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Blogs > Katididaustralia > Katididaustralia


Katididaustralia 66F
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49 posts
11/18/2014 6:27 pm
Water Supply In Bible Times.

In Bible times, people made extraordinary efforts to locate reliable sources of water, Abraham and Isaac dug wells near Beer-Sheba to ensure that they had sufficient water for their households and flocks. (Genesis 21:30+31; 26:18)

Shallow wells often dried up during the long, hot summers. To provide a dependable water supply, a well had to be deep. (Proverbs 20:5)

One well in Lachish is 44 meters deep. Another well, located in Gibeon, is over 25 meters deep and 11 meters wide. Digging that well required the removal of some 3,000 tons of rock!

The Samaritan woman who came to draw water from Jacob's fountain told Jesus: "The well is deep." The water level there was perhaps 23 meters below the ground. (John 4:11)

Cisterns were another source of water in the ancient Middle east. These underground chambers collected rainwater that fell from October to April. Channels were cut into the hillside to direct the runoff into the cisterns. the Israelites hewed out large cisterns to store water. (Chronicles 26:10)

To draw water from wells and cisterns was, and still is, hard work. Women like Rebekah and Jethro's daughters performed a vital service by drawing water every day for the families and livestock. (Genesis 24:15-20; Exodus 2:16)

I found this information to be very interesting and aided my understanding of peoples' situations when I read Bible accounts.
Katidid.