An Nahr al Kabir (Arabic "the great river") is a river in the Middle East flowing into the Mediterranean Sea. It forms the northern part of the border between Lebanon and Syria. The river was known in ancient times as the Eleutherus (Eleutheros, Eleutheris) and is referred to as such in the Bible (1 Maccabees 11:7 and 12:30). In English it is also known as the Nahr el-Kebir or simply as the Kebir.