Jordan is home to many biblical sites including, among others, the Jordan River where Jesus was babtised by John the Baptist, Mount Nebo where Moses died, as well as the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. [14] The name was shown in various forms on most notable 19th century maps of the region, and was described by Edward Robinson in his Biblical Researches in Palestine. 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) below the Sea of Galilee, has been kept pristine for baptism and local tourism. Biblical commentator Albert Barnes suggested that "trees were rare in most parts of Palestine, but plentiful in the Jordan Valley".[28]. The northern one, Jordan River Crossing or Sheikh Hussein Bridge is near Beit She'an; the southern one, Allenby Bridge (also King Hussein Bridge), is near Jericho. In the Hebrew Bible the Jordan is referred to as the source of fertility of a large plain ("Kikkar ha-Yarden"), said to be watered like "the garden of the LORD" (Genesis 13:10). But there is little that is holy about the river now. Begins at the of the Sea of Galilee and flows south until it reaches the Dead Sea Why is the Jordan River important to southwest Asia (ME) Brings drinking water to … Route 90, part of which is named after Rehavam Zeevi, connects the northern and southern tips of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and parallels the Jordan River on the western side. [23] In the past, one of the main water resources in Jordan was the Jordan River, with a flow of 1.3 billion m3 per year (BCM/yr). Nile irrigates Egypt and Tigris and Euphrates irrigate Iraq . John the Baptist baptized Christ in the River Jordan. It is significant for Christians because John the Baptist baptised Jesus in the waters of the Jordan. Lynch, United States Navy", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jordan_River&oldid=997292238, Articles with dead external links from April 2020, Wikipedia extended-confirmed-protected pages, Articles containing Classical Syriac-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2019, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. The Jordan Valley constitutes a segment of the extensive East African Rift System, a rift valley running north and south that extends from southern Turkey southward via the Red Sea and into eastern Africa. Most polluted is the 100-kilometre downstream stretch—a meandering stream from above the confluence with the Yarmouk to the Dead Sea. For other uses, see. The river rises on the slopes of Mount Hermon, on the border between Syria and Lebanon, and flows southward through northern Israel to the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberius). “Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.”(Matt.3:3) The Jordan River flows through the Jordan Rift Valley into the Sea of the Galilee and then continues down into the Dead Sea with no outlet. By the 1990s much of the valley’s soil had been degraded, and portions of the area had become flooded. At that point, the river is situated about 210 metres below sea level. [15][16] Although historical sources do not appear to make this distinction, it is described in some modern sources as the name for the part of the river before it flows into Lake Tiberias.[17]. [10] According to this hypothesis, "Den" might be linked to the Akkadian word dannum for "powerful". “The Jordan Valley abounds with natural resources, such as water and fertile lands," Daraghmeh said. Nahal Bezeq, on the border between Israel and the West Bank, between, Wadi Malih/Milkha from the Samaria Mountains, This page was last edited on 30 December 2020, at 21:24. The Jordan River was also a very important symbol to folk, gospel, spiritual music, poetry, and other literary works. [34], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}33°11′12″N 35°37′09″E / 33.18667°N 35.61917°E / 33.18667; 35.61917, River in West Asia flowing to the Dead Sea, This article is about the river in the Middle East. [33] Belarusian band Spasenie dedicated its whole album “Crossing the Jordan” to the topic. The Bareighit receives its supply of water from the hills on the West, which separate the valley from the river Litany, and is the least important … Syria has also built reservoirs that catch the Yarmouk's waters. [citation needed], The flow rate of the Jordan River once was 1.3 billion cubic metres per year; as of 2010, just 20 to 30 million cubic metres per year flow into the Dead Sea. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. WHY GOD DRIED UP THE JORDAN 1. Exiting from the southern shore of the lake, the Jordan receives its main tributary, the Yarmūk River, which marks part of the frontier between Syria and Jordan. It was decided to retain the lake and surrounding wetlands area as a protected nature reserve, and some of the plants and animals (notably migratory birds) returned to the region. Environmentalists say the practice of letting sewage and brackish water flow into the river has almost destroyed its ecosystem. It was about a mile wide opposite Jericho. [20], A small section of the northernmost portion of the Lower Jordan, the first ca. After 1948 the river marked the frontier between Israel and Jordan from just south of the Sea of Galilee to the point where the Yābis River flows into it from the east (left) bank. The valley itself is a long and narrow trough, averaging about 6 miles (10 km) in width but becoming narrower in some places—e.g., at each end of the Sea of Galilee. Jordan River. The Jordan is also where John the Baptist bore record of Jesus as the Son of God and Lamb of God (John 1:29–36). It lies in a structural depression and has the lowest elevation of any river in the world. The river has remained a religious destination and a site for baptisms. At this time of year the snows of Mount Hermon were melting, the Jordan river would overflow its banks, and become as wide as one mile in places. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. [13] Early Arab chronicles referred to the river as Al-Urdunn. Omissions? Scholars have concluded that the site called Al-Maghtas on the east side has long been considered the location for the Baptism of Jesus and a place of pilgrimage though most current pilgrims go to a location on the west side, Qasr el Yahud, also long'established but not as early. [21], Recent literature shows the role of power asymmetries and of discourses and narratives in shaping hydropolitics along the Jordan River Basin.[22]. The longest of those is the Ḥāṣbānī, which rises in Lebanon, near Ḥāṣbayyā, at an elevation of 1,800 feet (550 metres). In biblical times, the river Jordan was both a source of life and a great barrier. Corrections? This same location today is known as Qasr Al-Yahud, located on the Jordan River just North of where it flows into the Dead Sea. The New Testament states that John the Baptist baptised unto repentance[29] in the Jordan (Matthew 3:5–6; Mark1:5; Luke 3:3; John1:28). Jordan River in Poetry and Prophecy In biblical history, the Jordan appears as the scene of several miracles, the first taking place when the Jordan, near Jericho, was crossed by the Israelites under Joshua (Joshua 3:15–17). In biblical tradition, the Jordan River serves as an important geophysical and symbolic boundary as well as a place for demonstrations of the Lord's power and for ritual immersion, or baptism. Portion of the Jordan Valley, a rift valley which runs north-south along the Jordan River. Along that stretch, the Jordan’s floodplain is known as the Zūr, and it describes so many meanders that, although it course runs for some 135 miles (215 km), the actual distance it covers between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea is only 65 miles (105 km). The New Testament speaks several times about Jesus crossing the Jordan during his ministry (Matthew 19:1; Mark 10:1), and of believers crossing the Jordan to come hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases (Matthew 4:25; Mark 3:7–8). Mehr, Farhang, "The politics of water," in Antonino Zichichi, Richard C. Ragaini, eds., Narrative of the United States' Expedition to the River Jordan and the Dead Sea, Jordan River Crossing or Sheikh Hussein Bridge, "Hydro-political Baseline of the Upper Jordan River", "Modelling precipitation-streamflow processes in karst basin: The case of the Jordan River sources, Israel", "History of the Dead Sea - Discover the Dead Sea with Us! The Jordan has a number of fords, and one of them is famous as the place where many Ephraimites were slain by Jephthah (Judges 12:5–6). The Jordan River has played an important role in the history of God’s chosen people, Israel, and by searching the Scriptures we are able to see significant meaning to many events concerning it. Jordan and the Golan Heights border the river to the east, while the West Bank and Israellie to its west. It dates to the 6th century AD. The Jordan river proper begins at the junction of four streams (the Bareighit, the Hasbany, the Leddan, and the Banias), in the upper part of the plain of Lake Huleh. The Jordan River runs along the border between Jordan, the Palestinian West Bank, Israel and southwestern Syria. Remember how Joshua’s men fell at Ai when Achan stole the possessions of Ai. The river then drops sharply down to the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is said to be the body of water which the Israelites crossed to reach their promised land and in which Jesus was baptised. This is especially true of the stretch near Jericho where three important turning points in Israel’s history happened. Early in the biblical narrative, Lot discovers that the “plain of the Jordan was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord” (Gen 13:10) and decides to settle there. The Jordan River is more than 223 miles (360 km) in length, but, because its course is meandering, the actual distance between its source and the Dead Sea is less than 124 miles (200 km). Environmentalists blame Israel, Jordan and Syria for extensive damage to the Jordan River ecosystem. In the New Testament, John’s baptism of Jesus forms a seminal moment in the life of Christ and marks a defining event in the Christian Church. [18] The full text of W. F. Lynch's 1849 book Narrative of the United States' Expedition to the River Jordan and the Dead Sea is available online. Its section north of the Sea of Galilee is within the boundaries of Israel and forms the western boundary of the Golan Heights. It is 251 kilometres (156 mi) long. The Jordan River or River Jordan (Arabic: نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, Nahr al-Urdunn, Hebrew: נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, Nahar ha-Yarden; Classical Syriac: ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ), also known as Nahr Al Sharieat (Arabic: نهر الشريعة), is a 251-kilometre-long (156 mi) river in the Middle East that flows roughly north to south through the Sea of Galilee (Hebrew: כנרת Kinneret, Arabic: Bohayrat Tabaraya, meaning Lake of Tiberias) and on to the Dead Sea. The Jordan is fed by rains falling on the neighbouring plateaus; the waters then flow downward through rivers or wadis. As a result, the western tribes felt the Law had been violated and intended to go to war against their own people. Madaba is well known for its mosaics, as well as important religious sites such as The Madaba Map, the oldest surviving original cartographic depiction of the Holy Land and especially Jerusalem. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. The Jordan River’s plain then spreads out to a width of about 15 miles (24 km) and becomes very regular. One is that yar <√יר is an ancient word for "river", appearing also in other river names in the region such as Yarkon, Yarmouk and Yarmouth, and possibly Ye'or ('big river', the Biblical name for the Nile) as well. We cannot serve a holy God with unholy minds after crossing the Jordan. It is then joined by two more tributaries, the Ḥarod on the right bank and the Yābis on the left. Because of this and the high evaporation rate of the Dead Sea, as well as industrial extraction of salts through evaporation ponds, the Dead Sea is rapidly shrinking. However, after Israel built the National Water Carrier in 1953 and diverted water from Lake Tiberias to Israel's coastal plains and southern desert, the flow of the Lower Jordan River dropped significantly. The river holds major significance in Judaism and Christianity since the Bible says that the Israelites crossed it into the Promised Land and that Jesus of Nazareth was baptized by John the Baptist in it.[2]. It rarely rains in the Jordan Valley — but thanks to the river, plants grow in abundance. In traditional terminology, the upper course (or most of it) is commonly referred to as passing through the "Hula Valley", as opposed to "Upper Jordan Valley"; the Sea of Galilee through which the river passes is a separate entity; and the term Jordan Valley is reserved for the lower course, fed by the Yarmouk and Zarqa Rivers. [11] Another suggestion is that yarden comes from Semitic root yard <√ירד meaning flow down. The Jordan also can signify death itself, with the crossing from life into Paradise or Heaven. Both Jordan and the West Bank take their names from the river. The Jordan River holds a number of biblical significances. The first time that readers come across a reference to the River Jordan is in chapter 26. The 50 MCM/yr that Israel provides from Lake Tiberias as part of the 1994 peace treaty was meant to compensate for this loss. The actual crossing is the final step of the journey, which is then complete. Its tributaries are: . - from the east (6–10 in total)[8], Several hypotheses for the origin of the river's name in Hebrew, Yarden. "The Far Side Banks of Jordan" by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash on June's Grammy Award-winning studio album, Press On, mentions the Jordan River as well as the Promised Land. The Jordan is a frequent symbol in folk, gospel, and spiritual music, and in poetic and literary works. Israel and Jordan have signed treaties on Jordan River-related matters. Note that they were "in" Jordan (not on the riverbank) and that Jesus came "up out" of the water. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. The miracle was dramatic proof that God supported Joshua’s leadership, for it fulfilled Joshua’s promise that God would perform a wonder and it enabled the nation to carry out Joshua’s order to cross the river. Between the two is the Dan River, the waters of which are particularly fresh. Bridges (historical; modern - open and closed). The Zūr, which floods frequently, was formerly covered with thickets of reeds, tamarisk, willows, and white poplars, but, since dams were built to control the river’s flow, that land has been converted to irrigated fields. In an instance, in one miraculous event, Elisha told the Syrian general Naaman to wash in the Jordan, seven … Be sure not to miss this important site. [14], After the Crusades, the Arabic name Nahr Al Sharieat (Arabic: نهر الشريعة), literally "the watering place" began to be used,[14] and was recorded by medieval geographers such as Abu'l-Fida and Al-Dimashqi. The baptism also altered the spiritual status of the water of the Jordan River. It was in its waters that Jesus was baptized by St. John the Baptist. Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike revere the Jordan. The valley that the Jordan has cut into the plain is between about 1,300 and 10,000 feet (400 and 3,000 metres) wide and about 50 to 200 feet (15 to 60 metres) deep. Israel's National Water Carrier, completed in 1964, has delivered water from the Sea of Galilee to the Israeli coastal plain for over four decades, until prolonged drought led to abandoning this solution in favour of desalination. Its high-water period lasts from January to March, while its low-water period occurs at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. Facts about the River Jordan 2: Christianity In Christianity, River Jordan is also important because John the Baptist baptized Jesus of Nazareth in the river. Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike revere the Jordan. The current is relatively swift, and the river transports a considerable load of silt. [25], Conflict about the waters of the Jordan River was a contributing factor to the Six-Day War when, starting in 1965, Syria attempted to divert some of its headwaters in collaboration with Lebanon and Jordan. [32] Earlier, On 15 May 1717, the Empress Maria Theresa was baptised in Vienna by the Papal Nuntius Giorgio Spinola, representing Pope Clement XI, with baptismal water containing a few drops from the River Jordan. The plain of the Ḥula Valley was formerly occupied by a lake and marshes, but in the 1950s some 23 square miles (60 square km) were drained to form agricultural land. For other rivers, see, "The Jordan" redirects here. The baptism of Jesus is referred to in a hymn by the reformer Martin Luther, "Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam" (1541), base for a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach, Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, BWV 7 (1724). Until the first decade of the 21st century, the waters of the Jordan River had been the largest water resource for Israel; lately, desalinated sea water from the Mediterranean has taken over this role. The Jordan River has an upper course from its sources to the Sea of Galilee, and a lower course south of the Sea of Galilee down to the Dead Sea. Read the article: Sacred Jordan River. The Jordan is significant for Jews because the tribes of Israel under Joshua crossed the river on dry ground to enter the Promised Land after years of wandering in the desert. The Jordan itself is shallow. The valley walls are steep, sheer, and bare, and they are broken only by the gorges of tributary wadis (seasonal watercourses). The Jordan River, due primarily to its rich spiritual importance, has provided inspiration for countless songs, hymns, and stories, including the traditional African-American spiritual/folk songs "Michael Row the Boat Ashore", "Deep River", and "Roll, Jordan, Roll". The Jordan is a unique river where many miraculous events occurred (Joshua 4:19-20). It is a place of many important biblical events. Jordan and the Golan Heights border the river to the east, while the West Bank and Israel lie to its west. 11. Opposite Jericho, it was called "the Jordan of Jericho" (Numbers 34:15; 35:1). The prophecy of Isaiah regarding the Messiah which names the Jordan (Isaiah 9:1–2) is also reported in Matthew 4:15. The context was the crossing of the Jordan by the children of Israel on their way to the Promised Land – and in parallel, crossing the Ohio River by escaped slaves on their way to freedom. The last 120-kilometre (75 mi)-long section follows what is commonly termed the "Jordan Valley", which has less gradient (the total drop is another 210 metres) so that the river meanders before entering the Dead Sea, a terminal lake about 422 metres below sea level with no outlet. Nahal Sion or Nahal Assal (Hebrew) / Wadi el-'Asl or Assal (Arabic) as its major tributary. Because, according to Jewish tradition, the Israelites made a difficult and hazardous journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land, the Jordan can refer to freedom. The Jordan River is a key water source for Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon; water remains a central issue to the Middle East conflict. God said, "This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee" (v. 7). Over its upper course (fed by the Hasbani River, Banias River, Dan River, and the Iyyon Stream), the river drops rapidly in a 75-kilometre (47 mi) run to the once large and swampy Lake Hula, which is slightly above sea level. [19], In modern times, the waters are 70% to 90% used for human purposes[citation needed] and the flow is greatly reduced. The river was called the Aulon by the Greeks and is sometimes called Al-Sharīʿah (“Watering Place”) by the Arabs. John the Baptist preached at the river regularly and baptized everyone who repented (Luke 3:2–3). Jordan a river flowing southward for 320 km (200 miles) from the Anti-Lebanon Mountains through the Sea of Galilee into the Dead Sea. ", "Water Diplomacy: Creating Value and Building Trust in Transboundary Water Negotiations", "Towards a Living Jordan River: An Environmental Flows Report on the Rehabilitation of the Lower Jordan River", "Appendix C: Historical review of the political riparian issues in the development of the Jordan River and basin management", "Baptism Site "Bethany Beyond the Jordan" (Al-Maghtas)", "Jah Lyrics: Burning Spear - Jordan River Lyrics", "Интервью с солистом группы "Spasenie" Игорем Мухой накануне концерта 1 июня в клубе "Реактор, Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund, SMART – Multilateral project for sustainable water management in the lower Jordan Valley, "Map of the River Jordan and Dead Sea: And the Route of the Party Under the Command of Lieutenant W.F. The streams coming together to create the River Jordan in its upper basin are, west to east: South of the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River receives the waters of further tributaries, the main ones, both coming from the east (Jordan), being, Smaller tributaries or "side wadis" / "side streams" in this segment are, north to south[8] The surface of the Dead Sea, at an elevation of about 1,410 feet (430 metres) below sea level in the mid-2010s, is the lowest land point on Earth. Tourists flock to see the River Jordan, one of the world’s most celebrated and holiest of rivers. In the 19th century the River Jordan and the Dead Sea were explored by boat primarily by Christopher Costigan in 1835, Thomas Howard Molyneux in 1847, William Francis Lynch in 1848, and John MacGregor in 1869. "It is an important strategic area. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. A 2010 study found that the Lower Jordan River has been reduced to 2% of its historic flow. In the New Testament, the Jordan River played an important role in preparing people for the ministry of Jesus Christ. Yom HaAliyah (Aliyah Day, Hebrew: יום העלייה) is an Israeli national holiday celebrated annually on the tenth of the Hebrew month of Nisan to commemorate the Israelites crossing the Jordan River into the Land of Israel while carrying the Ark of the Covenant as recorded in the Hebrew Bible’s Book of Joshua. Both Jordan and t… [citation needed] Jordan River is also the subject of roots reggae artist Burning Spear's song of the same title. [citation needed] It is mentioned in the songs "Eve of Destruction", "Will You Be There", and "The Wayfaring Stranger" and in "Ol' Man River" from the musical Show Boat. Valley which runs north-south along the Jordan Valley is a unique River many... `` Den '' might be linked to the east during this last section: the Oxford Guide people! 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On the east, while the West Bank and Israellie to its West Sea level a width of 15. New year with a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content and Tigris and Euphrates irrigate Iraq Carrier... ] Early Arab chronicles referred to the east, while the West take! River has been reduced to 2 % of its historic flow the.! Modern - open and closed ) Jordan River-related matters Elisha on dry ground ( 2 Kings,! Side of the course of the stretch near Jericho song of the Netherlands end of summer the... Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students a number of biblical significances degraded, and the was! The end of the Sea of Galilee is within the boundaries of Israel and Jordan have signed treaties Jordan... The northernmost portion of the Jordan River to the Dead Sea with no outlet school! 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