Jordan River

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This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia. For other meanings, see
Jordan River (disambiguation) and Jordan Valley (disambiguation).

River Jordan (Hebrew: ‫נהר הירדן‬, nehar hayarden,

Arabic: ‫نهر الردن‬nahr al-urdun)

Countries Israel, Jordan, Palestinian Authority

Landmarks Sea of Galilee, Dead Sea
Length 251 km (156 mi)
Mouth Dead Sea
Major tributaries
- left Banias River, Dan River
- right Hasbani River, Iyon River
 The Jordan River runs along the border between the West Bank and the Kingdom of
Jordan

Northern part of the Great Rift Valley as seen from space (NASA)
The Jordan River

Road sign
In spring
The Jordan River (Hebrew: ‫ נהר הירדן‬nehar hayarden, Arabic: ‫ نهر الردن‬nahr al-urdun) is a
river in Southwest Asia flowing through the Great Rift Valley into the Dead Sea. Historically and
religiously, it is considered to be one of the world's most sacred rivers,[1] although the meaning and
context of the word "sacred" may be ambiguous.
It is 251 kilometers (156 miles) long. Its tributaries are
1. The Hasbani (Hebrew: ‫ שניר‬senir, Arabic: ‫ الحاصباني‬hasbani), which flows from Lebanon.
2. The Banias (Hebrew: ‫ חרמון‬hermon, Arabic: ‫ بانياس‬banias), arising from a spring at
Banias at the foot of Mount Hermon.
3. The Dan (Hebrew: ‫ דן‬dan, Arabic: ‫ اللدان‬leddan), whose source is also at the base of Mount
Hermon.
4. The Iyon (Hebrew: ‫ עיון‬iyon, Arabic: ‫ دردره‬derdara or ‫ براغيث‬braghith), which flows from
Lebanon.
The four merge to form the Jordan in northern Israel, near kibbutz Sede Nehemya. The river drops
rapidly in a 75 kilometer run to swampy Lake Hula, which is slightly below sea level in the Galilee
sea. Exiting the lake, it drops much more in about 25 kilometers to the Sea of Galilee. The last
section has less gradient, and the river begins to meander before it enters the Dead Sea, which is
about 400 meters below sea level and has no outlet. Two major tributaries enter from the east during
this last phase: the Yarmouk River and Jabbok River.
Its section north of the Sea of Galilee (Hebrew: ‫ כינרת‬kinneret, Arabic: Bohayrat Tabaraya,
meaning Lake of Tiberias) is within the boundaries of Israel (disputed by Syria), and forms the
western boundary of the Golan Heights. South of the lake, it forms the border between the Kingdom
of Jordan (to the east) and Israel and the West Bank (to the west).
In 1964 Israel began operating a dam that diverts water from the Sea of Galilee, a major Jordan
River water provider, to the National Water Carrier. Also in 1964 Jordan constructed a channel that
diverted water from the Yarmouk River, another main tributary of the Jordan River. Syria has also
built reservoirs that catch the Yarmouk's waters. Environmentalists blame Israel, Jordan and Syria
for extensive damage to the Jordan River ecosystem.[1]
In modern times the waters are 70 to 90% used for human purposes and the flow is much reduced.
Because of this and the high evaporation rate of the Dead Sea, the sea is shrinking. All the shallow
waters of the southern end of the sea have been drained in modern times and are now salt flats.
In September 2006 there arose a problem with contamination: just downstream, raw sewage is
flowing into the water. Small sections of the Jordan's upper portion, near the Sea of Galilee, have
been kept pristine for baptisms. Most polluted is the 60-mile downstream stretch - a meandering
stream from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. Environmentalists say the practice has almost
destroyed the river's ecosystem. Rescuing the river could take decades, according to
environmentalists.[1] In 2007, friends of the Earth Middle East named Jordan River as one of the
world's 100 most endangered ecological sites, due in part to lack of cooperation between Israel and
the neighboring Arab states. [2]
The waters of the Jordan are an extremely important resource to the dry lands of the area and are a
bone of contention between Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinians.
Route 90 connects the northern and southern tips of Israel and parallels the Jordan River on the
western side.

Contents
[hide]
• 1 In the
Bible
• 2
Symbol
ic
importa
nce
• 3
Referen
ces
• 4 See
also
• 5
Externa
l links

[edit] In the Bible

In the Bible, the Jordan is referred to as the source of fertility to a large plain ("Kikkar ha-Yarden"),
called on account of its luxuriant vegetation "the garden of God" (Genesis 13:10). There is no
regular description of the Jordan in the Bible; only scattered and indefinite references to it are
given. Jacob crossed it and its tributary, the Jabbok (the modern Al-Zarḳa), in order to reach Haran
(Gen. 32:11, 23-24). It is noted as the line of demarcation between the "two tribes and the half tribe"
settled to the east (Numbers 34:15) and the "nine tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh" that, led by
Joshua, settled to the west (Josh. 13:7, passim).
Opposite Jericho it was called "the Jordan of Jericho" (Num. 34: 15, 35: 1). 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). It seems that these are the same fords mentioned as being near Beth-
barah, where Gideon lay in wait for the Midianites (Judges 7:24). In the plain of the Jordan,
between Succoth and Zarthan, is the clay ground where Solomon had his brass-foundries (I Kings
7:46). 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 (Josh. iii. 15-17). Later
the two tribes and the half tribe that settled east of the Jordan built a large altar on its banks as "a
witness" between them and the other tribes (Josh. xxii. 10, 26 et seq.). The Jordan was said to be
crossed dry-shod by Elijah and Elisha (II Kings 2: 8, 14). Elisha performed two other miracles at
the Jordan: he healed Naaman by having him bathe in its waters, and he made the ax of one of the
children of the prophets float, by throwing a piece of wood into the water (II Kings 5:14, 6:6).
The Jordan was crossed by Judas Maccabeus and his brother Jonathan Maccabaeus during their war
with the Nabatæans (1 Maccabees 5:24). A little later the Jordan was the scene of the battle between
Jonathan and Bacchides, in which the latter was defeated (I Macc. 9:42-49).
The New Testament states that John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan (Matt. 3:13).

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Category:Jordan River

[edit] Symbolic importance

The Jordan is a frequent symbol in folk, gospel, and spiritual music, or in poetic or literary works.
Because 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 actual crossing is the final step of the
journey, which is then complete. The Jordan also can signify death itself, with the crossing from life
into Paradise or Heaven.

[edit] References
1. ^ a b c Ramit Plushnick-Masti. Raw Sewage Taints Sacred Jordan River. Associated Press.
Retrieved on 2007-04-10.
2. ^ "Endangered Jordan",Dateline World Jewry, World Jewish Congress, September, 2007

[edit] See also

• Jordan River Crossing

[edit] External links

• Bibliography on Water Resources and International Law See Jordan River; Arab-Israeli
conflicts. Peace Palace Library
• SMART - Multilateral project for sustainable water management in the lower Jordan Valley
• The Baptism of Christ - Uncovering Bethany beyond the Jordan - 47 min Documentary
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_River"
Categories: Biblical places | Geography of Palestine | Geography of Syria | Great Rift Valley |
Rivers of Israel | Rivers of Jordan | Hebrew Bible rivers | Tourism in Jordan | Visitor attractions in
Israel | Geography of the West Bank | Jordan-Israel relations