EUFRATE (Sumerian Buramum; Akkadian Puramumu or Purattu, whose most probable meaning is “Great River”; Hebrew Pardh; the Greek term Εὐφράνης derives from the Persian Ufratno ppune Frat, cf. Armenian Efrat.). — One of the great rivers of Asia.
It rises in the mountains of Armenia from the union of the Kara Su, which originates at Dumlu Dağ north of Erzerum, and the Murat Su (= the Greeks’ Arsmias, also called the eastern E.), which rises from Ala Dağ somewhat north of Lake Van. The confluence takes place below Harput. Approximately 160 km from its mouth in the Persian Gulf, the E. joins the other great river, Tigris (v.), forming the Sağ el-'Arab. The E. is 2,780 km long and has a very irregular course, especially between the mountain ranges of the Taurus, where it proceeds through broad bends and deep gorges, producing high and beautiful waterfalls. In the Mesopotamian plain its bed widens, reaching as much as 400 m, with a depth of 5–6 m. Its water flow varies with the seasons; its floods (March–June), however, are generally very regular, depending on the melting of the snow. The river’s navigability depends upon them, although it is now little exploited, given the emergence of railways along the Persian Gulf. It should be noted that in the prehistoric period, and also in the historical period, although clear evidence is lacking, the E. flowed directly into the sea, with a mouth separate from that of the Tigris. Its principal tributaries are the Nahr Belib and Nahr Hâbûr. Among the cities formerly washed by it, Charcamia (cf. Ier. 46, 2) and Babylon (cf. Apoc. 9, 14; 16, 12) were famous. In the period of the Babylonian Empire, the E. supplied much of the water which, through an excellent network of canals, irrigated the vast plain.
The E. is frequently mentioned in the Bible, where it appears from the beginning (cf. Gen. 2, 14) as one of the rivers of the earthly Paradise. At times it symbolizes Babylonian power (cf. Ier. 2, 18; 13, 4 agg.; Is. 8, 7; 27, 12). The E. is often mentioned in boundary delineations. According to the promise made to Abraham (Gen. 15, 18; cf. Ex. 23, 31; Deut. 1, 7; 11, 24; Ios. 1, 4, etc.), the northern limit of Hebrew dominion was to be marked by this river. At the beginning of the Israelite monarchy, at least nominally and on particular occasions, this boundary seems to have been reached (cf. II Sam. 8, 3; 7 Rep. 4, 24). During the Persian period, the E. marked the boundary of the satrapy of Abur Nahara (Hebrew 'ebher han-ndâd' “beyond the river”; cf. Eud. 8, 36; Neh. 2, 7, 9), which comprised the region extending between it and the Mediterranean.