Places in the Bible Today:

Brook of the Willows

Data

Translated Namesbrook of Arabim, Brook of the Willows, Ravine of the Poplars, Ravine of Willows, Stream of the Poplars, Wadi of the Willows
Typesbody of water, region, river, or wadi
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

4 Possible Identifications

  1. Wadi al Hasa (modern): 65% confidence

    1. panorama of cliffs along Wadi al HasaWadi al Hasa

  2. Wadi Qelt (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. canyon of Wadi QeltWadi Qelt

  3. another name for the Brook of the Arabah (ancient): less than 10% confidence. It may be:

    1. panorama of cliffs along Wadi al HasaWadi al Hasa

    2. bridge at the mouth of Wadi KofreinWadi Kofrein

    3. canyon of Wadi QeltWadi Qelt

    4. panorama in the region between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqababetween the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba

    5. mouth of Wadi al ArishWadi al Arish

    6. closeup of Nahal HaBesorNahal HaBesor

    7. panorama of the Nile RiverNile River

    8. ruins at Qantir along the Pelusiac branch of the NilePelusiac branch of the Nile

    9. panorama of the Dead SeaDead Sea

  4. Wadi Kofrein (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. bridge at the mouth of Wadi KofreinWadi Kofrein

Verses (1)

Isa 15:7

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Logos FactbookBrook of the Willows
OpenBible.info (2007)Brook of the Willows
OpenBible.infoa0f88fb (Brook of the Willows)
TIPNRBrook_of_the_Willows@Isa.15.7

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Willows, Brook of the (place)
  2. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013): Ravine of the Poplars
  3. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Willows, brook of the
  4. Baly, The Geography of the Bible (1974): page 233
  5. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Willows, Wadi of the
  6. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): Isa 15:7 note
  7. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Willows (Brook of the)
  8. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (2011): Willows, Wadi of the
  9. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
  10. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Arabah
  11. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): Isa 15:7
  12. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  13. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Willows, Brook of the
  14. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  15. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): Isa 15:5-9

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, Wadi al Hasa), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Adeeb Atwan, Hardscarf, עידו, אירית לוי, اسماء البيك, Mboesch, René Hourdry, Iri-en-achti, Mujaddara

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.