H0071 H0071
Abana (Ketiv), river near Damascus
The written form (Ketiv) of a river name in 2 Kings 5:12, where Naaman boasts about the rivers of Damascus. The Qere (spoken form) reads Amanah. This river, likely the Barada (ancient Chrysorrhoas), flows from the Anti-Lebanon mountains through Damascus. Naaman's rhetorical question—'Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?'—expresses his initial contempt for Elisha's instruction to wash in the Jordan.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A river flowing through Damascus, mentioned by Naaman. 2 Kings 5:12 records Naaman's proud comparison of Damascus's rivers to Israel's Jordan. The Ketiv 'Abana' (variant: Amanah in Qere) identifies one of two famous rivers supplying Damascus with fresh water, symbols of Syrian prestige that Naaman initially values above obedience. 1×
AR["أَبَانَا"]·ben["আবানা"]·DE["[ketiv]"]·EN["[ketiv]"]·FR["[ketiv]"]·heb["[אבנה]"]·HI["[अबानाह]"]·ID["(ketiv)"]·IT["[ketiv]"]·jav["·"]·KO["(변형)"]·PT["[Abanah]"]·RU["Амана"]·ES["(kethiv)"]·SW["[k]"]·TR["Avana"]·urd["ابنہ"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. אֲמָנָה n.pr.fl. 1. a river (constant? cf. Is 33:16) flowing down from Antilebanon into the plain of Damascus 2 K 5:12 (Qr; אֲבָנָה Kt), the Gr. Chrysorrhoas, mod. Arabic Nahr Baradâ. 2. the region from which it flows Ct 4:8.