is fire, and a world of wickedness. So is the tongue set among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth afire all that we have of nature, and is itself set afire, even of 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 and let us slay him and cast him into some pit, and let us say that some wicked beast hath devoured him, and let us see what his dreams will come to."
"If a man open a well or dig a pit and cover it not, but that an ox or an ass fall therein,
and houses full of all manner goods which thou filledst not, and wells digged which thou diggedst not, and vines and olive trees which thou planted not; and when thou hast eaten, and art full:
Hearken not unto Hezekiah, for thus sayeth the king of Assyria, 'Deal kindly with me, and come out to me. And then eat every man of his own vine, and of his own fig tree, and drink every man of the water of his own well,
And they won their strong cities, and a fat land, and took possession of houses that were full of all manner goods, wells digged out, vineyards, olive gardens, and many fruitful trees: and they ate and were filled, and became fat, and lived in wealth through thy great goodness.
Before the silver lace be taken away, and or the golden band be broken; or the pot be broken at the well, and the wheel upon the cistern;
Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that dwelt in the fore entry of the prison. And they let down Jeremiah with cords into a dungeon, where there was no water, but mire.
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 moreover unto them, "Shed not his blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hands upon him." For he would have rid him out of their hands and delivered him to his father again.
Before the silver lace be taken away, and or the golden band be broken; or the pot be broken at the well, and the wheel upon the cistern;
Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that dwelt in the fore entry of the prison. And they let down Jeremiah with cords into a dungeon, where there was no water, but mire.
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 hath done two evils: They have forsaken me, the well of the water of life; and digged them pits, yea, vile and broken pits, that hold no water.