Cistern (*)»a or *li31, ho/, from *lHa, to dig & bore, Gefenius, Thet, Heb, p. 176 ; Sept. nanally Xcc- coc ; Vulg. dttema or locus ; A. Y. generally ** pool"), a receptacle for water, either conducted ftvm an ex- ternal spring, or proceeding from rain-fall (Jer. ii, 13; Prov. V, 15 ; Eccles. xii, 6 ; Jer. xzxvi, 16 ; a pit^m often rendered; the mod. Arab, birktk). Thus tbe cistern is essentially distinguished firom the living spring 1^9, a'jrm ; but from the well ^KS, beir^, only in the fact that beir is almost always used to denote a place ordinarily containing water rising on the spot, while ^ia, 5or, is often used for a dry pit, or one that may be left dry at pleasure (Stanley, Palest, p. 512, 514). See Aim. But the pit into which Joseph vai cast by his brethren (Gen. xxxvii, 24) was a beir (^ dry well (Thomson, Land and Book, i, 442).
The dryness of the summer months l«tween May and September in Syria, and the pcarcitj of springs in many parts of the country, make it necessary to collect in reservoirs and cisterns the rain-water, d which an abundance falls in the intermediate penoA (Shaw, Travels, p. 835 ; Jerome, quoted by Harroer, i, 148 ; Robinson, ii, 98 ; Kitto, Phys, Ger>gr. qfPalat, p. 802, 808). See Well. 3ence the frequent mention of cisterns in Scripture, and more especially of those which are found in the open country. These were, ii seems, the property of those by whom they were formed (Num. xxi, 22). They are usually little more than large pits (see Ecclus. i, 8), but sometimes take the character of extensive subterraneous vaults, open only by a small mouth, like that of a well. They are filled with rain-water, and (where the climate al- lows) with snow during winter, and are then closed at the mouth with large flat stones, over which sand is spread in such a way as to prevent their being easily discovered (comp. the " sealed fountain'* of Cant iv, 12). If by any chance the waters which the shepherd has thus treasured up are lost by means of an earth- quake or some other casualty, or are stolen, both be and his flocks are exposed to great and imminent dun- ger, as are also travellers who hasten to a cistern and find its waters gone (comp. Judith vii, 21). For this reason a failure of water is used as the image of an j great calamity (Isa. xli, 17, 18; xliv, 8). There is usually a large deposit of mud at the bottom of these cisterns, so that he who falls into them, even when they are without water, is liable to perish miserably (Gren. xxxvii, 22 sq. ; Jer. xxxviii, 6; Lam. iii, 53; Psa. xl, 2 ; Ixix, 15). In cities the cisterns were works of much labor, for they were either hewn in the rocks or surrounded with subterraneous walls, and lined with a fine incrustation. See Bbthesda. The system which in this respect formeriy prevaQed in Palestine is doubtless the same that exists at present; and indeed there is every probability that most of the cisterns now in use were constructed in very andeot times. Dr. Robinson assures us that ** the main de^ pendence of Jerusalem at the present day is on its cis* terns ; and this has probably always been the case" (Researches, i, 480). Both lar/rQ and small cisterns arc frequent throuj^hout the whole of Syria and Pales-
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tine, and for the construction of them the rocky na^ tore of the ground affords peculiar fiusilities, either in original excaTatjions or by enlargement of natural cayitiea. Dr. Robinson remaiiu that the inhabitants of all the hUl country of Judah and Bei^jamin are in the habit of collecting water during the rainy season in tanks and cisterns, in the cities and fields, and along the high roads, for the sustenance of themselves and •their flocks, and for the comfinrt of the passing travel- ler. Many of these are obviously antique, and exist along ancient roads now deserted. On the long-for- gotten way from Jericho to Bethel ** broken cisterns" of high antiquity are found at regular intervals. Je- rosalem, described by Strabo as well supplied with water, in a dry neighborhood (xvi, 760), depends mainly for this upon its cisterns, of which almost ev- ery private house possesses one or more, excavated in the rock on which the city is boOt. The following are the dimensions of four belonging to the house in which Dr. Presided: 1, 15 X 8 X 12 feet deep ; 2,8x 4x15; a, 10X10X15; 4, 80x80x20. The cisterns have osnally a round opening at the top, sometimes boilt np wiUi stone-work above, and furnished with a cnrb and a wheel for the bucket (EocL xii, 6), so that they have externally much the appearance of an ordi- nary welL The water is conducted into them from the roofii of the houses during the rainy season, and with care remains sweet during the whole summer and antamn. In this manner most of the larger houaea and public buildings are supplied (i6.). Jose- phna ( (For, iv, 4, 4) describes the abundant provision for water supply in the towers and fortresses of Jeru- salem, a supply which has contributed greatly to its capacity lor defence, while the dryness of the neigh- borhood has in all cases hindered the operations of be- siegers. Thus Hezekiah stopped the supply of water outside the dty in anticipation of the attack of Sen- nacherib (2 Chron. xxidi, 8, 4). The progress of Antiochos Sidetes (B.C. 134) was at first retarded by want of water, though this want was afterwards unex- pectedly relieved (Joseph. Ani. xiii, 8, 2; Clinton, iii, 881). Josephus also imputes to divine interposition the snpply of water with which the army of Titus was frimished after suflRBring fhmi want of it (HTor, v, % 4). The Crusaders also, during the siege A.D. 1099, were harassed by extreme want of water, while the besieged were fully supplied (Mattli. Paris, Hist. p. 46, 49, ed.Wat.). Benjamin of Tudela says very little water is found at Jerusalem, but the inhabitants drink rain-water, which they collect in their houses (B(^*s ed. OftEarbf TYaiveis, p. 84). Barclay gives the most complete description of the subterranean reservoirs of Jerasalem, particularly those under the Haram enclo- •nre (CUy of the Great King, p. 226, etc.). See Jbru- aAt^wM. The defonse of Masada by Joseph, brother of Herod, against Antigonus was enabled to be pro- longed owing to an unexpected replenishing of the daterns by a shower of rain (Josephus, Ant, xiv, 15, 2), and in a subsequent passage he describes the cisterns and reservoirs by which that fortt^ss was plentiftdly supplied with water, as he had previously done in the case of Jerusalem and MachsBrus (War, iv, 4, 4; iv, 6, 2 ; Tii, 8, 8). Burckhardt mentions dstems belong- ing to private houses, among other places, at Sermein, near ileppo (/S^srna, p. 121), El Bara, in the Orontes valley (p. 182), Dhami and Missema in the Lejah (p. 110, 112, 118), Tiberias (p. 881), Kerek«in Moab (p. 877), Mount Tabor (p. 884). Of some at Hableh, near GUgal, the dimensions are given by Robinson (Later BeMorekes, p. 187): 1, 7X5X8 feet deep; 2, nearly the same as 1; 8, 12x9x8. They have one or two steps to descend into them, as is the case with one near Gaza, now disused, described by Sandys as *'a mighty cistern, filled only by the rain-water, and de- scended into by stairs of stone" (Sandys, p. 150 ; but see Bobinson, ii, 376). Of those at Hableh, some were covered with flal stones, resting on arches, some en-