When Jesus travelled from Galilee to Judea, it is likely He traveled the Jordan Rift Valley. This was the easiest route (without going through Samaria) to get from Galilee to Judea.
The Jordan River flows through the valley and gives it its name, and runs from north of Lake Huleh to the Dead Sea. The valley itself is part of a larger geologic feature called the Great Rift Valley that runs 3,700 miles, from northern Syria to northeastern Africa. At the Dead Sea, the valley is the lowest place on land at more than 1,200 feet below sea level.
The climate of the Jordan Valley changes dramatically as it moves from north to south. In the north, near Lake Huleh, the valley is fertile, and plentiful rainfall allows substantial agriculture. South of the Sea of Galilee, the valley rapidly dries out and increases in temperature. Agriculture here is only possible by using the Jordan River for irrigation. Near the Dead Sea, the temperature is too high for most agricultural activity, although some palm crops are grown, like dates and bananas.
Humans have occupied the valley for thousands of years. Jericho, at the southern end of the valley, is considered by some to be the oldest inhabited city in the world. Other cities include Bethany Beyond the Jordan, Scythopolis (Beth Shean), Bethsaida, and Caesarea Philippi. John the Baptist ministered in the valley as well. As mentioned, it is also a major thoroughfare, allowing relatively easy travel from north to south. In the New Testament, Jesus traveled the valley several times, going from Galilee to Jerusalem and back, and was baptized in the Jordan River.
The Jordan River
Site Study
| Hershel Wayne House
The Jordan River is the only major waterway between the Mediterranean and the Euphrates River. It runs north to south 223 miles through the Jordan Rift Valley, from its headwaters in the foothills of Mt. Hermon, through Lake Huleh, through the Sea of Galilee, and on to where it empties into the Dead Sea. Over its course it falls 2885 feet in elevation, from 1500 ft. above sea level at its headwaters to 1385 feet below sea level at its mouth.
Due to the geography and climate of the area, the Jordan was subject to rapid fluctuations in flow during ancient times. From the Sea of Galilee south, the climate of the Jordan River Valley dries dramatically. With very little vegetation to hold excess water, heavy rains resulted in flash flooding in the canyons prevalent along the slopes of the valley. These flash floods swelled the amount of water flowing into the Jordan, and in turn the Jordan’s water level rapidly rose. Because of this, crossing the River ranged from fairly easy to very dangerous.
Although there are no major cities at the Jordan river, several important towns were located in the valley near the river, including Jericho in the south and Scythopolis (Beth Shean) further north, Bethsaida north of the Sea of Galilee, and Caesarea Philippi near one of the streams that form the headwaters of the Jordan.
Although there are few cities in the region of the Jordan River, it has been the scene of countless historical events. In the New Testament, it is the region where John the Baptist ministered, and the site of Jesus’ Baptism. Jesus undoubtedly traveled the route along the Jordan River valley between Galilee and Jerusalem.
1Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea, as Yahweh spoke to me; and we encircled Mount Seir many days.
2Yahweh spoke to me, saying, 3“You have encircled this mountain long enough. Turn northward. 4Command the people, saying, ‘You are to pass through the border of your brothers, the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore be careful. 5Don’t contend with them; for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau for a possession. 6You shall purchase food from them for money, that you may eat. You shall also buy water from them for money, that you may drink.’”
7For Yahweh your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has known your walking through this great wilderness. These forty years, Yahweh your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.
8So we passed by from our brothers, the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir, from the way of the Arabah from Elath and from Ezion Geber. We turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.
9Yahweh said to me, “Don’t bother Moab, neither contend with them in battle; for I will not give you any of his land for a possession, because I have given Ar to the children of Lot for a possession.”
10(The Emim lived there before, a great and numerous people, and tall as the Anakim. 11These also are considered to be Rephaim, as the Anakim; but the Moabites call them Emim. 12The Horites also lived in Seir in the past, but the children of Esau succeeded them. They destroyed them from before them, and lived in their place, as Israel did to the land of his possession, which Yahweh gave to them.)
13“Now rise up and cross over the brook Zered.” We went over the brook Zered.
14The days in which we came from Kadesh Barnea until we had come over the brook Zered were thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war were consumed from the middle of the camp, as Yahweh swore to them. 15Moreover Yahweh’s hand was against them, to destroy them from the middle of the camp, until they were consumed. 16So, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people, 17Yahweh spoke to me, saying, 18“You are to pass over Ar, the border of Moab, today. 19When you come near the border of the children of Ammon, don’t bother them, nor contend with them; for I will not give you any of the land of the children of Ammon for a possession, because I have given it to the children of Lot for a possession.”
20(That also is considered a land of Rephaim. Rephaim lived there in the past, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, 21a great people, many, and tall, as the Anakim; but Yahweh destroyed them from before Israel, and they succeeded them, and lived in their place, 22as he did for the children of Esau who dwell in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them; and they succeeded them, and lived in their place even to this day. 23Then the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza: the Caphtorim, who came out of Caphtor, destroyed them and lived in their place.)
24“Rise up, take your journey, and pass over the valley of the Arnon. Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land; begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle. 25Today I will begin to put the dread of you and the fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole sky, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.”
26I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying, 27“Let me pass through your land. I will go along by the highway. I will turn neither to the right hand nor to the left. 28You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink. Just let me pass through on my feet, 29as the children of Esau who dwell in Seir, and the Moabites who dwell in Ar, did to me, until I pass over the Jordan into the land which Yahweh our God gives us.” 30But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him, for Yahweh your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into your hand, as it is today.
31Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have begun to deliver up Sihon and his land before you. Begin to possess, that you may inherit his land.” 32Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Jahaz. 33Yahweh our God delivered him up before us; and we struck him, his sons, and all his people. 34We took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones. We left no one remaining. 35Only the livestock we took for plunder for ourselves, with the plunder of the cities which we had taken. 36From Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the valley, even to Gilead, there was not a city too high for us. Yahweh our God delivered up all before us. 37Only to the land of the children of Ammon you didn’t come near: all the banks of the river Jabbok, and the cities of the hill country, and wherever Yahweh our God forbade us.
