- RIMMON-PAREZ a pomegranate breach, or Rimmon of the breach, one
of the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness (Numbers 33:19, 20). - RING Used as an ornament to decorate the fingers, arms, wrists, and also
the ears and the nose. Rings were used as a signet (Genesis 38:18). They
were given as a token of investment with authority (Genesis 41:42; Esther
3:8-10; 8:2), and of favour and dignity (Luke 15:22). They were generally
worn by rich men (James 2:2). They are mentioned by Isiah (3:21) among
the adornments of Hebrew women. - RIPHATH a crusher, Gomer’s second son (Genesis 10:3), supposed to
have been the ancestor of the Paphlagonians. - RISSAH heap of ruins; dew, a station of the Israelites in the wilderness
(Numbers 33:21, 22). - RITHMAH wild broom, a station in the wilderness (Numbers 33:18, 19),
the “broom valley,” or “valley of broombushes,” the place apparently of
the original encampment of Israel, near Kadesh. - RIVER (1.) Hebrews ‘aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds
water (2 Samuel 22:16), translated “brook,” “river,” “stream,” but not
necessarily a perennial stream (Ezekiel 6:3; 31:12; 32:6; 34:13).
(2.) Hebrews nahal, in winter a “torrent,” in summer a “wady” or valley
(Genesis 32:23; Deuteronomy 2:24; 3:16; Isaiah 30:28; Lamentations 2:18;
Ezekiel 47:9).
These winter torrents sometimes come down with great suddenness and
with desolating force. A distinguished traveller thus describes his
experience in this matter:, “I was encamped in Wady Feiran, near the base
of Jebel Serbal, when a tremendous thunderstorm burst upon us. After
little more than an hour’s rain, the water rose so rapidly in the previously
dry wady that I had to run for my life, and with great difficulty succeeded
in saving my tent and goods; my boots, which I had not time to pick up,
were washed away. In less than two hours a dry desert wady upwards of
300 yards broad was turned into a foaming torrent from 8 to 10 feet deep,
roaring and tearing down and bearing everything upon it, tangled masses of
tamarisks, hundreds of beautiful palmtrees, scores of sheep and goats,
camels and donkeys, and even men, women, and children, for a whole
encampment of Arabs was washed away a few miles above me. The storm
commenced at five in the evening; at half-past nine the waters were rapidly