hiddekel Summary and Overview

called by the Accadians id Idikla; i.e., "the river of Idikla", the third of the four rivers of Paradise (Gen. 2:14). Gesenius interprets the word as meaning "the rapid Tigris." The Tigris rises in the mountains of Armenia, 15 miles south of the source of the Euphrates, which, after pursuing a south-east course, it joins at Kurnah, about 50 miles above Bassorah. Its whole length is about 1,150 miles.

(rapid), one of the rivers of Eden, the river which "goeth eastward to Assyria," #Ge 2:14| and which Daniel calls "the great river," #Da 10:4| seems to have been rightly identified by the LXX. with the Tigris. Dekel is clearly an equivalent of Digla or Dighath, a name borne by the Tigris in all ages. The name now in use among the inhabitants of Mesopotamia is Dijleh.

HID'DEKEL (rapid Tigris), a celebrated river of western Asia, the third of the rivers which issued from the garden of Eden. It is said to flow east to Assyria, Gen 2:14; Dan 10:4; is called in the ancient Zend language Teger ("stream"), whence the name "Tigris." Like its twin river, the Euphrates, it has in the Armenian territory numerous sources. The western branches, which form the principal stream, spring from the southern slope of the Anti-Taurus, at no great distance from the sources of the Araxes, the Euphrates, and the Halys, and form a junction not far from Diarbekir. The eastern branch is formed by the union of several streams having their sources in the districts of Mukus and Shattak, and farther eastward, in the mountains of Kurdistan. The eastern and western branches of the Tigris unite at Tilleh, whence the river rushes through a long, narrow, and deep gorge to the low country of Assyria. At Mosul, opposite the site of Nineveh, the river is about 300 feet wide, and when swollen by rains or the melting of the mountain snows becomes impetuous, flooding the lower country, and sometimes destroying the bridges of boats. The river receives several important tributaries, and between Mosul and Baghdad passes over several ledges of limestone rocks, which form rapids of greater or less importance. In the latter part of its course it averages 600 feet in width, frequently 15 or 20 feet in depth, and during a sudden rise flows about 5 miles an hour; but in passing over the alluvial plain, the current is often less than 1 mile an hour. At Kurnah the Euphrates and the Tigris unite; the combined stream receives the name of Shat-el-Arah, which, after a course of about 120 miles, falls into the Persian Gulf. The whole course of the Tigris to its junction with the Euphrates is about 1146 miles. The Tigris is navigable for vessels drawing from 3 to 4 feet of water, from the Persian Gulf almost as far as Tekrit, a distance of nearly 600 miles. There is an active commerce along the river between Basrah and Baghdad by means of the large country-boats, which go in fleets; above the latter city it is chiefly carried on by rafts from Mosul. The Euphrates expedition ascended the Tigris to beyond Dokhalah, and the Euphrates steamer passed from the Euphrates to the Tigris by the ancient canal, which leaves the former several miles below Hit, and enters the latter a short way below Baghdad. The banks of the Tigris, on which stood Nineveh and other populous cities once the seats of high culture and the residence of mighty kings, are now covered with mounds and ruins, the relics of ancient greatness. There is scarcely one permanent settlement on the banks of the Tigris from Jezivah to the immediate vicinity of Baghdad, with the exception of Mosul and Tekrit. See Assyria, Euphrates, and Tigris.

Tigris. A river of Eden, going "eastward to Assyria" (Genesis 2:14). (See EDEN.) "The great river" (Daniel 10:4). From hai "lively," and digla "an arrow," in early Babylonian; equivalent to Tigra in Aryan. Now called by the Arabs Dijleh.