seÌ„ (×™×, yaÌ„m; θαÌλασσα, thaÌlassa; in πεÌλαγος, peÌlagos): The Mediterranean is called ha-yaÌ„m ha-gaÌ„dhoÌ„l, “the great sea†(; ; , etc.); ha-yaÌ„m ha-'ahÌ£ăroÌ„n, “the hinder,†or “western sea†(; ; ; ); yaÌ„m pelishtı̄m, “the sea of the Philis†(); the King James Version translates yaÌ„m yaÌ„phoÌ„' in by “sea of Joppa,†perhaps rightly.
The Dead Sea is called yaÌ„m haÌ„-melahÌ£, “the Salt Sea†(; ; , etc.); ha-yaÌ„m ha-kÌ£adhmoÌ„nı̄, “the east sea†(; ; ); yaÌ„m haÌ„-‛ăraÌ„bhaÌ„h,â€the sea of the Arabah†(; ; ; ).
The Red Sea is called yaÌ„m sÌ£uÌ„ph, literally, “sea of weeds†(; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; , etc.); (ἐÏυθÏὰ θαÌλασσα, eruthraÌ thaÌlassa), literally, “red sea†(The Wisdom of Solomon 19:7; ; ); yaÌ„m micrayim, “the Egyptian sea†().
Yām is used of the Nile in and probably also in , as in modern Arabic baḥr, “sea,†is used of the Nile and its affluents. Yām is often used for “west†or “westward,†as “look from the place where thou art,... westward†(); “western border†(). Yām is used for “sea†in general (); also for “molten sea†of the temple ().
The Sea of Galilee is called kinnereth, “Chinnereth†(); kinăroÌ„th, “Chinneroth†(); kinneroÌ„th, “Chinneroth†(); yam kinnereth, “the sea of Chinnereth†(; ); yaÌ„m kinneroÌ„th, “the sea of Chinneroth (); (ἡ λιÌμνη ΓεννσαÏεÌÏ„, heÌ„ lıÌmneÌ„ GenneÌ„sareÌt), “the lake of Gennesaret†(); and (τὸ Ï…Ì“ÌÎ´Ï‰Ï Î“ÎµÎ½Î½Î·ÏƒÎ±ÌÏ, toÌ huÌdoÌ„r GenneÌ„saÌr), “the water of Gennesar†(1 Macc 11:67), from late Hebrew ×’Ö¼× ×¡×¨, gineÌ„sÌ£ar, or (×’Ö¼× ×™×¡×¨, geneÌ„sÌ£ar; ἡ θαÌλασσα τῆς ΓαλιλαιÌας, heÌ„ thaÌlassa teÌ„Ìs GalilaıÌas), “the sea of Galilee†(; ; ; ; ); (ἡ θαÌλασσα τῆς ΤιβεÏιαÌδος, heÌ„ thaÌlassa teÌ„Ìs TiberiaÌdos), “the sea of Tiberias†(; compare ).
In we have yām ya‛zēr, “the sea of Jazer.†Jazer is a site East of the Jordan, not satisfactorily identified (; , , ; ; ; ; ; ; , ). See SEA OF JAZER.
In midhbar yām, “the wilderness of the sea†(), there may perhaps be a reference to the Persian Gulf.