Page 97 - Bible Geography and Near East Studies

Jordan River

Ada

The “Rift Valley” stretches from the Sea of
Galilee to the Dead Sea all the way to the
southern-most tip of Israel at Elat. The Jordan
River slowly meanders from the Sea of Galilee
Jericho to the Dead Sea in this valley. By the time it
reaches Jericho, the valley is marked by high
Jerusalem Dead Sea cliffs on either side of the Jordan, as seen in the
photo above.
Adam

Adam was a city on the Jordan River beside Zarethan mentioned in the Bible in Joshua 3:16 with the
parting of the Jordan. When the children of Israel came to the Jordan near Jericho, the River was at
flood stage. God miraculously dried up the Jordan River so they could pass across the river. The waters
rose as a heap near the city of Adam, about 18 miles north of Jericho. The city is located just below the
mouth of the Jabbok River, which empties into the Jordan River.

Shiloh

The word “Shiloh” means “the peaceful one” and was an allusion to the Messiah (Isa 9:6) in Scripture,
where the phrase, “until Shiloh comes,” refers to the coming of the king who will bring peace. Shiloh is a
place of rest, a city of Ephraim, on the north side of Bethel, which is a distance of 10 miles. Here, the
tabernacle was set up after the Conquest of Canaan (Joshua 18:1-10 and remained during the period of
the judges until the ark fell into the hands of the Philistines. Here Joshua divided by lot the part of the
western Jordan land not yet allotted (Joshua 19:51). Shiloh fell with Ephraim. The “animal feast of
Jehovah” was when the daughters of Shiloh went forth in dances, and it gave the sons of Benjamin,
when threatened with extinction, the opportunity of carrying off wives (Judges 21:19-23). Here Eli
judged Israel and died of grief at the capture of the Ark. Here Hannah prayed, and Samuel was reared in
the tabernacle and called to the prophetic office (I Sam 1, 2, 3). The sin of Hophni and Phinehas caused

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