Ford

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

FORD . Of the numerous ‘fords’ or passages of the Jordan, two in ancient times were of chief importance: that opposite Jericho near Gilgal (  Joshua 2:7 ,   Judges 3:28 ), and that at Bethabara (mod. ‘Abarah ), at the junction of the Jalud (which drains the Jezreel valley) and the Jordan. Bridges are now used in crossing the Jordan. In   2 Samuel 15:28;   2 Samuel 17:18 the AV [Note: Authorized Version.] has ‘plain’ for ‘fords,’ and in   Judges 12:5-6 ‘passages.’ Other fords were those of the Jabbok (  Genesis 32:22 ) and the Arnon (  Isaiah 16:2 ).

G. L. Robinson.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( v. i.) A stream; a current.

(2): ( v. i.) A place in a river, or other water, where it may be passed by man or beast on foot, by wading.

(3): ( v. t.) To pass or cross, as a river or other water, by wading; to wade through.

King James Dictionary

FORD, n.

1. A place in a river or other water, where it may be passed by man or beast on foot, or by wading. 2. A stream a current.

Permit my ghost to pass the Stygian ford.

FORD, To pass or cross a river or other water by treading or walking on the bottom to pass through water by wading to wade through.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Joshua 2:7 Judges 3:28 12:5,6 Genesis 32:22 Isaiah 16:2 Jeremiah 51:32

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Isaiah 16:2 Genesis 32:22 Judges 3:28 Judges 12:5-6 Jeremiah 51:32

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fōrd ( מעבר , ma‛ăbhār ( Genesis 32:22; "pass" (of Michmash),  1 Samuel 13:23; "stroke" (the Revised Version, margin "passing"),  Isaiah 30:32 ); מעבּרה , ma‛bārāh ( Joshua 2:7;  Judges 3:28;  Judges 12:5 ,  Judges 12:6;  Isaiah 16:2; "pass" (of Michmash),  1 Samuel 14:4; "passages" (the Revised Version, margin "fords"),  Jeremiah 51:32 ); עברה , ‛ăbhārāh ( 2 Samuel 15:28;  2 Samuel 17:16; "ferry-boat" (the Revised Version, margin "convoy"),  2 Samuel 19:18 ); from עבר , ‛ābhar , "to pass over"; compare Arabic ‛abar , "to pass over" and ma‛bar , "a ford"): In the journeyings of the children of Israel, in addition to the miraculous passages of the Red Sea and the Jordan, they had other streams to pass over, especially the Zered ( Ḥisa' ) and the Arnon ( Maujib ) ( Numbers 21:12 ,  Numbers 21:13;  Deuteronomy 2:24 ). The Jabbok ( Zarḳa ) is frequently referred to, particularly in connection with Jacob ( Genesis 32:22 ). The most frequent references are to the Jordan which, in time of flood, was impassable ( Joshua 3:15 ). The lower Jordan is about 100 ft. wide, and from 5 to 12 ft. deep, so that in the absence of bridges, the places where it was possible to ford were of great importance. The passage of the Jordan is referred to in connection with Jacob ( Genesis 32:10 ), Gideon ( Judges 8:4 ), the children of Ammon ( Judges 10:9 ), Abner and his men ( 2 Samuel 2:29 ), David ( 2 Samuel 10:17;  2 Samuel 17:22 ), Absalom ( 2 Samuel 17:24 ), and others. Jesus undoubtedly crossed the Jordan, and John is thought to have baptized at the ford of the Jordan near Jericho. The fords of the Jordan are specifically mentioned in  Joshua 2:7 in connection with the pursuit of the spies who were hidden in Rahab's house, and in   2 Samuel 15:28;  2 Samuel 17:16 in connection with the flight of David. In the last two passages we have ‛ăbhārāh , the same word which, in the account of David's return ( 2 Samuel 19:18 ), is rendered "ferry-boat" (the Revised Version, margin "convoy"). See Jordan .

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( מִעֲבָר , maabar', and מִעְבָּרָה , mabarah', a Pass), a shallow place in a stream where it may easily be crossed on foot or by wading ( Genesis 32:23;  Joshua 2:2;  Judges 3:28;  Judges 12:5-6;  Isaiah 16:2). SEE River The Hebrew word is also used both in the singular and in the plural with reference to the mountain pass at Michmash, between Seneh and Bozez ( 1 Samuel 14:4, and  Isaiah 10:29). Mention is repeatedly made of the fords of Jordan ( Joshua 2:7;  Judges 3:28;  Judges 12:5-6; A.V. "passages"). These were evidently in ancient times, few in number, and well known, though now the Jordan is fordable in hundreds of places (Smith's Diet. Of Classical Geogr. s.v. Palestina, page 521). (See Jordan). Of these, that named Bethabara (q.v.) was probably the most noted. Mention is also made of the ford of the Jabbok ( Genesis 32:22), and the fords of Arnon ( Isaiah 16:2). (See Arnon). The fords of the Euphrates ( Jeremiah 51:32) were probably the bridges across that river built by Nitocris, as the Euphrates was not fordable at Babylon (Hitzig, Exeget. Heb. ad loc.). (See Euphrates).