ποτᾰμός G4215
A river or flowing stream; used literally of geographical waterways and figuratively in prophetic imagery.
In classical Greek, ποταμός could denote anything from a small stream to a mighty river or even an artificial canal. In the New Testament it appears in both literal and symbolic registers. John the Baptist immerses converts in the Jordan River (Matt 3:6; Mark 1:5), Jesus' parable warns of floods beating against a house (Matt 7:25, 27), and Revelation envisions a river of the water of life flowing from God's throne (Rev 22:1-2). The French 'fleuve' distinguishes a large river flowing to the sea, while German uses both 'Fluss' and 'Strom,' reflecting the word's range from ordinary watercourse to overwhelming torrent.
Senses
1. river / stream — A natural flowing body of water, from modest streams to major rivers like the Jordan and Euphrates. Used literally of geographical waterways where baptisms occur (Matt 3:6; Mark 1:5) and where floods threaten structures (Matt 7:25). Also employed in apocalyptic and prophetic imagery — rivers of living water (John 7:38) and the river of life (Rev 22:1). French distinguishes 'fleuve' (major river reaching the sea) from smaller streams, while German 'Strom' captures the torrent-like force seen in flood imagery. 17×
AR["أَنهارِ", "أَنْهارٍ", "أَنْهَارٌ", "الأَنْهَارِ", "النَّهرَ", "النَّهْرِ", "سُيولُ", "نَهرٍ", "نَهرُ", "نَهرِ", "نَهْرَ", "نَهْرِ"]·ben["নদী", "নদীগুলির", "নদীগুলির,", "নদীগুলো", "নদীতে", "নদীতে,", "নদীর"]·DE["Fluss", "Strom"]·EN["a-river", "of-rivers", "river", "rivers"]·FR["fleuve"]·heb["הַ-נָּהָר", "הַנְּהָרוֹת", "הַנָּהָר", "נְהָרוֹת", "נָהָר"]·HI["इधर-से", "के", "नदियाँ", "नदियों", "नदियों-से", "नदी", "नदी-ने", "नदी-में"]·ID["banjir", "itu", "sungai", "sungai,", "sungai-sungai", "sungai-sungai,"]·IT["fiume"]·jav["banjir", "kali,", "lepen", "lèpen", "lèpèn", "lèpèn-lèpèn"]·KO["강", "강-에서", "강들", "강들-의", "강들의", "강들이", "강을", "강의", "강이"]·PT["de-rio,", "de-rios", "rio", "rio,", "rios"]·RU["рек", "рек,", "река", "реке", "реки", "реки,", "реку", "реку,"]·ES["de-ríos", "río", "río,", "ríos"]·SW["mito", "mito,", "mto", "mto,", "za-mito,"]·TR["nehir", "nehir,", "nehirde", "nehirlere", "nehirlerin", "nehri", "nehrin", "seller", "ırmaklar", "ırmakların", "ırmağında,"]·urd["اور", "اُس", "دریا", "دریاؤں", "دریاؤں-کے", "دریائیں", "سیلاب"]
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H4057b 1. wilderness, desert region (270×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ποτᾰμός, ὁ, river, stream, Ὠκεανοῖο ἐξ οὗ περ πάντες π. Refs 8th c.BC+; π. ἁλιμυρήεις, ἀργυροδίνης, βαθυδίνης, βαθύρροος, δεινός, διιπετής, δινήεις, ἐΰρροος, ἐρίδουπος, εὐρὺ ῥέων, θεῖος, ἱερός, ἴφθιμος, καλλίροος, κελάδων, λάβρος, πλήθων, χειμάρροος, ὠκύροος, Refs 8th c.BC+; νυκτὸς π., of the rivers of hell, Refs 5th c.BC+ of extraordinary events, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. θαλάσσῃ ἐρίζεις, of unequal…