The Jordan River

The Jordan River flows through the heart of the biblical landscape and holds a deeply rooted place in the story of Christianity. Stretching roughly 156 miles from its sources at Mount Hermon to the Dead Sea, the river cuts through the Jordan Valley and forms a natural border between modern-day Israel and Jordan. Its name, derived from the Hebrew "Yarden," is believed to mean "to descend," reflecting its rapid drop in elevation—from over 1,000 feet above sea level at its headwaters to more than 1,300 feet below sea level at its mouth.