In biblical times, canals were artificial waterways constructed for irrigation, transportation, or drainage purposes. While the Bible does not frequently mention canals explicitly, the concept and function of canals can be inferred from various passages and historical contexts, particularly in regions like Mesopotamia and Egypt, where such structures were integral to agriculture and trade.

Historical Context

The ancient Near East, including Mesopotamia and Egypt, was known for its advanced irrigation systems, which often included canals. These canals were essential for supporting agriculture in arid regions by diverting water from rivers to fields. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia and the Nile River in Egypt were central to these irrigation efforts. The construction and maintenance of canals were crucial for sustaining large populations and developing prosperous civilizations.

Biblical References

While the Bible does not directly mention the construction of canals, it does reference the importance of water management and irrigation. For example, in Genesis 2:10-14, the description of the river flowing out of Eden and dividing into four headwaters suggests an understanding of water distribution, which would have been relevant to the concept of canals.

In Isaiah 19:6, the prophet speaks of the drying up of the Nile's canals as part of a judgment against Egypt: "The streams of the Nile will dwindle and dry up, and the canals will become foul." This passage highlights the significance of canals in Egypt's agricultural and economic systems, as their failure would lead to widespread devastation.

Ezekiel 29:3-4 also alludes to the canals of Egypt, where the prophet compares Pharaoh to a great monster lying in the midst of his rivers, emphasizing the reliance of Egypt on its waterways: "Speak and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: 'Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster lying in the midst of his rivers, who has said, "The Nile is mine; I made it for myself."'"

Symbolic and Theological Implications

In a symbolic sense, canals can represent human efforts to control and harness the natural world. The construction of canals reflects humanity's God-given mandate to steward the earth, as seen in Genesis 1:28, where God commands Adam and Eve to "fill the earth and subdue it." This stewardship includes the responsible management of natural resources, such as water, to sustain life and promote flourishing.

Moreover, the drying up of canals, as mentioned in Isaiah, can symbolize divine judgment and the futility of relying solely on human ingenuity without acknowledging God's sovereignty. The failure of these vital waterways serves as a reminder of the limitations of human power and the ultimate dependence on God's provision and blessing.

Conclusion

While not frequently mentioned in the Bible, canals played a significant role in the ancient world, particularly in regions like Mesopotamia and Egypt. They were essential for agriculture, trade, and sustaining large populations. The biblical references to canals, though indirect, underscore the importance of water management and serve as a reminder of humanity's responsibility to steward God's creation wisely.1. (n.) An artificial channel filled with water and designed for navigation, or for irrigating land, etc.

2. (n.) A tube or duct; as, the alimentary canal; the semicircular canals of the ear.

2975. yeor -- stream (of the Nile), stream, canal
... 2974, 2975. yeor. 2976 . stream (of the Nile), stream, canal. Transliteration:
yeor Phonetic Spelling: (yeh-ore') Short Definition: Nile. ...
/hebrew/2975.htm - 6k

4760. murah -- crop or alimentary canal
... 4759b, 4760. murah. 4761 . crop or alimentary canal. Transliteration:
murah Phonetic Spelling: (moor-aw') Short Definition: crop. ...
/hebrew/4760.htm - 6k

6388. peleg -- a channel, canal
... 6387, 6388. peleg. 6389 . a channel, canal. Transliteration: peleg Phonetic
Spelling: (peh'-leg) Short Definition: streams. Word ...
/hebrew/6388.htm - 6k

180. ubal -- a stream, river
... 179, 180. ubal. 181 . a stream, river. Transliteration: ubal Phonetic
Spelling: (oo-bawl') Short Definition: canal. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/180.htm - 6k

The First Theban Empire
... The principality comprised the territory lying between the Nile and the Bahr Yusuf,
from the above-mentioned two villages to the Harabshent Canal"a district ...
/.../chapter iiithe first theban empire.htm

Preparations for the Invasion of Greece.
... march of his expedition."Former shipwreck of Mardonius."Terrible gale."Destruction
of Mardonius's fleet at Mount Athos."Plan of a canal."The Greeks ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter iv preparations for the.htm

Illustrations
... A fair wind, at sunset, on the lake 45 16. A view on the grand canal 49 17. ... View
on the Po-yang lake 116 29. A village on the grand canal 121 30. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/taylor/a retrospect/illustrations.htm

At the Well
... There was no thirst in the Delta. Nowhere did the capillary, the irrigation canal,
fail to reach, even now in the season of desolation and loss. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxxvii at the well.htm

Expatriation
... He dismounted and, leading his horse some distance from the road, into the fringe
of water-sprouts which lined the canal, picketed him within shade, out of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xlii expatriation.htm

And So for Nearly Twenty Years He Continued Training Himself in ...
... But when he was obliged to cross the Arsenoitic Canal [1018] "and the occasion of
it was the visitation of the brethren"the canal was full of crocodiles. ...
/.../athanasius/select works and letters or athanasius/life of antony section 14.htm

Letter cccxxxix. Basil to Libanius.
... Arist., Rhet. i.[v. 14. [3273] The story that Xerxes had made a canal through the
isthmus of Athos was supposed to be an instance of gross exaggeration. cf. ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter cccxxxix basil to libanius.htm

Bishop Gaudentius Said: These Things Wholesomely, Duly, and Fitly ...
... and public highways, or rather "in cities which are on the public highways, or Canals,'
by which they that pass go without labour, as in a canal or aqueduct ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon xx bishop gaudentius said .htm

Voyage to India.
... route by the Cape of Good Hope has been abandoned for passengers for many years,
and now Bombay is reached by the Straits of Gibraltar and the Suez Canal in a ...
/.../life and work in benares and kumaon 1839-1877/chapter i voyage to india.htm

The Traitors
... Gathering his robes about him with peculiar grace, he went through the grass toward
a low, capacious tent, pitched by a trickling branch of the great canal. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxxviii the traitors.htm

Canal (6 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A tube or duct; as, the alimentary canal; the semicircular canals
of the ear. Multi-Version Concordance Canal (6 Occurrences). ...
/c/canal.htm - 8k

Persians (6 Occurrences)
... HISTORY 1. Cyrus 2. Capture of Babylon 3. Cambyses 4. Pseudo-Smerdis 5. Darius I
6. Darius' Suez Canal 7. Xerxes I 8. Artaxerxes II 9. Xerxes II 10. ...
/p/persians.htm - 20k

Euphrates (36 Occurrences)
... From Hit an artificial canal conducts water along the western edge of the alluvial
plain to the Persian Gulf, a distance of about 500 miles. ...
/e/euphrates.htm - 26k

Lock (6 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) A place from which egress is prevented, as by a lock. 5. (n.) The barrier
or works which confine the water of a stream or canal. ...
/l/lock.htm - 11k

Forum (1 Occurrence)
... Its importance as a highway station is due chiefly to the canal which ran by the
side of the road from there to within a short distance of Tarracina (at the ...
/f/forum.htm - 9k

Pithom (1 Occurrence)
... satisfactorily identified with Tell-el-Maskhuta, about 12 miles west of Ismailia,
and 20 east of Tel-el-Kebir, on the southern bank of the present Suez Canal. ...
/p/pithom.htm - 12k

Pharaohnecoh
... In order to secure a combination of his fleets, he conceived the idea of reopening
the canal between the Nile and the Red Sea which had been originally ...
/p/pharaohnecoh.htm - 11k

Pharaoh-necoh (3 Occurrences)
... In order to secure a combination of his fleets, he conceived the idea of reopening
the canal between the Nile and the Red Sea which had been originally ...
/p/pharaoh-necoh.htm - 12k

Persian (4 Occurrences)
... Naqsh i Rustam, etc., and one at Suez, the latter mentioning his conquest of Egypt
and the construction of the first (?) Suez canal: Adam niyashtayam imam ...
/p/persian.htm - 45k

Chebar (8 Occurrences)
... the Israelites were removed by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:6). An opinion that has
much to support it is that the "Chebar" was the royal canal of Nebuchadnezzar ...
/c/chebar.htm - 10k

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