Watcher (Hastings' Dictionary)

A title ap- plied to angels in Dn 4"i- "■ a [lo. u.»). It means ' wakeful one ' (Aq. Symm. iyfr/rtopos), and occurs with great frequency in the (Ethiopic) Book of Enocli (see vol. i. p. 707), as well as in Jubilees (4" 8' 10^) and the .SjTiac Fathers. It is hardly likely that in Daniel it has already acquired the restricted sense of iyprffopoi in these later writings ; more probably it is a designation of angels in general. See the Comm., esp. Driver, ad loc.

WATER in EV is usually the equivalent of o:c or Cdojp. In 8 K W, Is 86H RV ■ water' represent D"}'5' and KM has D;^n '5- In 2 Co 1128 'waters' stands (or r«T«^i(RV" rivers'). 'Watercouree' is the tr. o( nh-^a (Job SSa RV 'waurflood'), of D:5 S3; (Is i*), and of d:5 Ufa (2 Ch 323» RV ■ sprinR of waters '). Tlie last phrase is also rendered ' watersprini; ' (Ps 107^ >5), and ' spring of water ' (Is 41>8 68"). ' Waterspout ' is the tr. of ni3» (Ps 42' EVm 'cataract'), and 'waterflood' of 0;?

nSsci (Ps 69«>)i The verb 'to water' representfl various Heb. expressions. It stands In Pr 112» for the Hiph. of trr^ ("to throw [rainl') ; in Pa 6» for the Hiph. of .15? (' to melt ') ; in Ps 659 for the Pilel of pio ("to run over'); in Ps SC9°>« for the Qal, in Ps 66I0, la 169 for the Picl, and in Pr 11», Is 6610 tor the Hiph., of ."ti-i (• to be saturated'); and In On 28^10 201 1 7ir., Ex 2'«ir, Dt lli», Ps 10413, Ec 2«, Is 27», Ezk IV S2«, Jl 3I8 for .15^1:1 ('to give to drink '). ngy*?

is tr. ' well watered ' in On IS", and .1J-1 'watered' In Is 68", Jer 31". In Ps 72« 'showers that water' standi for the apposition ^T\\ D'5';i (' showers^a down-pour'). • Watering ' In Job 87" is for "KRV 'moisture'). • Watering ' in Lie 13' and ' to water ' in 1 Co 30"^- represent v>T.{;u>. 'To drink WBt«r' (1 Ti 6^) is the tr. of vifnm,<. 'Wat«rpot' (Jn 28 ' 4') is (or iifiit, and 'without water' (2 P 2", Jude '2) for iyvipti. ' To have (i.e.

to be 8>iiii>licd with) water' (Jth 7") is for iipiCtrOtu. '«/>«>.•}.« (Sir '2430) is tr. conduit. q;0 la once rendered by ' washing ' (Neh 4^3 RV ' water '). In Jo* 11> 18> tbe word la retained as part of a proper name (n^Er)^9 Water is among the commonest and most widely ditl'uaed of natural substances, and the Scrijituro allusions to it are consequently both numerou.s and varied.

At ordinary temperatures it is a liquid, transparent, yet capable of reflecting light from •t« surface (Pr 27"). When heated to the boiling point it is converted into invisible vapour (Is 01'-), and the same process of evaporation takes place gradually at lower temperatures (Job 24'"). When cooled below the freezing point it solidifies into hard, transparent, brittle ice, which is compared to a stone (Job 38"), and to a breastplate (Sir 43*).

The water vapour in the air may be con- densed by cooling into the small drops of cloud or mist, or the larger drops of rain (Job 36"), or it may be deposited on the surface of objects as dew. If the cold in the atmosphere is sufficiently great, VOL. IV. — 57 the moisture may fall in frozen drops as hail, or ia feathery ice-crystals as snow (see Cloud, Dkw, Hail, Rain, Snow). Among the most charac- teristic physical moperties of water is that of quenching fire.

The antagonism of these two 'elements' appears in 1 K IS"^"-, Wis 19=". The water which the earth receives partly flows along the surface in the form of brooks, streams, and rivers, or gathers in ponds, lakes, and seas ; and partly sinks beneath the ground, from which it may flow forth again in springs and fountains ((!n IG', Dt 8' etc.), or be recovered by sinking pits and wells (see Well).

Water plays an important part in changing the earth's surface (Job 14"), but the process is so slow that the streams, etc., which eflect it seem to be among the most permanent features of the land- scape, and acquire a geographical significance. Thus we have the 'water' of Nephtoah (Jos 15' 18'''), of Jericho (Jos Hi'), of 'the pool Asphar' (1 Mac 9™), of Jordan (1 Mac 9"), and of Gennesar (1 Mac II"); the 'waters' of Merora (.

los 11»-'), of En-shemesli (Jos 15'), of Megiddo (Jg 5'-'), of Nimrim (Is 15"), and of Dibon (Is 15") ; the 'great waters that are in Gibeon ' (Jer 41'=). A situation on a navigable river or by the sea gave a city great commercial and other advantages; e.f/. Babylon (Jer 51'^) and No (Nah 3*, here esp. as a lie fence, cf. Is 33'-'). The waters, like the earth and the air, have their pojiulation of living creatures (Gn r-n- ='•»), among which only those with fins and scales (i.e.

fish) were recognized as clean by the Mosaic law (Lv ll»-io.i2.« Dt 14»-'»). Images of fishes (Dt 4'), and of anything living in the water (Ex 20, Dt 5"), were forbidden. The 'dragons in the waters' (Ps 74'^) appear to have been mythical sea-monsters symb. of Egypt ; see Sea-MoNSTER. Water is indispensable to all forms of life on the earth, whether animal or vegetable. Vegetation is refreshed by rain, dew, etc., and is specially lu.

\uriant where there are streams or springs to moisten the soil. We read of the efTeot which the presence of water has on trees (Job 14" 29'", Ps I', Jer 17"), cedars (Nu 24", Ezk 31), vines (Ezk 17"), willows (Is 44''), flags or sedges (Job 8", Sir 40" RV), and lilies (Sir 50). One of these passages (Ezk 31*) shows how irrigation was practised in order to convey water from a river to all the parts of the ground under cultivation.

Seed was sown beside the waters (Is 32'-"), and even cast into tlium, as in Egypt when the Nile is in flood (Ec 11'). The verdure of river-sides made them a favourite haunt of birds (Ca 5'^}. Essential to vegetable life, water is equally essential to animals and man. It is enumerated among the necessaries of life in Is 33", Sir 29^' 39". Among its uses may be noticed — (a) Drinking.

Here particular references are un- necessary, except to the water which flowed from the rock in Iloreb (Ex 17°'*) and Kadesh (Nu 20"). Next to the absence of water, the greatest of evils was water which for any reason had become un- drinkable. This was one of the Plaouks op Egypt (vol. iii. p. 889), and similar calamities appear in the Apocalypse (8" 11°). Israel had an experience of bitter water at Marah (Ex 15'^). The explanation of the remedy used by Moses on this occasion is uncertain.

Ttie tree may have had tlio natural propertv of purifying the water (see Sir 3a^). Various plants are used in liifferent parts of the world for a similar puqiose. Roscninuller {A. u. n. Morgenl. ii. 28 If.) nu'iiUons Nellnnaran in Coronianclel, Sassafras in Florida, and Yerva Caniani in Peru. It seems doubt- ful, however, whether any plant now growing in the Siimitic desert has such an effect, though Le88et>8 (L'uth)iv de i^xuz, p.

10) says he \\Vk» been told i)y Arab chiefs that a certain bitter thorn, growing In the desert, Is used by them in this way. Hurckhardt (TravfU in Stfria, 474) suggests that the berries of the plant called Oharkad {Pegantim rtttuutn) might have been employed, but other travellers have not found them 898 WATEE VVATEE eflectua! (Robinson, BRP i. 98 f. ; Ebere, Durch Gosen rum Sinai, 116t.)

The waters of Jericho were bad in Elisha's day (2 K 219- 2-), but no explanation save a miraculous one can be given of the remedy used in this case. Drinking water nii^lit be fouled bj- the feet of animals (Ezk 32, ^^ 34"). Certain bitter potions receive special mention, such as ' water of gall ' (Jer 8" 9" 23"), and the water mi.ved with the ashes of the golden calf (Ex 32-°). Water mi.xed with dust from the floor of the tabernacle was used in the ordeal of chastity described in Nu 5.

Water was not only dnink alone, but also mixed with wine (Ps 75«, Pr 9-, 2 Mac 152"). The incident of the making of water into wine at Cana is given as the earliest of the miracles of Jesus (Jn 2''"- 4''"'). Water for domestic purposes was usually drawn by women (Gn 24'^ Ex 2>«, 1 S 9", Jn 4') or by servants (Dt 29"). The Gibeonites were reduced to this menial ottice (Jos 9-'*).

In Mk 14" || the unusual circumstance of a man bearing a pitcher of water enables the two disciples to recognize their guide. Supplies of drinking water were carried in skins, larger or smaller (see Bottle), and we hear also of vessels of earthenware and stone. (6) Washing of clothes (Jer 13'), of the hands (Job O-™, Mt 27"), the feet (Gn 24^2 43-^ Lk 7", Jn 13'), and the whole person (Jtli 10' 12'). To ' pour water upon the hands ' is synonymous with being a servant (2 K 3").

In the ceremonial system of the OT, washings occupied a prominent place. The priests were washed at their consecra- tion (Ex 29^), and the Levites were sprinkled when they were set apart to their special duties (Nu 8'). There was a laver before the tabernacle, in which the priests washed their hands and feet before offering sacrifices (Ex 30"-=' 40'- ^>-^^). Special ablu- tions were required on particular occasions, such as the Day of Atonement (Lv 16^- "• ^).

The sacri- •icial flesh was washed before it was burnt (Lv ^9. 13 §21) W'ashing was a frequent process for removing ceremonial defilement (Lv IP- 15°- 17", Dt 23"). A specially interesting case is that of recoveiy from leprosy (Lv 14-°). In connexion with leprosy and certain other forms of unclean- ness running water required to be used (Lv 14B.6.iio.6j.

M i5i3_ j,-^ 1917) The 'water of separa- tion' used for sprinkling the unclean (Nu 19, He 9") consisted of running water mixed with the ashes of a heifer that had been burnt along with cedar wood and hyssop. (c) Cooking, as in F.ik 24'. (d) Medicinal Bathing (Jn 5'- *). In E:tstern lands, where so much depends on the presence of water, the distress caused b3' drought is very great, and is often vividlv described in Scripture (Is 19', Jer 14', Jl l'-»).

The same result follows when a water-sujiply is cut off, which was a common operation of warfare and siege. Jehosh- aphat and his allies stopped the wells of Moab (2 K 3"- =»). Holofernes did the same for Hethulia (Jth V- 8« 11'-). liezekiah, when besieged by Sennacherib, succeeded in reversing this proceed- ing, and in securing water for the besieged while the besiegers were deprived of it (2 Cli 32'-'', Sir 48").

When water is scarce from such causes, it has to be doled out carefully (La 5, Ezk 4"- "). ' Water of affliction ' seems to mean a supply that is limited either from scarcity (Is 30') or as a puMisliment (1 K 22=', 2 Ch 18»). Water, though so necessary, is also a source of danger. It may cause death by suflbcation (2 K 8") or by ordinary drowning. Of the latter the Flood and the overthrow of the Egyptians at the Red Sea are the most notable Scripture instances.

In the miracle of Christ's walking on the water (Mt H^W) we see this natural property for once overcome. Water may be destnictive from its force when agitav^l by storms (Ezk 27*-', Wis 5-'^, Lk 8^-"), or when rushing along in a torrent (2 S S-'", Rev 12"), or from its simply submerging the works of man (Ezk 2G', '"). 'Water' is used for tears (Ps 119'", Jer 9''", La 1' 3'), and for the liquid that flowed along with the blood from the pierced side of Christ (Jn Iff").

The nature of the latter has been much discussed, and all attempts at ordinary physio- logical explanation seem doubtful. The commen- taries must be consulted for the various views that have been suggested. See also Medicine (vol. iii. p. 32G"). The substance Nephthak (which see) is called ' thick water ' (2 Mac l^"- ='• ^'- «»). In the biblical cosmogony water held an im- portant place. There was a primitive waste of waters, which was divided into two portions by the firmament.

The upper portion was the source of rain. The dry land rose out of the lower portion and was founded upon it. The Flood, in which both the waters above and those beneath were let loose (Gn 7"), was a catastrophe provided for by the very structure of the universe (2 P 3°-'). These and similar cosmological ideas appear in Job 268-"', Ps 33' 104'- «'• 148S Pr 30^ Is 40'^, Jth 9'= 16".

While the heathen deified the waters as well as the other forces of nature (Wis 13°), the biblical conception consistently subordinates them to God. He controls the waters of the thunder- storm (2 S 22'2, Ps IS" 29' 77'«- ", Jer 10" 51'«). The division of the Red Sea is His work (Ps 78", Is 43'" 51'°). It is in obedience to Him that the water flows from the rock (Ps 114''). It is He who moves the sea (Am 5 9"). The voice of God is comjiared to the sound of many waters (Ps 93, Ezk iZ-. Cf.

Rev V" 14- 19'^). The metaphorical usages of water are numerous. The want of it is an emblem of spiritual need (Ps 42' 63', Am 8"), and its presence becomes, in some of the most beautiful poetry of Scripture, a figure for spirifiiril refreshment and blessing (Ps 23-, Is 30=» 32-' S.j"- '4118 4320 443 4910 551 sgii^ j^r 3P, Ezk 47'-", Jl 3'^ Zee W, 3n~i^, Rev 7"' 21" 22'- "). It rciiresents a blessing which may be neglected (Jer 2" 17" 18").

It suggests the gratefulness of good news (Pr 25^) ; and wisdom, as the drink of the soul, is compared to it (Sir 15'). Water sym- bolizes the means of morrd cleansing (Ezk 16' ' 36^, Eph 5^, He 10-), with which we may connect the whole subject of Baptism, and also the con- ception of Christians as 'born of water' (Jn 3', I Jn 5°-).

Bitter drink is a metaphor for trouble (Ps 73'"), and water in its dangerous aspect is still more extensively so (Ps 18'" 32" 46' 66'" 69'-''-" 88", Is 432, La 3", Jon '2'). Enemies are spoken of under a similar figure (Ps 124 144', Is 8' [Assyria] 17'" " [the nations] 28=- ", Jer 47''). Various subordinate metaphors are deserving of notice. Water becomes a figure for instability of character (Gn 49), for weakness and dissolution (Ps 22'* 58' 109", Ezk 7"), and for worthlessne-is (Wis 16^).

Pride passes like a ship that leaves no track on the waters (Wis 5'°). The foam of water [or, perhaps better, a chip on a stream, cf. RVmJ is an emblem of extreme transiency (Hos 10'). To give earth and water is a token of submission (Jth '2"). In Sir IS"- " the choice between life and death is compared to that between fire and water. The wickedness of Jerusalem^ is likened to the water of a fountain (Jer 6').

Stolen water is an emblem for secret sin (Pr 9"), and the drinking of water is a figure for unlawful love (Sir 26'"). To drink the waters of a country is to conquer it (2 K 19", Is 37-^), or to seek alliance with it (Jer 2'"). The letting out of water has as its counterparts the beginning of strife (Pr 17'), or the giving of liberty to a vncked woman (Sir 25"^). Apostate disciples are compared to waterless wells (2 P 2"), or cloiids (Jude '-).

T/ic inconsistency of blessing and cursinf WATEKSPOUTS WAYilAKK 899 is snggested by the impossibility of fresh and salt water coming from a fountain together (Ja 3'°'''). The salt in the sea corresponds to GocTs wrath against the heathen (Sir 39^). The smallness of a ■waterdrop compared with the sea is an image of the relation of time to eternity (Sir IS'"). Deep water is a figure for tvise counsel (Pr 18* 20^). Judgment and righteousness are likened to the waters of a mighty stream (Am 5").

The extent of tlie sea is niude to suggest the universal spread of God's glory (Is 11", Hab 2"). James Patrick.