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.
1These are the journeys of the children of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. 2Moses wrote the starting points of their journeys by the commandment of Yahweh. These are their journeys according to their starting points. 3They traveled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover, the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians, 4while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom Yahweh had struck among them. Yahweh also executed judgments on their gods. 5The children of Israel traveled from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth. 6They traveled from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. 7They traveled from Etham, and turned back to Pihahiroth, which is before Baal Zephon, and they encamped before Migdol. 8They traveled from before Hahiroth, and crossed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness. They went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah. 9They traveled from Marah, and came to Elim. In Elim, there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there. 10They traveled from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea. 11They traveled from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. 12They traveled from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah. 13They traveled from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush. 14They traveled from Alush, and encamped in Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. 15They traveled from Rephidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai. 16They traveled from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in Kibroth Hattaavah. 17They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth. 18They traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah. 19They traveled from Rithmah, and encamped in Rimmon Perez. 20They traveled from Rimmon Perez, and encamped in Libnah. 21They traveled from Libnah, and encamped in Rissah. 22They traveled from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah. 23They traveled from Kehelathah, and encamped in Mount Shepher. 24They traveled from Mount Shepher, and encamped in Haradah. 25They traveled from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth. 26They traveled from Makheloth, and encamped in Tahath. 27They traveled from Tahath, and encamped in Terah. 28They traveled from Terah, and encamped in Mithkah. 29They traveled from Mithkah, and encamped in Hashmonah. 30They traveled from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth. 31They traveled from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene Jaakan. 32They traveled from Bene Jaakan, and encamped in Hor Haggidgad. 33They traveled from Hor Haggidgad, and encamped in Jotbathah. 34They traveled from Jotbathah, and encamped in Abronah. 35They traveled from Abronah, and encamped in Ezion Geber. 36They traveled from Ezion Geber, and encamped at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. 37They traveled from Kadesh, and encamped in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom. 38Aaron the priest went up into Mount Hor at the commandment of Yahweh and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month. 39Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died in Mount Hor. 40The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel. 41They traveled from Mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah. 42They traveled from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon. 43They traveled from Punon, and encamped in Oboth. 44They traveled from Oboth, and encamped in Iye Abarim, in the border of Moab. 45They traveled from Iyim, and encamped in Dibon Gad. 46They traveled from Dibon Gad, and encamped in Almon Diblathaim. 47They traveled from Almon Diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48They traveled from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. 49They encamped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth even to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab. 50Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 51Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, “When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their stone idols, destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places. 53You shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein; for I have given the land to you to possess it. 54You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the larger groups you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.
55“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be like pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land in which you dwell. 56It shall happen that as I thought to do to them, so I will do to you.”
