The BibleGospel Companion

Cherith

כְּרִית · ke.rit · H3747“cutting; piercing; slaying” Hitchcock's 18692 mentions, all in 1 Kings

Where it is

32.31° N, 35.56° E · Located through Jordan Valley

Coordinates and map: OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · drawn without map tiles

Mentioned most in

Counted from 2 references · STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

About this place

The Brook Cherith is mentioned in the story of the prophet Elijah during the reign of King Ahab of Israel (1Ki.17.3-5). After Elijah declared a drought in the land as a judgment from God, the Lord instructed him to hide by the Brook Cherith, east of the Jordan River. God promised to provide for Elijah there, using ravens to bring him bread and meat in the morning and evening, and the brook as his source of water.

Elijah obeyed and stayed by the Brook Cherith until it dried up due to the prolonged drought. The exact location of the brook is uncertain, but it was likely one of the many wadis or seasonal streams that flowed into the Jordan River from the mountains of Gilead.

This event demonstrates God's faithfulness in providing for His servant during a time of hardship and judgment. It also highlights Elijah's obedience and trust in God's direction and provision. The Brook Cherith served as a place of refuge and sustenance for Elijah, preparing him for his subsequent confrontations with Ahab and the prophets of Baal.

Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

Every mention

2 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)

1 Kings 2 mentions

What the dictionary says

A cutting; separation; a gorge, a torrent-bed or winter-stream, a “brook,” in whose banks the prophet Elijah hid himself during the early part of the three…

Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
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Sources