אֶשֶׁד
𐤀𐤔𐤃
ʼeshed
H793 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A natural slope or incline down which water pours; specifically, a ravine, torrent-bed, or area of outflow formed by running or poured water. In biblical usage, the term refers to locations where water descends or collects, especially physical features created by intermittent or constant water flow. These often serve as geographical landmarks or boundaries in narrative and legal contexts.
Semantic Range
slope, outpouring, stream-bed, ravine formed by water flow, torrent-bed, area at the base of a slope where water pours out, geographic boundary feature
Root / Etymology
The word likely derives from a rarely used or unattested root אשד meaning 'to pour (out)'. The root conveys the idea of flowing or pouring, and from it, אֶשֶׁד denotes the place or feature where pouring/flowing occurs. The derivation is based mainly on the similarity to other 'pouring/flowing' roots, but no verb form is attested in the Hebrew Bible. Cognates in other Semitic languages are not clearly established. Etymology uncertain beyond this probable sense.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, אֶשֶׁד typically describes physical watercourses, usually steep slopes or outflow channels where water, during the rainy season, forms streams or torrents (flash-flood or wadis). It appears in boundary descriptions (e.g., Joshua 12:1, Joshua 13:4, Numbers 21:15), where it identifies natural features marking tribal allotments or borders. The term does not denote a perennial river, but rather a landscape feature formed by pouring or swift streams. Standard English translations as 'stream' or 'slope' often obscure the technical nuance: this is not a generic watercourse, but a specific kind of outflow, often dry except during rainfall. In later biblical periods, related words (e.g., נחל) became more common for riverbeds. The term does not refer to constructed channels or aqueducts. In some cases, the location called 'Ashedoth Pisgah' ('slopes of Pisgah') is a toponymic use reflecting the same underlying meaning. The word never refers to human descent or metaphorical pouring, only to physical features shaped by water.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to pour; an outpouring; stream.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אשד (ʾ-š-d) — to pour, to flow out, to cause to descend (liquid)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H794 | אֲשֵׁדָה | flowing ravines of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H793-01 |
וְ/אֶ֨שֶׁד֙ | veeshed | HC/Ncmsc |
and the slope | pouring-slope of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H793-01 |
Numbers 21:15 | וְ/אֶ֨שֶׁד֙ | veeshed | HC/Ncmsc |
and the slope | pouring-slope of |