Biblical Geography: Jordan River Valley and Perea (Trans-Jordan)

by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

Bodies of Water in Palestine

Jordan (185x OT; 15x NT)

The Jordan River is the main river of Palestine, which flows north to south, from its headwaters near ancient Dan or Caesarea Philippi, through Lake Huldah and Lake Gennesaret (the Sea of Galilee), down the long Jordan Rift Valley, and emptying into the Dead Sea.

The region east of the Jordan river is called Perea or the Trans-Jordan
(Greek peran tou Iordanou, literally "across the Jordan," from the perspective of people living on the west side).

Jericho (57x in OT; 7x in NT)

Jericho is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, dating back at least to the 7th millennium BC.
It was a fairly large city in NT times, and was where King Herod's winter palace was located (ruins of which still exist today).

Salt Sea / Dead Sea (9x OT);  Sea of the Arabah (6x OT)

The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth (1412 ft below sea level) and one of the world's saltiest bodies of water; today it is bordered by Israel, Palestine, and Jordan.

En-Gedi or Ein Gedi (6x OT)

En-Gedi is an oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea, known for its fertile palm trees and vineyards.

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