The nearby limestone mountains cannot absorb rainwater. The water runs into the desert, creating sudden and violent floods that fill the wadis—canyons that have been carved out by past floods. Anyone standing in the wadi when a flood comes will be swept away.
Shortly after the flood, a wadi becomes dry again. Sometimes a bit of water from a previous flood will remain on the wadi floor, and these waters are attractive to the thirsty wilderness flocks.
But these are not the ?quiet waters? of Psalm 23. A wise shepherd knows that walking through a wadi can be dangerous. They know where to find springs of water that are not in dangerous places—?quiet waters? that will safely quench thirst.
As God?s people today, we also thirst for various ?waters?—careers, lifestyles, friends, activities. Sometimes those waters are safe, but sometimes they are dangerous. Only our Shepherd knows what waters are safe for us to drink.
