Nimrim
Nimrim is a river mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Arabia in modern-day Israel. Known today as Wadi en Numeirah. It appears across 2 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
The Waters of Nimrim appear in two powerful prophetic oracles against Moab, found in Isaiah 15:6 and Jeremiah 48:34. In Isaiah's burden against Moab, the prophet declares, "The waters of Nimrim shall be desolate, for the grass has withered, the vegetation has failed, and there is no greenery." Jeremiah echoes this pronouncement of devastation in his own oracle against Moab. In both passages, the drying up of Nimrim's waters serves as a vivid image of total ruin, since these waters sustained the agricultural life of the surrounding region. The loss of water in an arid landscape symbolized complete divine judgment, reducing once-productive land to barren waste. The prophets used Nimrim as a specific, recognizable landmark to convey the thoroughness of God's coming judgment upon Moab for its pride and hostility toward Israel. Within the broader sweep of prophetic literature, the desolation of Nimrim illustrates how God's sovereignty extends over all nations and their natural resources, withholding blessing from those who oppose His purposes.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
The Waters of Nimrim are commonly identified with Wadi en-Numeirah (also spelled Numeira), located in the southern region east of the Dead Sea in modern Jordan. The wadi descends from the Moabite plateau toward the southeastern shore of the Dead Sea. Some scholars have alternatively proposed Wadi Nimrin further north in the Jordan Valley, though the southern identification better fits the Moabite geographical context of both Isaiah 15 and Jeremiah 48. Near Wadi en-Numeirah, the archaeological site of Bab edh-Dhra and the nearby site of Numeira have been excavated, revealing Early Bronze Age settlements destroyed by conflagration, which some scholars have associated with the cities of the plain. The area remains sparsely inhabited, with the arid landscape echoing the prophetic descriptions of desolation.
Verse Appearances (2)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →