H5158a H5158a
Wadi, torrent-valley, brook -- a seasonal watercourse or ravine, sometimes a perennial stream, and poetically a rushing torrent of floodwater.
Nachal names one of the most distinctive features of the Levantine landscape: the seasonal watercourse that carves a valley through rock, flows as a brook in rainy months, and dries to bare stone in summer. Most of its 140 occurrences (~82x) denote a named or generic wadi -- the Kidron, Arnon, Besor, Eshcol -- as both watercourse and geographic marker. But nachal can also emphasize the valley itself as terrain (Gen 26:17, the valley of Gerar), describe a perennial river or stream in contexts of abundance (Deut 8:7, 'a land of brooks of water'), or evoke the terrifying torrent of flash-flood waters in poetry (Ps 124:4, 'the torrent would have swept over us'). Arabic preserves a similar split between wadi (seasonal) and nahr (perennial), while Korean distinguishes 시내 (brook) from 급류 (torrent).
Senses
1. wadi, seasonal brook — Wadi or seasonal brook (~82x) -- the default and most frequent sense, covering named wadis (Kidron, Arnon, Besor, Eshcol, Zered) and generic seasonal watercourses. Deut 2:13-14 tracks Israel's crossing of the wadi Zered; 1 Sam 30:9-10 uses the wadi Besor as a staging point. Arabic وادي (wadi) and French torrent-de both render this geographic-hydrological sense. The construct chain nachal + place-name is the characteristic formula, appearing in boundary descriptions and travel narratives throughout the Pentateuch and historical books. 82×
AR["نَهْرُ", "نَهْرِ", "وادي", "وَادِي", "وَادِيَ"]·ben["উপত্যকা", "নদী", "নালার"]·DE["-der-Wadi-von", "Bach-von", "Wadi-von", "brook-von"]·EN["-the-wadi-of", "brook-of", "wadi-of"]·FR["-le-wadi-de", "brook-de", "torrent-de", "wadi-de"]·heb["נחל"]·HI["नअल", "नखल", "नाला", "नाले"]·ID["Sungai", "lembah", "sungai"]·IT["-il-wadi-di", "brook-di", "torrente-di", "wadi-di"]·jav["Lèpèn", "kali", "lèmbak", "lèpèn", "lèpèn-"]·KO["골짜기", "시내"]·PT["Ribeiro-de", "ribeiro", "ribeiro-de", "rio-de"]·RU["Поток", "долину", "к-ручью", "поток", "потока", "потоку", "ручей"]·ES["Arroyo-de", "arroyo", "arroyo-de"]·SW["Yahwe", "bonde", "bonde-la", "bonde-la-", "kijito-cha", "mto-wa"]·TR["vadi", "vadinin", "vadisi", "vadisine", "vadisine-", "vadisini"]·urd["نالا", "نالہ", "نالے", "وادی"]
2. valley, ravine — Valley or ravine (~28x) -- emphasis shifts from the watercourse to the landform carved by it: the depression, gorge, or narrow valley as geographic terrain. Gen 26:17 places Isaac camping 'in the valley of Gerar'; Num 13:23-24 names the valley of Eshcol where the spies cut the famous grape cluster. Spanish el-valle and German Tal confirm the topographic rather than hydrological focus. This sense predominates in settlement narratives and land descriptions where the terrain matters more than the water. 28×
AR["الْأَوْدِيَةَ", "الْأَوْدِيَةِ", "الْوَادِي", "في-الوادي", "في-وادي", "فِي-أَودِيَةِ", "فِي-الوَادِي", "فِي-الْأَوْدِيَةِ", "فِي-الْوَادِي", "فِي-وَادِي", "وادي", "وادٍ", "وَادٍ", "وَادِي"]·ben["-উপত্যকায়", "উপত্যকা", "উপত্যকাগুলি", "উপত্যকাগুলির", "উপত্যকায়", "উপত্যকায়-", "উপত্যকার", "নদী", "সেই-উপত্যকায়"]·DE["Bach", "Tal-von", "der-wadis", "im-Tal", "im-Tal-", "in-Tal-von", "in-Valley-von", "in-der-Tal"]·EN["in-Valley-of", "in-the-valley", "in-the-wadis", "in-valley-of", "in-wadis-of", "the-valley", "the-wadis", "valley", "valley-of", "wadi"]·FR["dans-Valley-de", "dans-le-vallée", "dans-vallée-de", "le-wadis", "torrent", "vallée-de"]·heb["ב-ה-נחל", "ב-נחל", "ב-נחלי", "ב-נחלים", "ה-נחלים", "נחל"]·HI["घाटी-के", "नअले-मेइन", "नखल", "नदी", "नाला", "नाले", "नाले-के", "नाले-में", "नाले-में-", "नालों-का", "नालों-में", "में-नाला"]·ID["-lembah", "di-dalam-lembah-lembah", "di-lembah", "di-lembah-lembah", "lembah", "lembah-lembah"]·IT["il-wadis", "in-Valley-di", "in-il-valle", "in-valle-di", "torrente", "valle-di"]·jav["ing-jurang", "ing-lembah", "ing-lembah-lembah", "ing-lèmpèng", "ing-lèpèn", "ing-sungapan", "ing-sungapan-", "jurang", "lembah", "lembah-lembah", "lèmbak", "lèpEN", "lèpèn", "wonten-ing-lembah"]·KO["계곡", "계곡들에서-", "계곡의", "골짜기", "골짜기들-에", "그-골짜기-에서", "그-골짜기들", "그-골짜기들-을", "그-골짜기에서", "안-에-골짜기-의", "에-계곡", "에-골짜기"]·PT["em-o-vale", "em-vale-de", "no-vale", "no-vale-de", "nos-vales", "nos-vales-de", "os-vales", "os-vales-de", "ribeiro", "ribeiro-de", "vale", "vale-de"]·RU["в-долинах", "в-долине", "в-ручье", "долин", "долина", "долину", "долины", "потока", "потоком"]·ES["arroyo", "arroyo-de", "el-valle", "en-el-arroyo", "en-el-valle", "en-el-valle-de", "en-los-valles", "en-valle-de", "en-valles-de", "los-valles", "valle", "valle-de"]·SW["bonde", "bonde-la", "bondeni", "katika-bonde", "katika-bonde-la", "katika-mabonde", "kumweka", "mabonde", "ya-mabonde"]·TR["-de-vadi", "-vadide", "derenin", "vadi", "vadide", "vadilerde", "vadileri", "vadilerin", "vadilerinde", "vadinin", "vadisi", "vadisinde", "vadisinde-", "vadisine", "vadiye"]·urd["نالوں-میں", "نالے", "نالے-میں", "نالے-کے", "وادی", "وادی-میں", "وادیاں", "وادیوں"]
3. river, perennial stream — River or perennial stream (~19x) -- a sustained, year-round watercourse larger than a seasonal brook, used for rivers of abundance and blessing. Deut 8:7 promises 'a land of brooks (nechalim) of water, of springs and deeps'; Lev 11:9-10 uses it for freshwater habitats of aquatic creatures. Arabic نَهْر (river) and Korean 강/시내 distinguish this from seasonal flow. In wisdom literature, nachal becomes metaphorical for inexhaustible supply (Ps 36:9, 'the river of your delights'). 19×
AR["أَنْهَارُهَا", "أَنْهَارِ", "أَنْهَارِ-", "ال-أوْدِيَةِ", "الأَنْهَارِ", "النَّهْرَانِ", "النَّهْرُ", "النَّهْرِ", "الَّذِي-الأَنْهَارُ", "الْ-نَّهْرِ", "الْأَنْهَارِ", "جَدَاوِلَ", "سَوَاقِيَ", "وَ-فِي-الْأَنْهَارِ", "وَنَهْرُ"]·ben["এবং-নদীতে", "ও-নদী", "জলের-স্রোতধারা", "জলের-স্রোতধারার", "তার-নদীগুলো", "দুই-নদী", "নদী", "নদীগুলির", "নদীর", "নালাগুলি-সেই", "যেখানে-স্রোতসমূহ", "স্রোত", "স্রোতসমূহ", "স্রোতে", "স্রোতে-", "স্রোতের"]·DE["Bach", "Baeche", "der-Baeche", "der-wadis", "und-in-der-Baeche", "und-von-Tal-", "von-Baeche-von"]·EN["and-from-river-of", "and-in-the-streams", "her-streams", "of-streams-of", "rivers-of-", "streams", "streams-of", "that-the-streams", "the-brooks-of", "the-river", "the-streams", "the-wadis", "two-rivers"]·FR["de-ruisseaux-de", "et-dans-le-ruisseaux", "et-torrent", "le-torrent", "le-wadis", "torrent"]·heb["ה-נחל", "ה-נחלים", "ו-ב-ה-ובנחלים", "ו-נחל", "נחלי", "נחלי-", "נחליה", "נחליים", "נחלים", "שׁ-ה-נחלים"]·HI["-की-नदी", "उन्हें", "उसकी-नदियाँ", "और-नदी", "जहाँ-नदियाँ", "दो-नदियाँ", "धाराओं", "धाराओं-में", "नदियाँ", "नदियों", "नदियों-", "नदियों-ה", "नदियों-की", "नदी", "नालों-की"]·ID["dan-di-sungai-sungai", "dua-sungai", "lembah-lembah", "sungai", "sungai-", "sungai-sungai", "sungai-sungainya", "yang-sungai-sungai"]·IT["di-torrenti-di", "e-in-il-torrenti", "e-torrente", "il-torrente", "il-wadis", "torrente"]·jav["ingkang-lèpèn", "kali", "kali-kali", "kalih-kali", "lan-ing-lèpèn-lèpèn", "lan-saking-lèpen", "lepen", "lepen-", "lèpen-lèpen", "lèpèn", "lèpèn-lèpèn", "lèpèn-lèpènipun"]·KO["강들", "그-강의", "그-시내들", "그-시내들-그", "그-시내들이", "그리고-시내", "그리고-에-시내들에서", "냃물들을", "두-강이", "시내들", "시내들-그", "시내들-로", "시내들의"]·PT["de-torrentes", "dois-rios", "e-do-rio-de", "e-nos-rios", "o-rio", "os-ribeiros", "que-os-ribeiros", "ribeiros", "ribeiros-de", "ribeiros-dela", "ribeirões-de-", "rios-de", "torrentes-de"]·RU["два-потока", "и-в-реках", "и-потоком", "куда-реки", "поток", "потока", "потокам", "потоки-её", "потоков", "потоков-", "реки", "ручьи", "ручьёв"]·ES["arroyos", "arroyos-de", "de-arroyos-de", "dos-torrentes", "el-torrente", "los-arroyos", "los-ríos", "los-torrentes-de", "que-los-ríos", "sus-arroyos", "y-del-torrente-de", "y-en-los-arroyos"]·SW["ambako-mito", "mabonde", "mito", "mito-miwili", "mito-ya", "mto", "na-katika-mito", "na-mto-wa", "vijito", "vijito-vya", "vijito-vyake", "ya-vijito", "ya-vijito-vya"]·TR["dere", "dereler", "dereleri", "derelerin", "derelerine", "derelerini", "derelerinin", "derenin", "iki-dere", "ki-dereler", "nehirleri-", "vadilere", "ve-ırmaklarda", "ve-ırmağından"]·urd["اور-میں-ندیوں", "اور-نہر", "اُس-کی-نہریں", "جہاں-ندیاں", "دو-ندیاں", "نالیوں-میں", "ندی", "ندی-کے", "ندیاں", "ندیوں-", "ندیوں-کی", "ندیوں-کے", "نہروں-کے", "چشموں", "ہ-نالوں"]
4. torrent, rushing floodwater — Torrent or rushing floodwater (~11x) -- the violent, destructive surge of water through a wadi during a cloudburst, used in similes of overwhelming power. Ps 124:4 warns 'the torrent would have swept over us'; 2 Sam 22:5 / Ps 18:4 describe 'torrents of destruction' engulfing the psalmist. Arabic سَيْل (torrent/flood) and Korean 급류 (rapids) both capture the dangerous, sudden force. Isa 30:28 compares God's breath to 'an overflowing torrent' reaching the neck -- imagery of inescapable judgment. 11×
AR["سَيلٌ", "سُيُولُ", "كَ-نَهْرٍ", "كَالنَّهْرِ", "كَـ-نَهْرٍ", "كَـ-نَهْرِ", "لِنَهْرٍ", "وَ-سُيُولٌ", "وَأَنْهَارٌ", "وَسُيُولُ", "وَكَسَيْلٍ"]·ben["-এবং-স্রোতের-মতো", "এবং-নদীগুলি", "এবং-স্রোত", "ও-নদীগুলো", "নদীর-জন্য", "নদীর-মত", "নদীর-মতো", "যেমন-স্রোত", "স্রোত"]·DE["Bach", "ein-Tal", "torrents-von", "und-Bach", "und-Tal", "und-der-Tal-", "wie-Bach"]·EN["a-torrent", "and-like-a-torrent", "and-streams", "and-the-torrents-of", "and-torrents", "like-a-stream", "like-a-torrent", "of-brimstone", "torrents-of"]·FR["et-torrent", "torrent", "torrents-de"]·heb["ו-כ-נחל", "ו-נחלי", "ו-נחלים", "כ-נחל", "ל-נחל", "נחל", "נחלי"]·HI["और-धारा-की-तरह", "और-धाराओं-ने", "और-नदियाँ", "के-लिए-नाला", "जैसे-नदी", "जैसे-नाला", "धारा", "धाराओं-ने", "नदी-की-तरह"]·ID["aliran-aliran", "dan-seperti-sungai", "dan-sungai-sungai", "seperti-sungai", "sungai"]·IT["come-torrente", "e-torrente", "torrente", "torrents-di"]·jav["dados-kali", "ilining-toya", "kados-lepen", "kados-lèpen", "kados-lèpèn", "lan-kados-lepen-gedhe", "lepen", "saha-banjir", "saha-lepen-lepen", "toya"]·KO["강-처럼", "강들-이", "같이-시내", "개울로-", "과-같이-시내", "그리고-급류들-이", "그리고-시내들이", "그리고-시내처럼", "시내-가", "시내들-이"]·PT["a-torrente", "como-ribeiro", "como-ribeiro-de", "como-torrente", "e-como-torrente", "e-ribeiros", "e-torrentes", "e-torrentes-de", "torrentes-de"]·RU["и-как-поток", "и-потоки", "как-поток", "как-поток-", "поток", "потоки", "потоком"]·ES["como-arroyo", "como-torrente", "como-torrente-de", "torrente", "torrentes-de", "y-arroyos", "y-como-torrente", "y-torrentes-de"]·SW["kama-mto", "mito-ya", "mto", "na-kama-mkondo", "na-mito-ya", "na-vijito"]·TR["-için-sel", "dere-gibi", "sel", "sel-gibi", "selleri", "ve-dereler", "ve-sel-gibi", "ve-seller", "ve-selleri", "ırmak-gibi"]·urd["اور-سیلاب", "اور-ندیاں", "اور-نہر-کی-طرح", "اور-نہریں", "جیسے-ندی", "دھارا", "سیلابوں-نے", "ندی-کی-طرح", "نہر", "نہر-کی-طرح"]
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
† I. נַ֫חַל n.m. 2 K 3:16 torrent, torrent-valley, wady (Ecclus 40:13, 16; NH id.; stream (rare); 𝔗 נַחְלָא, Syriac ܢܰܚܠܴܐ = BH; Assyrian naḫlu = BH; LagBN 140 Anm. thinks Νεῖλος may be from Νεέλ = נַחַל pronounced נִחִל; on נ׳ in Sab. n.pr.loc., v. HalRev. Sémit. iv. (1896), 80, 1. 14);—abs. נ׳ Gn 32:24 +, נַ֫חְלָה ψ 124;4; cstr. נ��הַל Gn 26:17 +; c. ה loc. Nu 34:5; so read also Ez 47:19;…