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 went up the way to Bashan. Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. 2Yahweh said to me, “Don’t fear him; for I have delivered him, with all his people and his land, into your hand. You shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.”
3So Yahweh our God also delivered into our hand Og, the king of Bashan, and all his people. We struck him until no one was left to him remaining. 4We took all his cities at that time. There was not a city which we didn’t take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 5All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, in addition to a great many villages without walls. 6We utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones. 7But all the livestock, and the plunder of the cities, we took for plunder for ourselves. 8We took the land at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon. 9(The Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir.) 10We took all the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, to Salecah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 11(For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, after the cubit of a man.) 12This land we took in possession at that time: from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead with its cities, I gave to the Reubenites and to the Gadites; 13and the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh—all the region of Argob, even all Bashan. (The same is called the land of Rephaim. 14Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and called them, even Bashan, after his own name, Havvoth Jair, to this day.) 15I gave Gilead to Machir. 16To the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead even to the valley of the Arnon, the middle of the valley, and its border, even to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; 17the Arabah also, and the Jordan and its border, from Chinnereth even to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah eastward.
18I commanded you at that time, saying, “Yahweh your God has given you this land to possess it. All of you men of valor shall pass over armed before your brothers, the children of Israel. 19But your wives, and your little ones, and your livestock, (I know that you have much livestock), shall live in your cities which I have given you, 20until Yahweh gives rest to your brothers, as to you, and they also possess the land which Yahweh your God gives them beyond the Jordan. Then you shall each return to his own possession, which I have given you.”
21I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, “Your eyes have seen all that Yahweh your God has done to these two kings. So shall Yahweh do to all the kingdoms where you go over. 22You shall not fear them; for Yahweh your God himself fights for you.”
23I begged Yahweh at that time, saying, 24“Lord Yahweh, you have begun to show your servant your greatness, and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or in earth that can do works like yours, and mighty acts like yours? 25Please let me go over and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that fine mountain, and Lebanon.”
26But Yahweh was angry with me because of you, and didn’t listen to me. Yahweh said to me, “That is enough! Speak no more to me of this matter. 27Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and see with your eyes; for you shall not go over this Jordan. 28But commission Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you shall see.” 29So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.
