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Jordan River

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of the Middle
East

   Northern part of the Great Rift Valley as seen from space (NASA)
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   Northern part of the Great Rift Valley as seen from space (NASA)
   The Jordan River
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   The Jordan River
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   Road sign
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   Road sign
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   The Jordan River (Hebrew: נהר הירדן nehar hayarden, Arabic: نهر الأردن
   nahr al-urdun) is a river in Southwest Asia flowing through the Great
   Rift Valley into the Dead Sea. Historically and religiously, it is
   considered to be one of the world's most sacred rivers, although the
   meaning and context of the word "sacred" may be ambiguous.

   It is 251 kilometers (156 miles) long. Its tributaries are
    1. The Hasbani (Hebrew: שניר senir, Arabic: الحاصباني hasbani), which
       flows from Lebanon.
    2. The Banias (Hebrew: חרמון hermon, Arabic: بانياس banias), arising
       from a spring at Banias at the foot of Mount Hermon.
    3. The Dan (Hebrew: דן dan, Arabic: اللدان leddan), whose source is
       also at the base of Mount Hermon.
    4. The Ayoun (Hebrew: עיון ayoun, Arabic: عيون ayoun), which flows
       from Lebanon.

   The four merge to form the Jordan in northern Israel, near kibbutz Sede
   Nehemya. The Jordan drops rapidly in a 75 kilometer run to swampy Lake
   Hula, which is slightly below sea level in the Rift Valley. Exiting the
   lake, it drops much more in about 25 kilometers to the Sea of Galilee.
   The last section has less gradient, and the river begins to meander
   before it enters the Dead Sea, which is about 400 meters below sea
   level and has no outlet. Two major tributaries enter from the east
   during this last phase: the Yarmouk River and Jabbok River.

   Its section north of the Sea of Galilee (Hebrew: כינרת kinneret,
   Arabic: Bohayrat Tabaraya, meaning Lake of Tiberias) is within the
   boundaries of Israel (disputed by Syria), and forms the western
   boundary of the Golan Heights. South of the lake, it forms the border
   between the Kingdom of Jordan (to the east) and the State of Israel (to
   the west).

   In 1964 Israel began operating a dam that diverts water from the Sea of
   Galilee, a major Jordan River water provider, to the national water
   carrier, told Hillel Glassman, a stream expert at Israel's Parks
   Authority. Also in 1964 Jordan constructed a channel that diverted
   water from the Yarmouk River, another main tributary of the Jordan
   River. This resulted in great damage to the ecosystem. Syria has also
   built reservoirs that catch the Yarmouk's waters. In a year, the
   Yarmouk's flow into the Jordan River will dwindle to a trickle, once
   Syria and Jordan begin operating a dam they jointly built, he added.
   Environmentalists blame Israel, Jordan and Syria. The three countries
   replenished the river with sewage water, agricultural runoff and salt
   water, Glassman said. The freshwater foliage that once flourished along
   the river's banks has been replaced with saline vegetation.

   In modern times the waters are 70 to 90% used for human purposes and
   the flow is much reduced. Because of this and the high evaporation rate
   of the Dead Sea, the sea is shrinking. All the shallow waters of the
   southern end of the sea have been drained in modern times and are now
   salt flats.

   In September 2006 there is a problem with contamination: just
   downstream, raw sewage is flowing into the water. Small sections of the
   Jordan's upper portion, near the Sea of Galilee, have been kept
   pristine for baptisms. Most polluted is the 60-mile downstream stretch
   - a meandering stream from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea.
   Environmentalists say the practice has almost destroyed the river's
   ecosystem. Rescuing the river could take decades, according to
   environmentalists. Raw Sewage Taints Sacred Jordan River. Retrieved on
   2006- 09-11.</ref>

   The waters of the Jordan are an extremely important resource to the dry
   lands of the area and are a bone of contention between Lebanon, Syria,
   Jordan, Israel and the Palestinians.

   Route 90 connects the northern and southern tips of Israel and
   parallels the Jordan River on the western side.

In the Bible

   In the Hebrew Bible, the Jordan is referred to as the source of
   fertility to a large plain ("Kikkar ha-Yarden"), called on account of
   its luxuriant vegetation "the garden of God" ( Genesis 13:10). There is
   no regular description of the Jordan in the Bible; only scattered and
   indefinite references to it are given. Jacob crossed it and its
   tributary, the Jabbok (the modern Al-Zarḳa), in order to reach Haran
   (Gen. 32:11, 23-24). It is noted as the line of demarcation between the
   "two tribes and the half tribe" settled to the east ( Numbers 34:15)
   and the "nine tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh" that, led by
   Joshua, settled to the west (Josh. 13:7, passim).

   Opposite Jericho it was called "the Jordan of Jericho" (Num. 34: 15,
   35: 1). The Jordan has a number of fords, and one of them is famous as
   the place where many Ephraimites were slain by Jephthah ( Judges
   12:5-6). It seems that these are the same fords mentioned as being near
   Beth-barah, where Gideon lay in wait for the Midianites (Judges 7:24).
   In the plain of the Jordan, between Succoth and Zarthan, is the clay
   ground where Solomon had his brass-foundries ( I Kings 7:46).

   In Biblical history the Jordan appears as the scene of several
   miracles, the first taking place when the Jordan, near Jericho, was
   crossed by the Israelites under Joshua (Josh. iii. 15-17). Later the
   two tribes and the half tribe that settled east of the Jordan built a
   large altar on its banks as "a witness" between them and the other
   tribes (Josh. xxii. 10, 26 et seq.). The Jordan was said to be crossed
   dry-shod by Elijah and Elisha (II Kings 2: 8, 14). Elisha performed two
   other miracles at the Jordan: he healed Naaman by having him bathe in
   its waters, and he made the ax of one of the children of the prophets
   float, by throwing a piece of wood into the water (II Kings 5:14, 6:6).

   The Jordan was crossed by Judas Maccabeus and his brother Jonathan
   Maccabaeus during their war with the Nabatæans ( 1 Maccabees 5:24). A
   little later the Jordan was the scene of the battle between Jonathan
   and Bacchides, in which the latter was defeated (I Macc. 9:42-49).

   The New Testament states that John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the
   Jordan (Matt. 3:13). Similarly, water from the Jordan River is
   frequently sent around the world for baptisms, particularly those of
   royalty.

Symbolic importance

   The Jordan is a frequent symbol in folk, gospel, and spiritual music,
   or in poetic or literary works.

   Because the Israelites made a difficult and hazardous journey from
   slavery in Egypt to freedom in The Promised Land, the Jordan can refer
   to freedom. The actual crossing is the final step of the journey, which
   is then complete. The Jordan also can signify death itself, with the
   crossing from life into Paradise or Heaven.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_River"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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