Euphrates

An important river that rises in the mountains of Armenia and falls into the Persian Gulf, frequently called in scripture “the River.” It provided a route of communication between east and west. It was the boundary of the land promised to the seed of Abraham (Gen. 15:18; Deut. 1:7; Josh. 1:4; 1 Chr. 5:9); this boundary was reached in the time of David (2 Sam. 8:3; 1 Chr. 18:3). The stronghold of Carchemish was built at the ford of the river and was a position of great importance in military operations (2 Chr. 35:20; Jer. 46:2). On the banks of the Euphrates stood the great city of Babylon.