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Jordan River

The Jordan River or River Jordan (Arabic: نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, Nahr al-ʾUrdunn; Hebrew: נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, Nəhar hayYardēn; Classical Syriac: ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ Nahrāʾ Yurdnan), 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. Jordan and the Golan Heights border the river to the east, while the West Bank and Israel lie to its west. Both Jordan and the West Bank take their names from the river.

Jordan River
Jordan River
The Jordan River runs along the border between Jordan, the Palestinian West Bank, Israel and southwestern Syria.
EtymologyHebrew: ירדן (yardén, "descender"), from ירד (yarad, "descended")[1]
Native name
Location
CountryJordan, Israel, Syria, Palestine
RegionMiddle East, Eastern Mediterranean littoral
DistrictGalilee
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationAnti-Lebanon Mountain Range at Mount Hermon, Golan Heights
 • elevation2,814 m (9,232 ft)
MouthDead Sea
 • elevation
−416 m (−1,365 ft)
Length251 km (156 mi)
Discharge 
 • locationDead Sea, Jordan Rift Valley
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftBanias River, Dan River, Yarmouk River, Zarqa River
 • rightHasbani or Snir River, Iyyon Stream

The river holds major significance in Judaism and Christianity. According to the Bible, the Israelites crossed it into the Promised Land and Jesus of Nazareth was baptized by John the Baptist in it.[2]

Geography

The Jordan River has an upper course from its sources to the Sea of Galilee (via the Bethsaida Valley), and a lower course south of the Sea of Galilee down to the Dead Sea. 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.

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. Exiting the now much-diminished lake, it goes through an even steeper drop over the 25 kilometres (16 mi) down to the Sea of Galilee, which it enters at its northern end. The Jordan deposits much of the silt it is carrying within the lake, which it leaves again near its southern tip at Degania Dam. At that point, the river is situated about 210 metres below sea level. The last 120-kilometre-long (75 mi) 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. Two major tributaries enter from the east during this last section: the Yarmouk River and Zarqa River.

Its section north of the Sea of Galilee is within the boundaries of Israel 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 (to the west).

Tributaries

 
Aerial view, 1938

The streams coming together to create the River Jordan in its upper basin are, west to east:

  • Iyyon (Hebrew: עיון Iyyon), Arabic name: Ajoun stream,[3] but دردره Dardara for the uppermost course and براغيث Bareighith or Beregeith for the rest of its course, a stream which flows from Merj 'Ayun area in southern Lebanon.
  • Hasbani (Arabic: الحاصباني Hasbani, Hebrew: either שניר Snir or Hatzbani), a stream which flows from the north-western foot of Mount Hermon in Lebanon,[4][3] with a flow of 118 million m3 annually.[5]
  • Dan (Arabic: اللدان Leddan or Liddan, Hebrew: דן Dan), the largest among the Jordan's upper course tributaries with c. 240-252 million cubic metres per year, about twice as much as the Hasbani or the Banias,[3][5] a stream whose source is also at the base of Mount Hermon.[6][3]
  • Banias (Arabic: بانياس Banias, Hebrew: either Banias or חרמון Hermon),[6][3] a stream arising from a spring at Banias at the foot of Mount Hermon, with a flow of 106 million m3 annually,[5] and
    • Nahal Sion or Nahal Assal (Hebrew) / Wadi el-'Asl or Assal (Arabic) as its major tributary.[3][7]

South of the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River receives the waters of further tributaries, the main ones, both coming from the east (Jordan), are:

  • Yarmouk, the largest tributary of the lower course of the River Jordan, which forms the border between Syria and Jordan and then Jordan and Israel[8][9]
  • Zarqa,[9] the second-largest tributary of the lower Jordan River.

Smaller tributaries or "side wadis" / "side streams" in this segment are, north to south[8]

Etymology

Several hypotheses for the origin of most of the river's names in modern languages (e.g., Jordan, Yarden, Urdunn), one is that it comes from Semitic 'Yard|on' 'flow down' <√ירד reflecting the river's declivity, possibly appearing also in other river names in the region such as Yarkon and Yarmouk, or it may be related to the Egyptian loanword 'yǝʾor' ('big river', the Nile).[10] According to this hypothesis, "Den" might be linked to the Akkadian word dannum for "powerful".[11] Cognates of the word are found in Aramaic, Hebrew, Mandaic, and other Semitic languages.[12] The first recorded use of the name appears as Yārdon in Anastasi I, an ancient Egyptian papyrus that probably dates to the time of Rameses II.[13] Early Arab chronicles referred to the river as Al-Urdunn.[14]

In Mandaic, the etymologically related term Yardena (Classical Mandaic: ࡉࡀࡓࡃࡍࡀ) can refer not only to the Jordan River, but also any other body of flowing water that can be used for Mandaean baptismal rituals (masbuta).[15]

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.[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.[16][17] 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.[18]

History

19th century

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.[19] 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.

20th century

 
Coloured postcard of the Jordan River, by Karimeh Abbud, circa 1925

In 1964, Israel began operating a pumping station that diverts water from the Sea of Galilee to the National Water Carrier. Also in 1964, Jordan constructed a channel that diverted water from the Yarmouk River, a main tributary of the Jordan River, to the East Ghor Canal. 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.[20]

In modern times, the waters are 70% to 90% used for human purposes[citation needed] and the flow is greatly reduced. 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.[citation needed]

Main environmental issues

Reduction of water flow

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.[21]

Pollution

A small section of the northernmost portion of the Lower Jordan, the first ca. 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) below the Sea of Galilee, has been kept pristine for baptism and local tourism. Most polluted is the 100-kilometre downstream stretch—a meandering stream from above the confluence with the Yarmouk to the Dead Sea. Environmentalists say the practice of letting sewage and brackish water flow into the river has almost destroyed its ecosystem. Rescuing the Jordan could take decades, according to environmentalists.[20] In 2007, FoEME named the Jordan River as one of the world's 100 most endangered ecological sites, due in part to lack of cooperation between Israel and neighboring Arab states.[22]

Roads, border crossings, bridges

 
Rafting on Jordan River, Northern Galilee

Roads

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.

Border crossings (open bridges)

There are two border crossings between Israel and Jordan which cross the river over bridges. 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.

Bridges (historical; modern - open and closed)

North to south:

Importance as a water source

 
River Jordan draining into the Dead Sea

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. 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.

Jordan receives 50,000,000 cubic metres (1.8×109 cu ft) of water from the river, a quantity which is regulated by the 1994 peace treaty with Israel.[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). 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 50 MCM/yr that Israel provides from Lake Tiberias as part of the 1994 peace treaty was meant to compensate for this loss. A 2010 study found that the Lower Jordan River has been reduced to 2% of its historic flow.[24] Water quality has also deteriorated sharply, with high levels of salinity and pollution from agricultural fertilizer and untreated wastewater upstream in Israel and the West Bank.[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.[26] The diversion works would have reduced the water availability for Israel's carrier by about 35%, and Israel's overall water supply by about 11%.[27]

Religious significance

Hebrew Bible

 
Crossing the Jordan, from Die Bibel in Bildern

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). 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-Zarqa), on his way back from Haran (Genesis 32:11, 32:23–24). 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 (Joshua 13:7, passim).

Opposite Jericho, it was called "the Jordan of Jericho" (Numbers 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 (1 Kings 7:46). In 2 Kings 6:1–4 the Jordan valley is portrayed as a woodland region. Biblical commentator Albert Barnes suggested that "trees were rare in most parts of Palestine, but plentiful in the Jordan Valley".[28]

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). 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 (Joshua 22:10, 22:26, et seq.). The Jordan was crossed by Elijah and Elisha on dry ground (2 Kings 2:8, 2:14). The prophet and wonder-worker Elisha performed two miracles at the Jordan: he healed Naaman's leprosy by having him bathe in its waters (2 Kings 5:14), and he made an axe head lost by one of the "children of the prophets" float, by throwing a piece of wood into the water (2 Kings 6:6).

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.

New Testament

 
Christian women on pilgrimage to Al-Maghtas (1913)

The New Testament states that John the Baptist baptised unto repentance[29] in the Jordan (Matthew 3:56; Mark1:5; Luke 3:3; John1:28). These acts of Baptism are also reported as having taken place at Bethabara (John 1:28).

 
Al-Maghtas ruins on the Jordanian side of the Jordan River are the putative location for the Baptism of Jesus and the ministry of John the Baptist

Jesus came to be baptised by him there (Matthew 3:13; Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21, 4:1). 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).

The prophecy of Isaiah regarding the Messiah which names the Jordan (Isaiah 9:1–2) is also reported in Matthew 4:15.

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). When his enemies sought to capture him, Jesus took refuge at the river in the place John had first baptised (John 10:39–40).

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. This has led to choosing Al-Maghtas as a UNESCO World Heritage site, which took place in 2015.[30]

Derived cultural significance

Symbolism

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.[citation needed] The actual crossing is the final step of the journey, which is then complete.

Among many other references, the Jordan River is given this meaning in the text of Old Man River: "Let me go 'way from the Mississippi / Let me go 'way from the white man boss / Show me that stream called the River Jordan / That's the old stream that I long to cross".

Christening of royals

Because of the baptism of Jesus, water from the Jordan is employed for the christening of heirs and princes in several Christian royal houses, such as the cases of Prince George of Wales, Simeon of Bulgaria[31] and James Ogilvy.[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.

Christian poetry and music

The Jordan is a frequent symbol in folk, gospel, and spiritual music, and in poetic and literary works.

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).

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".[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. "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.[citation needed] Jordan River is also the subject of roots reggae artist Burning Spear's song of the same title.[33] Belarusian band Spasenie dedicated its whole album “Crossing the Jordan” to the topic.[34]

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ Klein, Ernest, A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language for Readers of English, The University of Haifa, Carta, Jerusalem, p. 264
  2. ^ . Archived from the original on 18 April 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Mark Zeitoun, Karim Eid-Sabbagh, Muna Dajani, Michael Talhami (2012). "Hydro-political Baseline of the Upper Jordan River". Beirut: Association of the Friends of Ibrahim Abd el Al (AFIAL) with the UEA Water Security Research Centre. pp. 19–23, chapter Sources of the Jordan (2.1). Retrieved 18 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  4. ^ Essays in Political Geography. Routledge. 2016. p. 260. ISBN 9781317605287. from the original on 2020-01-02. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
  5. ^ a b c Rimmer, Alon; Salingar (2006). Krzysztofowicz, R. (ed.). "Modelling precipitation-streamflow processes in karst basin: The case of the Jordan River sources, Israel" (PDF). Journal of Hydrology. Elsevier. 331 (3–4): 527–528. Bibcode:2006JHyd..331..524R. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.06.003. Retrieved 20 July 2011. Rainfall and snowmelt of Mt. Hermon recharge the main tributaries of the UCJR: (1) Dan (252 x 106 m3 annually); (2) Snir also known as Hatzbani (118 x 106 m3); and (3) Hermon also known as Banias (106 x 106 m3) (Table 2 and Fig. 2).[dead link]
  6. ^ a b Jordan River, Carta Jerusalem, accessed 82020
  7. ^ Zeitoun, Mark et al. (2012), p.36
  8. ^ a b c The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)] of the United Nations, Jordan Basin, based on 2009 "Water Report 34", accessed 18 April 2020
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Gafny, S. et al. (2010), Map of the Lower Jordan River, retrieved 14 April 2020
  10. ^ Rahkonen, Pauli Ensio Juhani (11 October 2016). ""Canaanites" or "Amorites"? A Study on Semitic toponyms of the second millenium BC in the Land of Canaan". Studia Orientalia Electronica. 4: 108–130. ISSN 2323-5209. from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  11. ^ Gelb, I. J. (1973). Glossary of Old Akkadian. University of Chicago Press.
  12. ^ Mills, Watson E.; Bullard, Roger Aubrey (1990). Mercer Dictionary of the Bible. Mercer University Press. pp. 466–467, 928. ISBN 9780865543737. from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  13. ^ Aḥituv, Shmuel (1984). Canaanite toponyms in ancient Egyptian documents. Magnes Press. p. 123. ISBN 9789652235657. from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  14. ^ a b c Le Strange, Guy (1890). Palestine Under the Moslems: A Description of Syria and the Holy Land from A. D. 650 To 1500. Alexander P. Watt for the Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund. p. 52. from the original on 2010-10-05. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  15. ^ Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
  16. ^ Robinson, p.257
  17. ^ Palmer, 1881, p. 167 (= SWP map 9): Esh Sheriah: The watering-place. This is the modern title of Jordan. The root means also to ´flow straight on or through: Palmer, 1881, p. 350 (= SWP map 18): Esh Sheriah: The watering-place. The Jordan. In literary Arabic it is called Urdunna.
  18. ^ The Development of the Jordan River. Arab Information Center. 1961. p. 2. The River is composed of two important sections, the al-Sharea and the Jordan. The al-Sharea River, which is the name of the Jordan before it enters Lake Tiberias, descends from a height of 230 feet above sea level to Tiberias
  19. ^ . 1 July 2016. Archived from the original on 20 June 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  20. ^ a b Plushnick-Masti, Ramil (10 September 2006). "Raw Sewage Taints Sacred Jordan River". The Washington Post. from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  21. ^ "Jordan River could die by 2011: report". from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  22. ^ "Endangered Jordan", Dateline World Jewry, World Jewish Congress, September, 2007
  23. ^ Susskind, Lawrence; Shafiqul Islam (2012). . Science & Diplomacy. 1 (3). Archived from the original on 2015-11-29. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  24. ^ Gafny, Sarig; Talozi, Samer; Al Sheikh, Banan; Ya’ari, Elizabeth (May 2010). (PDF). ecopeaceme.org. EcoPeace / Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-12-20. Retrieved 2018-12-20.
  25. ^ . Fanack Water. Fanack Water of the Middle East and North Africa. Archived from the original on 2018-03-11. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  26. ^ Mehr, Farhang, "The politics of water," in Antonino Zichichi, Richard C. Ragaini, eds., International Seminar on Nuclear War and Planetary Emergencies, 30th session, Erice, Italy, 18–26 August 2003, Ettore Majorana International Centre for Scientific Culture, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pie. Ltd., 2004, p. 258, 259
  27. ^ "Appendix C: Historical review of the political riparian issues in the development of the Jordan River and basin management". Murakami. 1995. from the original on 2010-12-02. Retrieved 2011-03-09.
  28. ^ Barnes' Notes 2018-01-06 at the Wayback Machine on 2 Kings 6, accessed 26 December 2017
  29. ^ Cf. Acts 19:4
  30. ^ UNESCO World Heritage Centre. "Baptism Site "Bethany Beyond the Jordan" (Al-Maghtas)". from the original on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  31. ^ Kate Connolly, "Once upon a time in Bulgaria" 2015-07-23 at the Wayback Machine, The Guardian, 20 June 2001.
  32. ^ . Time. May 22, 1964. Archived from the original on September 2, 2009. Retrieved 2008-03-11. water from the River Jordan was sent for the occasion;
  33. ^ . Archived from the original on 19 March 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  34. ^ Зробок, Ольга (2005-05-26). [Interview with the lead singer of Spasenie Igor Mukha on the eve of the concert at the club “Reactor” on June 1] (in Russian). TUT.BY. Archived from the original on 2019-08-30. Retrieved 2019-08-30.

Works cited

External links

  • Inventory of Conflict and Environment (ICE),
  • "Map of the River Jordan and Dead Sea: And the Route of the Party Under the Command of Lieutenant W.F. Lynch, United States Navy" is a map from the mid-19th century of the River Jordan and Dead Sea, made under the command of William F. Lynch.
  • "The Jordan River" in which John the Baptist baptized his cousin Jesus of Nazareth. (Yardenit.com)

Coordinates: 33°11′12″N 35°37′09″E / 33.18667°N 35.61917°E / 33.18667; 35.61917

jordan, river, this, article, about, river, middle, east, other, rivers, disambiguation, jordan, redirects, here, other, uses, jordan, disambiguation, river, jordan, arabic, ال, nahr, ʾurdunn, hebrew, nəhar, hayyardēn, classical, syriac, ܢܗܪܐ, ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ, nahrāʾ,. This article is about the river in the Middle East For other rivers see Jordan River disambiguation The Jordan redirects here For other uses see Jordan disambiguation The Jordan River or River Jordan Arabic ن ه ر ال أ ر د ن Nahr al ʾUrdunn Hebrew נ ה ר ה י ר ד ן Nehar hayYarden Classical Syriac ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ Nahraʾ Yurdnan 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 Jordan and the Golan Heights border the river to the east while the West Bank and Israel lie to its west Both Jordan and the West Bank take their names from the river Jordan RiverJordan RiverThe Jordan River runs along the border between Jordan the Palestinian West Bank Israel and southwestern Syria EtymologyHebrew ירדן yarden descender from ירד yarad descended 1 Native nameنهر الأردن Arabic Nahr al Urdun Arabic נהר הירדן Hebrew Nahar ha Yarden Hebrew نهر الشريعة Arabic Al Sharieat Arabic ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ Classical Syriac LocationCountryJordan Israel Syria PalestineRegionMiddle East Eastern Mediterranean littoralDistrictGalileePhysical characteristicsSource locationAnti Lebanon Mountain Range at Mount Hermon Golan Heights elevation2 814 m 9 232 ft MouthDead Sea elevation 416 m 1 365 ft Length251 km 156 mi Discharge locationDead Sea Jordan Rift ValleyBasin featuresTributaries leftBanias River Dan River Yarmouk River Zarqa River rightHasbani or Snir River Iyyon StreamThe river holds major significance in Judaism and Christianity According to the Bible the Israelites crossed it into the Promised Land and Jesus of Nazareth was baptized by John the Baptist in it 2 Contents 1 Geography 1 1 Tributaries 2 Etymology 3 History 3 1 19th century 3 2 20th century 4 Main environmental issues 4 1 Reduction of water flow 4 2 Pollution 5 Roads border crossings bridges 5 1 Roads 5 2 Border crossings open bridges 5 3 Bridges historical modern open and closed 6 Importance as a water source 7 Religious significance 7 1 Hebrew Bible 7 2 New Testament 7 3 Derived cultural significance 7 3 1 Symbolism 7 3 2 Christening of royals 7 3 3 Christian poetry and music 8 See also 9 References 9 1 Citations 9 2 Works cited 10 External linksGeographyThe Jordan River has an upper course from its sources to the Sea of Galilee via the Bethsaida Valley and a lower course south of the Sea of Galilee down to the Dead Sea 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 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 Exiting the now much diminished lake it goes through an even steeper drop over the 25 kilometres 16 mi down to the Sea of Galilee which it enters at its northern end The Jordan deposits much of the silt it is carrying within the lake which it leaves again near its southern tip at Degania Dam At that point the river is situated about 210 metres below sea level The last 120 kilometre long 75 mi 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 Two major tributaries enter from the east during this last section the Yarmouk River and Zarqa River Its section north of the Sea of Galilee is within the boundaries of Israel 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 to the west Tributaries Aerial view 1938 The streams coming together to create the River Jordan in its upper basin are west to east Iyyon Hebrew עיון Iyyon Arabic name Ajoun stream 3 but دردره Dardara for the uppermost course and براغيث Bareighith or Beregeith for the rest of its course a stream which flows from Merj Ayun area in southern Lebanon Hasbani Arabic الحاصباني Hasbani Hebrew either שניר Snir or Hatzbani a stream which flows from the north western foot of Mount Hermon in Lebanon 4 3 with a flow of 118 million m3 annually 5 Dan Arabic اللدان Leddan or Liddan Hebrew דן Dan the largest among the Jordan s upper course tributaries with c 240 252 million cubic metres per year about twice as much as the Hasbani or the Banias 3 5 a stream whose source is also at the base of Mount Hermon 6 3 Banias Arabic بانياس Banias Hebrew either Banias or חרמון Hermon 6 3 a stream arising from a spring at Banias at the foot of Mount Hermon with a flow of 106 million m3 annually 5 and Nahal Sion or Nahal Assal Hebrew Wadi el Asl or Assal Arabic as its major tributary 3 7 South of the Sea of Galilee the Jordan River receives the waters of further tributaries the main ones both coming from the east Jordan are Yarmouk the largest tributary of the lower course of the River Jordan which forms the border between Syria and Jordan and then Jordan and Israel 8 9 Zarqa 9 the second largest tributary of the lower Jordan River Smaller tributaries or side wadis side streams in this segment are north to south 8 from the east 6 10 in total 8 Wadi al Arab 9 Wadi Ziqlab 9 Wadi al Yabis 9 Wadi Kafranja 9 or Kufrinjah passing near Ajloun Wadi Rajib the last before Wadi Zarqa 9 Wadi Nimrin 9 from the west Nahal Yavne el 9 Nahal Tavor Tabor Stream 9 Nahal Yissakhar 9 Nahal Harod 9 Nahal Bezeq on the border between Israel and the West Bank between Mount Gilboa and the Samaria Mountains 9 Wadi el Maleh from the Samaria Mountains 9 Wadi al Far a coming from the Nablus area 9 Wadi Auja 9 Arabic or Nahal Yitav Hebrew Wadi Qelt coming down from the Judean mountains and passing through Jericho 9 EtymologySeveral hypotheses for the origin of most of the river s names in modern languages e g Jordan Yarden Urdunn one is that it comes from Semitic Yard on flow down lt ירד reflecting the river s declivity possibly appearing also in other river names in the region such as Yarkon and Yarmouk or it may be related to the Egyptian loanword yǝʾor big river the Nile 10 According to this hypothesis Den might be linked to the Akkadian word dannum for powerful 11 Cognates of the word are found in Aramaic Hebrew Mandaic and other Semitic languages 12 The first recorded use of the name appears as Yardon in Anastasi I an ancient Egyptian papyrus that probably dates to the time of Rameses II 13 Early Arab chronicles referred to the river as Al Urdunn 14 In Mandaic the etymologically related term Yardena Classical Mandaic ࡉࡀࡓࡃࡍࡀ can refer not only to the Jordan River but also any other body of flowing water that can be used for Mandaean baptismal rituals masbuta 15 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 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 16 17 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 18 History19th century 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 19 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 20th century Coloured postcard of the Jordan River by Karimeh Abbud circa 1925 In 1964 Israel began operating a pumping station that diverts water from the Sea of Galilee to the National Water Carrier Also in 1964 Jordan constructed a channel that diverted water from the Yarmouk River a main tributary of the Jordan River to the East Ghor Canal 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 20 In modern times the waters are 70 to 90 used for human purposes citation needed and the flow is greatly reduced 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 citation needed Main environmental issuesReduction of water flow 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 21 Pollution A small section of the northernmost portion of the Lower Jordan the first ca 3 kilometre 1 9 mi below the Sea of Galilee has been kept pristine for baptism and local tourism Most polluted is the 100 kilometre downstream stretch a meandering stream from above the confluence with the Yarmouk to the Dead Sea Environmentalists say the practice of letting sewage and brackish water flow into the river has almost destroyed its ecosystem Rescuing the Jordan could take decades according to environmentalists 20 In 2007 FoEME named the Jordan River as one of the world s 100 most endangered ecological sites due in part to lack of cooperation between Israel and neighboring Arab states 22 Roads border crossings bridges Rafting on Jordan River Northern Galilee Roads 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 Border crossings open bridges There are two border crossings between Israel and Jordan which cross the river over bridges 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 Bridges historical modern open and closed North to south Daughters of Jacob Bridge Hebrew Gesher Bnot Ya akov Daughters of Jacob Bridge is the most famous one within Israel Arik Bridge at the northern end of the Sea of Galilee allows access to the central Golan Heights was crucial in the 1967 and 1973 wars Al Sinnabra at the spot where the river used to exit the Sea of Galilee in the past few remains excavated by archaeologists Jisr el Majami north of Beit She an Beisan closed Damiya or Adam Bridge halfway between Jericho and Beit She an closed King Abdullah Bridge south of the Allenby Bridge closed Importance as a water source River Jordan draining into the Dead Sea 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 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 Jordan receives 50 000 000 cubic metres 1 8 109 cu ft of water from the river a quantity which is regulated by the 1994 peace treaty with Israel 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 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 50 MCM yr that Israel provides from Lake Tiberias as part of the 1994 peace treaty was meant to compensate for this loss A 2010 study found that the Lower Jordan River has been reduced to 2 of its historic flow 24 Water quality has also deteriorated sharply with high levels of salinity and pollution from agricultural fertilizer and untreated wastewater upstream in Israel and the West Bank 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 26 The diversion works would have reduced the water availability for Israel s carrier by about 35 and Israel s overall water supply by about 11 27 Religious significanceHebrew Bible Crossing the Jordan from Die Bibel in Bildern 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 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 Zarqa on his way back from Haran Genesis 32 11 32 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 Joshua 13 7 passim Opposite Jericho it was called the Jordan of Jericho Numbers 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 1 Kings 7 46 In 2 Kings 6 1 4 the Jordan valley is portrayed as a woodland region Biblical commentator Albert Barnes suggested that trees were rare in most parts of Palestine but plentiful in the Jordan Valley 28 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 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 Joshua 22 10 22 26 et seq The Jordan was crossed by Elijah and Elisha on dry ground 2 Kings 2 8 2 14 The prophet and wonder worker Elisha performed two miracles at the Jordan he healed Naaman s leprosy by having him bathe in its waters 2 Kings 5 14 and he made an axe head lost by one of the children of the prophets float by throwing a piece of wood into the water 2 Kings 6 6 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 New Testament Christian women on pilgrimage to Al Maghtas 1913 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 These acts of Baptism are also reported as having taken place at Bethabara John 1 28 Al Maghtas ruins on the Jordanian side of the Jordan River are the putative location for the Baptism of Jesus and the ministry of John the Baptist Jesus came to be baptised by him there Matthew 3 13 Mark 1 9 Luke 3 21 4 1 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 The prophecy of Isaiah regarding the Messiah which names the Jordan Isaiah 9 1 2 is also reported in Matthew 4 15 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 When his enemies sought to capture him Jesus took refuge at the river in the place John had first baptised John 10 39 40 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 This has led to choosing Al Maghtas as a UNESCO World Heritage site which took place in 2015 30 Derived cultural significance Symbolism 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 citation needed The actual crossing is the final step of the journey which is then complete Among many other references the Jordan River is given this meaning in the text of Old Man River Let me go way from the Mississippi Let me go way from the white man boss Show me that stream called the River Jordan That s the old stream that I long to cross Christening of royals Because of the baptism of Jesus water from the Jordan is employed for the christening of heirs and princes in several Christian royal houses such as the cases of Prince George of Wales Simeon of Bulgaria 31 and James Ogilvy 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 Christian poetry and music The Jordan is a frequent symbol in folk gospel and spiritual music and in poetic and literary works 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 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 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 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 citation needed Jordan River is also the subject of roots reggae artist Burning Spear s song of the same title 33 Belarusian band Spasenie dedicated its whole album Crossing the Jordan to the topic 34 See alsoAEnon Ed Dikke synagogue Fair river sharing Island of Peace Jordan Rift Valley List of rivers of Israel List of rivers of Jordan Mandaeans NaharayimReferencesCitations Klein Ernest A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language for Readers of English The University of Haifa Carta Jerusalem p 264 An Interfaith Look at the Jordan River Archived from the original on 18 April 2017 Retrieved 16 January 2017 a b c d e f Mark Zeitoun Karim Eid Sabbagh Muna Dajani Michael Talhami 2012 Hydro political Baseline of the Upper Jordan River Beirut Association of the Friends of Ibrahim Abd el Al AFIAL with the UEA Water Security Research Centre pp 19 23 chapter Sources of the Jordan 2 1 Retrieved 18 April 2020 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint uses authors parameter link Essays in Political Geography Routledge 2016 p 260 ISBN 9781317605287 Archived from the original on 2020 01 02 Retrieved 2019 01 17 a b c Rimmer Alon Salingar 2006 Krzysztofowicz R ed Modelling precipitation streamflow processes in karst basin The case of the Jordan River sources Israel PDF Journal of Hydrology Elsevier 331 3 4 527 528 Bibcode 2006JHyd 331 524R doi 10 1016 j jhydrol 2006 06 003 Retrieved 20 July 2011 Rainfall and snowmelt of Mt Hermon recharge the main tributaries of the UCJR 1 Dan 252 x 106 m3 annually 2 Snir also known as Hatzbani 118 x 106 m3 and 3 Hermon also known as Banias 106 x 106 m3 Table 2 and Fig 2 dead link a b Jordan River Carta Jerusalem accessed 82020 Zeitoun Mark et al 2012 p 36 a b c The Food and Agriculture Organization FAO of the United Nations Jordan Basin based on 2009 Water Report 34 accessed 18 April 2020 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Gafny S et al 2010 Map of the Lower Jordan River retrieved 14 April 2020 Rahkonen Pauli Ensio Juhani 11 October 2016 Canaanites or Amorites A Study on Semitic toponyms of the second millenium BC in the Land of Canaan Studia Orientalia Electronica 4 108 130 ISSN 2323 5209 Archived from the original on 25 July 2018 Retrieved 25 July 2018 Gelb I J 1973 Glossary of Old Akkadian University of Chicago Press Mills Watson E Bullard Roger Aubrey 1990 Mercer Dictionary of the Bible Mercer University Press pp 466 467 928 ISBN 9780865543737 Archived from the original on 18 October 2017 Retrieved 15 June 2018 Aḥituv Shmuel 1984 Canaanite toponyms in ancient Egyptian documents Magnes Press p 123 ISBN 9789652235657 Archived from the original on 18 October 2017 Retrieved 15 June 2018 a b c Le Strange Guy 1890 Palestine Under the Moslems A Description of Syria and the Holy Land from A D 650 To 1500 Alexander P Watt for the Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund p 52 Archived from the original on 2010 10 05 Retrieved 15 June 2018 Buckley Jorunn Jacobsen 2002 The Mandaeans ancient texts and modern people New York Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 515385 5 OCLC 65198443 Robinson p 257 Palmer 1881 p 167 SWP map 9 Esh Sheriah The watering place This is the modern title of Jordan The root means also to flow straight on or through Palmer 1881 p 350 SWP map 18 Esh Sheriah The watering place The Jordan In literary Arabic it is called Urdunna The Development of the Jordan River Arab Information Center 1961 p 2 The River is composed of two important sections the al Sharea and the Jordan The al Sharea River which is the name of the Jordan before it enters Lake Tiberias descends from a height of 230 feet above sea level to Tiberias History of the Dead Sea Discover the Dead Sea with Us 1 July 2016 Archived from the original on 20 June 2016 Retrieved 16 January 2017 a b Plushnick Masti Ramil 10 September 2006 Raw Sewage Taints Sacred Jordan River The Washington Post Archived from the original on 11 November 2012 Retrieved 10 October 2010 Jordan River could die by 2011 report Archived from the original on 26 September 2011 Retrieved 16 January 2017 Endangered Jordan Dateline World Jewry World Jewish Congress September 2007 Susskind Lawrence Shafiqul Islam 2012 Water Diplomacy Creating Value and Building Trust in Transboundary Water Negotiations Science amp Diplomacy 1 3 Archived from the original on 2015 11 29 Retrieved 2015 11 27 Gafny Sarig Talozi Samer Al Sheikh Banan Ya ari Elizabeth May 2010 Towards a Living Jordan River An Environmental Flows Report on the Rehabilitation of the Lower Jordan River PDF ecopeaceme org EcoPeace Friends of the Earth Middle East FoEME Archived from the original PDF on 2018 12 20 Retrieved 2018 12 20 Surface and Groundwater of Jordan Fanack Water Fanack Water of the Middle East and North Africa Archived from the original on 2018 03 11 Retrieved 2018 03 11 Mehr Farhang The politics of water in Antonino Zichichi Richard C Ragaini eds International Seminar on Nuclear War and Planetary Emergencies 30th session Erice Italy 18 26 August 2003 Ettore Majorana International Centre for Scientific Culture World Scientific Publishing Co Pie Ltd 2004 p 258 259 Appendix C Historical review of the political riparian issues in the development of the Jordan River and basin management Murakami 1995 Archived from the original on 2010 12 02 Retrieved 2011 03 09 Barnes Notes Archived 2018 01 06 at the Wayback Machine on 2 Kings 6 accessed 26 December 2017 Cf Acts 19 4 UNESCO World Heritage Centre Baptism Site Bethany Beyond the Jordan Al Maghtas Archived from the original on 19 January 2017 Retrieved 16 January 2017 Kate Connolly Once upon a time in Bulgaria Archived 2015 07 23 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian 20 June 2001 Baptized Time May 22 1964 Archived from the original on September 2 2009 Retrieved 2008 03 11 water from the River Jordan was sent for the occasion Jah Lyrics Burning Spear Jordan River Lyrics Archived from the original on 19 March 2015 Retrieved 16 January 2017 Zrobok Olga 2005 05 26 Intervyu s solistom gruppy Spasenie Igorem Muhoj nakanune koncerta 1 iyunya v klube Reaktor Interview with the lead singer of Spasenie Igor Mukha on the eve of the concert at the club Reactor on June 1 in Russian TUT BY Archived from the original on 2019 08 30 Retrieved 2019 08 30 Works cited Le Strange G 1890 Palestine Under the Moslems A Description of Syria and the Holy Land from A D 650 to 1500 London Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund OCLC 1004386 Palmer E H 1881 The Survey of Western Palestine Arabic and English Name Lists Collected During the Survey by Lieutenants Conder and Kitchener R E Transliterated and Explained by E H Palmer Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund Robinson E Smith E 1841 Biblical Researches in Palestine Mount Sinai and Arabia Petraea A Journal of Travels in the year 1838 Vol 2 Boston Crocker amp Brewster External linksSMART Multilateral project for sustainable water management in the lower Jordan Valley Inventory of Conflict and Environment ICE Jordan River Dispute Map of the River Jordan and Dead Sea And the Route of the Party Under the Command of Lieutenant W F Lynch United States Navy is a map from the mid 19th century of the River Jordan and Dead Sea made under the command of William F Lynch The Jordan River in which John the Baptist baptized his cousin Jesus of Nazareth Yardenit com Coordinates 33 11 12 N 35 37 09 E 33 18667 N 35 61917 E 33 18667 35 61917 Portals Judaism Christianity Israel Palestine Jordan Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jordan River amp oldid 1139259041, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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