ford
ma.a.va.rah denotes a place of passage, chiefly a river crossing controlled, pursued to, or crossed in the narratives.
The term most often identifies river crossing places, especially those at the Jordan, where people pursue, cross, seize, or are stopped; one occurrence describes passes between rocky crags.
Senses in use
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River crossing places · dominant
Plural forms identify crossing points in scenes of pursuit and control: in Joshua 2:7 the APB renders pursuit toward the Jordan “at the fords,” while in Judges 3:28 men seize them and prevent anyone from crossing. In Judges 12:5 and Judges 12:6, the crossings of the Jordan are held and become the location where Ephraimites are examined and killed; Isaiah 10:29, Isaiah 16:2, and Jeremiah 51:32 likewise place crossing, people, or military action at such locations.
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Passes between rocky crags · rare
In 1 Samuel 14:4, the plural form occurs in the description of the route by which Jonathan sought to cross to the Philistine station, with a rocky crag on each side. The APB renders the setting as “the passes,” distinguishing this terrain passage from the river-crossing settings elsewhere.
In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly presents the term as “fords,” including the singular “ford” in Isaiah 10:29, and renders it “passes” in 1 Samuel 14:4. These renderings confirm the verse settings rather than establish separate English equivalents in every clause.