Bridge
Webster's Dictionary [1]
(1): (v. t.) To build a bridge or bridges on or over; as, to bridge a river.
(2): (n.) The small arch or bar at right angles to the strings of a violin, guitar, etc., serving of raise them and transmit their vibrations to the body of the instrument.
(3): (v. t.) To find a way of getting over, as a difficulty; - generally with over.
(4): (n.) A low wall or vertical partition in the fire chamber of a furnace, for deflecting flame, etc.; - usually called a bridge wall.
(5): (n.) A device to measure the resistance of a wire or other conductor forming part of an electric circuit.
(6): (n.) A structure, usually of wood, stone, brick, or iron, erected over a river or other water course, or over a chasm, railroad, etc., to make a passageway from one bank to the other.
(7): (n.) Anything supported at the ends, which serves to keep some other thing from resting upon the object spanned, as in engraving, watchmaking, etc., or which forms a platform or staging over which something passes or is conveyed.
(8): (v. t.) To open or make a passage, as by a bridge.
(9): (n.) A card game resembling whist.
Fausset's Bible Dictionary [2]
The only hint of bridges in Scripture is the proper name Geshur, in Bashan, N.E. of the sea of Galilee. The Israelites forded their rivers, but had no bridges to cross over them. A bridge of planks on stone piers was constructed by Nitocris, 600 B.C., to connect the parts of Babylon together ( Jeremiah 51:31-32; Jeremiah 50:38). The arch was known in Egypt 15 centuries B.C., yet the Romans were the first to construct arched bridges. Remains of their bridges over the Jordan and the Syrian rivers, notably at Beyrut, still exist. The most remarkable one is Jacob's Bridge over the upper Jordan near lake Hooleh.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible [3]
BRIDGE . Only 2Ma 12:13 AV [Note: Authorized Version.] , where RV [Note: Revised Version.] reads the proper name Gephyrun . For the extreme antiquity of the arch see Arch.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [4]
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [5]
brij ( γέφυρα , géphura , 2 Macc 12:13 the King James Version; the Revised Version (British and American) Gephyrun ): Does not occur in the canonical Scriptures, unless it be indirectly in the proper name Geshur (גּשׁוּר , geshūr , 2 Samuel 3:3; 2 Samuel 13:37; 2 Samuel 15:8; 1 Chronicles 2:23 , and others). The so-called Jacob's bridge is said to mark the site where Jacob crossed the upper Jordan on his return from Paddan-aram, but, of course, does not date from the time of the patriarch. There are traces of ancient bridges across the Jordan in the vicinity of the Lake of Gennesaret, over the Arnon and over other rivers which enter the Jordan from the east; but none of them seem to date farther back than the Roman period. Nahum 2:6 , in which the Chaldaic paraphrase renders "bridges," evidently refers to dikes or weirs. Judas Maccabeus is said to have planted a bridge in order to besiege the town of Casphor (2 Macc 12:13). Josephus ( Ant. , V, i, 3) tells us that the Jordan, before the passage of the Israelites, had never been bridged, evidently implying that in his own time bridges had been constructed over it, which was the case, under the Romans. The bridge connecting the temple with the upper part of the city of which Josephus speaks ( War , VI, vi, 2; Ant , XV, xi, 5) probably was a viaduct.
