Nahr al-Kabir
Encyclopedia
Nahr al-Kabir al-Janoubi (Arabic
for the southern great river, النهر الكبير الجنوبي) is a river
in the Middle East
flowing into the Mediterranean Sea
. The river flows through the Homs Gap.
The river forms the northern end of the border between modern day Lebanon
and Syria
. The river was known in ancient times as the Eleutherus. (Eleutheros, Eleuteris) and is referred to as such in the apocryphal 1 Maccabees
11:7 and 12:30. In English
, it is also known as the Nahr el-Kebir or simply as the Kebir.
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
for the southern great river, النهر الكبير الجنوبي) is a river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
flowing into the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. The river flows through the Homs Gap.
The river forms the northern end of the border between modern day Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. The river was known in ancient times as the Eleutherus. (Eleutheros, Eleuteris) and is referred to as such in the apocryphal 1 Maccabees
1 Maccabees
The First book of Maccabees is a book written in Hebrew by a Jewish author after the restoration of an independent Jewish kingdom, about the latter part of the 2nd century BC. The original Hebrew is lost and the most important surviving version is the Greek translation contained in the Septuagint...
11:7 and 12:30. In English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, it is also known as the Nahr el-Kebir or simply as the Kebir.