Thursday, July 2, 2020

River Conundrum

The pasuk says [Bamidbar 24-6]:

"כִּנְחָלִים נִטָּיוּ כְּגַנֹּת עֲלֵי נָהָר כַּאֲהָלִים נָטַע יְהוָה כַּאֲרָזִים עֲלֵי מָיִם"

They extend like streams, like gardens by the river, like aloes which the Lord planted, like cedars by the water.

Unkelos writes that the river referred to by the pasuk is נהר פרת. How does he know that??? Why not any river?