The sources of the river can be traced along four streams. The Palestinian Targum comments on Deuteronomy 3:9: “The Amoraee call it the Snowy Mountain, because the snow never ceases from it summer or winter.” Its own waters flowing down to the Sea of Galilee mirror the whiteness of its glistening snow awaiting the time to melt and swell the gushing springs. 32:20-23, 31, 32.ĭominating the entire course of the Jordan, majestic Mount Hermon, the “Mountain Chieftain,” raises its lofty peak 9,101 feet into the sky. Realizing that the river could divide Israel’s forces, Moses made the sons of Reuben and Gad promise to cross the Jordan to assist in the conquest of the Promised Land.- Num. 11:30) From early times the Jordan was thought of as a dividing line because of its steep and lofty mountain ranges on both sides, its unbroken length, and the dense jungle along its banks. The cause of such a steep descent over a course of only 104 miles is a mighty geological fault that formed a depression, a “colossal ditch” continuing on through the Arabah and along the Gulf of Aqaba into the Red Sea.īecause the general direction of the river was from north to south, the country on the east was described as “the region of the Jordan toward the rising of the sun” and that on the west as “the side of the Jordan toward the direction of the sunset.” ( Deut. How fascinating to follow its unique course to its strange end!Ĭontrary to an old tradition, the river does not get its name from two sources called respectively the “Jor” and the “Dan.” Drawn from the Hebrew word Yarden, the name means the “River That Goes Down” or the “Descender.” True to its name, the river drops 3,000 feet in its course from the foot of Mount Hermon to the Dead Sea. Some two hundred references to it make it the most outstanding river mentioned in the Bible. Along its banks stirring events have been enacted, and by its waters vital pages of history have been written. THOUGH counted small among mighty rivers of the earth, the Jordan is no insignificant stream.

Crossing the jordan river bible verse