Mentioned 180 times in the Bible. Lot picked to live in this valley. The river was crossed miraculously by the Israelites entering the promised land. Water backed up 12 miles to the town of Adam. The floating axe happened here. Site of the baptism of Jesus. Elijah was taken up to heaven near here. Source of vital water for Israel. (more photos: Wiki &Bible )
Josh 4:1, 3, 5, 7-10, 16-20, 22-23
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BiblePhoto & Explanation The Jordan River begins north of the Sea of Galilee, flows into it, and then continues south to the Dead Sea. This photograph was taken near the river’s outlet from the Sea of Galilee.
Significant Events: Lot chose the plains of the Jordan for himself (Gen. 13:10–11). Joshua divided the waters, allowing the Israelites to cross into the promised land (Josh. 3:13–17; 4:1–9, 20–24). Elijah and Elisha divided the waters (2 Kgs. 2:5–8, 12–14). Naaman was cured of leprosy (2 Kgs. 5:1–15). John the Baptist baptized many people, including the Savior (Matt. 3:1–6, 13–16). (See BD Jordan River.)
Jordan River BD The most important river of Palestine, formed by the union of several springs rising in Mount Hermon. It passes through the Huleh Valley (the waters of Merom), then descends to the Sea of Galilee, 682 feet below the level of the Mediterranean. Passing out at the southern end of the lake, the river makes its way through a deep and intensely hot valley, 66 miles in length, called the Arabah, and finally enters the Dead or Salt Sea, 1292 feet below sea level. The total length of the river is well over 100 miles. The breadth varies from 90 to 100 feet, and the depth from 3 to 12 feet.
The two most important events connected with this river are (1) the passage of the children of Israel (Josh. 3–4); and (2) the baptism of our Lord (Matt. 3). It is not possible to fix the exact spot at which either of these events occurred. The Israelites may have crossed at the ford opposite Jericho, or more probably at a spot 16 miles further north. For the site of the baptism see Bethabara.
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about Jordan,
6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 ¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
13 ¶ Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
11 Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it.
14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them;
15 Until the Lord have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the Lord your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.
1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.
8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.
13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
14 ¶ And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
Josh 4:1, 3, 5, 7-10, 16-20, 22-23
1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
10 ¶ For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.
17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
19 ¶ And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster:
4 Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster.
12 These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin:
6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.
5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
Naaman BD Syrian noble cured of leprosy by Elisha (2 Kgs. 5; Luke 4:27). He came to Elisha at the suggestion of a little Hebrew maid, captured in war (2 Kgs. 5:2–3). He was ordered to bathe seven times in the Jordan, which, after some hesitation, he did and was cured. He showed his gratitude by returning to Samaria, a distance of 30 miles, to thank Elisha. The prophet refused to accept any payment, and his servant Gehazi was punished for taking Naaman’s present. Naaman took with him to Syria two mules’ burden of earth (2 Kgs. 5:17), on which he intended to erect an altar to Jehovah. He did this because he believed that the God of Israel could only be worshipped on Israelite soil.
John the Baptist Son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, being of priestly descent through both parents. This lineage was essential, since John was the embodiment of the law of Moses, designed to prepare the way for the Messiah and make ready a people to receive Him. He was the outstanding bearer of the Aaronic Priesthood in all history and was entrusted with its most noble mission.
His forthcoming birth and the nature of his ministry were announced to John’s father by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:5–25). He was a child of promise, with prophecies of his mission having been given by Isaiah (Isa. 40:3) and Malachi (Mal. 3:1; see also 1 Ne. 10:7–10; 2 Ne. 31:4–8). He grew up in the desert until the time arrived for his ministry to prepare the way for the Savior.
The sign of the dove, as an emblem for the Holy Ghost, was a pre-appointed signal by which John knew he was to recognize that he had baptized the Son of God (see John 1:29–34). At the time of the baptism of Jesus, John saw the sign and heard the voice of the Father bearing record that Jesus was the Beloved Son, in whom the Father was well pleased (Matt. 3:13–17). He had preached and baptized for several months before he baptized the Savior and continued to do so afterwards for several months (John 3:23–24).
At least two of those who were later to become members of the Twelve, John and Andrew, were disciples of John before they met Jesus (John 1:35–42). It is probable that others of the Twelve were also tutored by him (Acts 1:21–22). He watched, without feelings of jealousy, the waning of his own influence and the growth of the influence of Jesus (John 3:25–36). He was shut up in prison by order of Herod for criticizing Herod’s unlawful marriage of Herodias (Mark 6:16–29).
While in prison, John sent two of his disciples to inquire of Jesus to reassure their faith. Many have thought this event reflected a lack of confidence in John’s own mind. However, Jesus took the occasion to bear testimony of the great work John had done, emphasizing that he was unwavering and true (see Luke 7:24–28). Jesus also pointed out that John had fulfilled the prophecy of Mal. 3:1. Jesus praised John as a prophet, saying there is none who was greater (Matt. 11:7–11). This greatness consisted of his unique privileges and the quality of his work. He alone was entrusted with the mission of preparing the way and baptizing the Savior of the world. He “did no miracle” (John 10:41) but magnificently fulfilled his assignment in bearing testimony of Jesus Christ. Jesus characterized John as “a burning and a shining light” (John 5:35). After nearly a year in prison, John was beheaded at the instigation of Herodias (Matt. 14:3–12; Mark 6:17).
A vigorous preacher, John taught many principles and doctrines of the gospel and filled his mission in every particular. Latter-day revelation confirms the biblical account and also makes known additional events in the ministry of John. We learn that he was “ordained by an angel,” when he was eight days of age, to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews and to prepare a people for the Lord. We learn also that he was baptized while yet in his childhood (D&C 84:27–28). On May 15, 1829, this same John came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery near Harmony, Pennsylvania, and ordained these men to the Priesthood of Aaron (D&C 13; 27:7–8; JS—H 1:68–72). Thus his ministry has operated in three dispensations: he was the last of the prophets under the law of Moses, he was the first of the New Testament prophets, and he brought the Aaronic Priesthood to the dispensation of the fulness of times.