Bible Dictionary
Rivers of Babylon
The rivers of Babylon were the waterways of Babylonia, including the Euphrates, Tigris, canals, and related streams beside which the exiles remembered Zion.
Definition
The rivers of Babylon refers to the waterways of the whole Babylonian country. These included the Euphrates and Tigris, as well as canals and related streams such as the Chalonas and Ulai.
Biblical Usage
The rivers of Babylon are remembered in Psalm 137 as the places beside which the exiles sat and remembered Zion.
Historical Background
The expression includes the extensive river and canal system of Babylonia rather than a single river alone.
Scripture References
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(Ps. 137:1), i.e., of the whole country of Babylonia, e.g., the Tigris, Euphrates, Chalonas, the Ulai, and the numerous canals.