OceanSide church of Christ

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BIBLE GEOGRAPHY

The Jordan River (1)

Victor M. Eskew

 

            The Jordan River is a well-known river to all Bible students.  It is the longest river located in the land of Palestine.  It plays a prominent role in the Old Testament.  There, it is mentioned 180 times.  The New Testament only speaks of the Jordan River 15 times.  These 15 times occur in the gospels.  After the book of John, the Jordan River is never mentioned again in the Biblical text.

            The Jordan River is about 156 miles long.  It can be divided into two sections:  the upper Jordan and the lower Jordan.  The Jordan River’s origin is the snow-melt from Mount Herman, a mountain that towers some 10,000 feet into the air in the northernmost point of Palestine.  Rainwater also feeds the Jordan River.  There are about 20 different tributaries that can be found along its 156-mile trek.  In an article in the Jackson Sun, Ryan Fraser describes the course of the Jordon River in a fine manner.  He writes:  “In its upper basin, the Jordan’s headwaters, comprised of four primary streams, is a beautiful mixture of sparkling clear and aqua colors. These headwaters drop rapidly over a 47-mile run and initially feed into swampy Lake Hula. The river then flows south 16 miles to and through the Sea of Galilee. Finally, in its longest stretch of 75 miles, the river meanders its way on down to the Dead Sea. Downstream the river becomes muddy, murky and green in color (Faithful Living (jacksonsun.com), “Standing in the River Jordon,” Ryan Fraser).  Mr. Fraser tells us that the Jordan meanders.  The winding of the river involves 200 miles of twists and turns as it completes the 75-mile decent from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea.  Its width is about 33 feet at it most narrow point and 60 feet at its widest point.  The depth of the river is anywhere from 6-1/2 feet deep to 17 feet deep.

 

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            The name of the river means “to flow down.”  Some believe the name means:  “that which flows down from Dan.”  The river originates in the parcel of land that was distributed to the tribe of Dan in the days of Joshua.  “The first recorded use of the name appears as Yardan in Anatasi 1, an ancient Egyptian papyarus that probably dates from the time of Ramses (www.wikipedia, Jordan River).  The river has always been a boundary line.  Today, it divides Syria from Israel in the north and Jordan from the Palestinian West Bank in the south.

            The Bible is filled with stories that involve the Jordan River.  Lot chose this this portion of land for himself when he parted from Abraham after the strife that arose between their herdsmen.  “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered ever where…Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and lot journeyed east:  and they separated themselves the one from the other” (Gen. 13:10-11). 

            Another familiar Old Testament character whose life came in contact with the Jordan River was Jacob.  Jacob left his home in Canaan for many years.  When he returned to his homeland, he was fearful of his brother Esau.  When he crossed the Jordan, he divided his family into two bands.  He also prayed unto God for deliverance.  Here is part of that prayer:  “I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I pass over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.  Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau:  for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children” (Gen. 32:10-11).

            When the children of Israel arrived at the Jordan River at the end of the wilderness wandering, two and half tribes, that is, Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh desired the land on the eastern side of the Jordan because it was a fertile pastureland for their flocks (Num. 32:1-5).  Initially, when Moses heard this request, he was deeply concerned.  He thought these tribes were attempting to get out of going to war against the Canaanites.  When the two and half tribes agreed that they would cross over the Jordan to do battle with their brethren, Moses approved the Transjordan region for their inheritance (Num. 32:33-42).  When Moses noted their inheritance, he mentioned the Jordan in his words.  “The two tribes and the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sunrising” (Num. 34:15).