Jordan

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Jordan (Jordan River)
Jordan River Map
LocationJordan Rift Valley in the Eastern Part of Palestine
Total length320 km (Approx. 200 miles)
Watershed AreaIsrael, Syria, West Bank of Palestine, Jordan
OriginMount Hermon in Between Syria and Lebanon
DestinationDead Sea

The Jordan River was formed by several tributaries flowing from Mount Hermon, which is located on the border between Lebanon and Syria, and the river merged in northern Palestine.[1] The river runs through the eastern edge of Palestine from north to south, passing through the Sea of Galilee and ending at the Dead Sea.[2] It is the world’s lowest river in terms of surface level, with about 250 km (155 mi) of its total length of 320 km (200 mi) flowing below sea level.[3]

In the Old Testament, the Jordan River is recorded as Yarden (יַרְדֵּן)[4] in Hebrew.[5] Yarden is a combination of the word Yard (יָרַד),[6] meaning to descend or goes down, and Dan (דָּן),[7] which is the name of the source area of the river.[8] Therefore, it means a river that flows downward, a swiftly flowing river, or it flows from Dan. In the New Testament, it is recorded as Iordanēs (Ἰορδάνης) in Greek.[9][10]

The Jordan River is an important place in the Bible. In the Old Testament times, Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan to enter the promised land of Canaan. Naaman, the commander of the army of Aram, washed in the Jordan as instructed by Elisha and was healed of his leprosy.[11] In the New Testament times, Jesus was baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist and preached the gospel of the kingdom.

Geographical Characteristics

Location

The Jordan River is located in the Jordan Rift Valley which is on the eastern edge of Palestine. The Jordan Rift Valley refers to a deep valley formed by the separation of continental plates, stretching from the Sea of Galilee to the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea. It belongs to the rift system that runs from southern Turkey through the Red Sea into East Africa. The Jordan River flows southward along this rift, originating from Mount Hermon on the border between Lebanon and Syria, passing through the Hulah Valley and the Sea of Galilee before reaching the Dead Sea. The total length of the river is about 130 km (81 mi), but if measured along its winding path, it exceeds 320 km (200 mi). The Sea of Galilee divides the Jordan River into upper and lower parts. The Upper Jordan River flows from Mount Hermon to the Sea of Galilee, while the Lower Jordan River, which forms most of the Jordan River, flows from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea.

Climate

The Jordan River in January: The water is at flood stage during the rainy season from autumn to spring.

It has a unique climate where winter and summer coexist. The primary source of the river is the northern part of Mountain Hermon, the highest peak in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains on the border between Lebanon and Syria, with an elevation of 2,814 meters (9,232 ft) and rugged terrain. The summit is covered with perpetual snow, so it is known as the “gray-haired mountain” or the “snowy mountain.”[12] The water melting from the mountain is the source of the Jordan River.

Several streams from Mount Hermon merge into the Jordan River at the Hula Valley, a marshy area consisting of swamps and shallow lakes in the south.[13] Although the region belongs to the Mediterranean climate, with hot and dry summers and mild and humid winters, it is surrounded by mountains, resulting in significant daily and seasonal temperature differences.

The Jordan River flows south from the Hula Valley and is joined by the north of the Sea of Galilee in the middle of its course. The Sea of Galilee is located about 16 km (10 mil) south of the Hula Valley, and is about 212 m (695 ft) lower than sea level.[14] The lower Jordan River basin, which runs from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, has a mild climate all year round. This section is particularly steep due to the significant difference in elevation between the surface level of the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea (over 200 m (656 ft)), resulting in many small waterfalls and rapids.[15] The Jordan River is generally narrow and shallow, making it impossible for ships to navigate, and it often floods during the rainy season.[2]

The Jordan River stops flowing when it reaches the Dead Sea, the lowest spot of which is about 392 m (1,286 ft) below sea level, and has no outlet for the river water.[16] The area around the Dead Sea has a hot and dry desert climate all year round.

Jordan River in the Bible

Old Testament

  • Crossing the Jordan River to Enter Canaan
Joshua Passing the River Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant by Benjamin West, an American historical painter from the 18th to 19th centuries

About 3,500 years ago, the Israelites came out of Egypt under the guidance of Moses and began their journey to the promised land, Canaan. At the end of 40 year-life in the desert, after Moses died in the land of Moab, God appointed Joshua as a new leader. God commanded Joshua to cross the Jordan to enter Canaan.[17]

When the Israelites reached the Jordan River, it was at flood stage since it was the harvest season. Following the command of God, Joshua told the people to cross the Jordan River without hesitation. He said when the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the covenant touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream would stop flowing, and they would cross the Jordan River like dry land. When God ordered the Israelites to cross the Jordan, no one wavered but all of them obeyed in perfect order. As soon as the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant touched the water’s edge, the water that had flooded to the top of the hill stopped, and the water flowing downstream piled up in a heap a great distance away. The Israelites walked across the Jordan on dry land.

Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

Joshua 3:15–17


People crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month according to the sacred calendar the following year after the end of their 40-year life in the desert.[18] From that time on, they could attack the city of Jericho and conquer the land of Canaan without difficulties.[19] At that time, the Jordan River was at flood stage due to the heavy rain, making it difficult to cross, however, they could experience a miracle and receive the blessing of entering Canaan because they did not care about the physical situation but obeyed God's word absolutely.

  • Naaman Was Healed After Washing Himself in the Jordan

Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great soldier but he suffered from leprosy. A young slave girl from Israel informed him that a prophet in Israel would be able to cure his disease. The king of Aram sent a letter to the king of Israel, asking him to cure Naaman’s disease. However, the king of Israel misunderstood and became discouraged, thinking that the king of Aram was looking for an excuse to invade Israel. Upon hearing this, Elisha asked Naaman to come to him. When Naaman arrived at Elisha’s house, Elisha sent a servant to tell him that if he washed himself in the Jordan River seven times, he would be cured. Naaman was angry and turned away, but his servant persuaded him to follow the prophet’s words, saying, “If the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” So Naaman turned back and washed himself in the Jordan seven times as Elisha had said, and his leprosy was cured.[20] Realizing the power of God, Naaman visited Elisha again to thank him and pledged that he would never make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the God of Israel.[21]

New Testament

Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River.
  • Jesus Was Baptized in the Jordan River

Two thousand years ago, Israel was under the control of the Roman Empire. The people had longed for the coming of the Messiah who would deliver them from the oppression of Rome. Then, John the Baptist was given the mission to prepare the way for the Messiah and gave the baptism of repentance to those who came to him in the Jordan River.[22][23]

One day, when John the Baptist was baptizing people in the Jordan, Jesus came to be baptized, too. At that moment, John recognized Him as Christ[24] and baptized Him.


Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John . . . As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.

Matthew 3:13–16


Jesus was thirty years old at that time.[25] From then on, Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom.[26][27]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jordan River, Encyclopedia.com
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 A Basic Bible Dictionary, pg. 61, Canterbury Press, 2004
  3. ↑ The greatest depressions: Finding Earth’s lowest spots, Quest's World of Wonder, CNN, February 20, 2020
  4. ↑ Strong's #3383 - יַרְדֵּן, Study Light
  5. ↑ "Genesis 13:10–11".
  6. ↑ Strong's #3381 - יָרַד, Study Light
  7. ↑ Strong's #1835 - דָּן, Study Light
  8. ↑ Jordan, Ancient Hebrew Research Center
  9. ↑ "Mark 1:5".
  10. ↑ "2446. Iordanés". Bible Hub.
  11. ↑ "2 Kings 5:1–27".
  12. ↑ Hermon, pg. 632, Calmet's Dictionary of the Holy Bible Volume 1, Augustin Calmet, Bohn, 1847
  13. ↑ Hula Valley, The Encyclopedia of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, A Political, Social, and Military History, pg. 458, ABC-CLIO, May 12, 2008
  14. ↑ Galilee, Jewish Encyclopedia
  15. ↑ The Jordan Valley is narrow and deep with a total length of about 120 km (75 mi), an average width of 9.6 km (6 miles), and a maximum width of 24 km (15 mi).
  16. ↑ The Red Sea, The Formation, Morphology, Oceanography and Environment of a Young Ocean Basin, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, April 2, 2015
  17. ↑ "Joshua 1:1–2".
  18. ↑ "Joshua 4:17–19".
  19. ↑ "Joshua 5:1".
  20. ↑ "2 Kings 5:1–14".
  21. ↑ "2 Kings 5:17".
  22. ↑ "Matthew 3:1–6".
  23. ↑ "Matthew 3:11".
  24. ↑ "John 1:29–30".
  25. ↑ "Luke 3:21–23".
  26. ↑ "Mark 1:1–9".
  27. ↑ “The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ” was from the time when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan., Chapter 9, What is the Gospel of the New Covenant, The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Gospel, Ahnsahnghong, pg. 42, Melchizedek Pub. Co., Ltd
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