Bible Dictionary
WATERS
“Waters” may refer literally to rivers, seas, or sources of water, and figuratively to distress, overwhelming power, fear, transience, refreshment, peace, or abundant outpouring.
Definition
Waters may refer literally to water in rivers, seas, springs, pools, or other sources. Figuratively, the term can represent distress, force, overwhelming danger, fear, transience, refreshment, peace, legitimate or illegitimate pleasure, and abundant outpouring.
Biblical Usage
The New Testament speaks of baptismal water, living water, and the fountains of the waters of life. Biblical poetry uses waters for distress, overwhelming power, fear, passing away, refreshment, peace, pleasure, blood, wrath, justice, and groaning.
Historical Background
The Hebrew word is plural in form, while the New Testament uses the Greek word for water. In one passage, perils of waters is revised to perils of rivers.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>wo'-terz (mayim, plural of may, "water"; in the New Testament hudor, "water"; kindunois potamon (2Co 11:26), the King James Version "perils of waters," is in the Revised Version (British and American) "perils of rivers"): In the New Testament there is frequent reference to the water of baptism. Pilate washes his hands with water to signify his guiltlessness. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman of the living water. The Lamb shall guide the redeemed unto fountains of waters of life.</p><p>The uses of mayim are well classified in BDB, especially the figurative references, as follows: a symbol of distress, "when thou passest through the waters" (Isa 43:2); of force, "like the breach of waters" (2Sa 5:20); of that which is overwhelming, "a tempest of mighty waters overflowing" (Isa 28:2); of fear, "The hearts of the people .... became as water" (Jos 7:5); of transitoriness, "Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away" (Job 11:16); of refreshment, "as streams of water in a dry place" (Isa 32:2); of peace, "He leadeth me beside still waters" (Ps 23:2); of legitimate pleasures, "waters out of thine own cistern" (Pr 5:15); of illegitimate pleasures, "Stolen waters are sweet" (Pr 9:17); of that which is poured out abundantly, blood (Ps 79:3), wrath (Ho 5:10), justice (Am 5:24), groanings (Job 3:24).</p><p>Alfred Ely Day</p>