Zaretan
Encyclopedia
Zaretan is a city mentioned in the Bible
, as the location where the Hebrews
crossed the Jordan. In the books of Joshua and 2 Kings, it is called Zarethan, but in 2 Chronicles it is called Zeredathah.
Zaredathah stood in the Jordan Valley
, on the east bank of the river, a few kilometres northwest of Succoth
and approximately 70 kilometres north-northeast of Jerusalem. These clay grounds were where the bronze castings for the Temple
of Solomon
were made by Hiram I
.
As soon as the feet of the priests were dipped in the water, the flow of the stream was arrested. The point of arrest was the "city of Adam
beside Zaretan," probably near Succoth
, at the mouth of the Jabbok,
some 30 miles up the river from where the people were encamped.
Apparently the water "stood and rose upon an heap." Thus the whole
length of 30 miles of the riverbed was dry, so that the tribes
might pass over (Joshua 3:16, 17; compare Psalms 104:3).
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, as the location where the Hebrews
Hebrews
Hebrews is an ethnonym used in the Hebrew Bible...
crossed the Jordan. In the books of Joshua and 2 Kings, it is called Zarethan, but in 2 Chronicles it is called Zeredathah.
Zaredathah stood in the Jordan Valley
Jordan Valley (Middle East)
The Jordan Valley forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. It is 120 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, where it runs from Lake Tiberias in the north to northern Dead Sea in the south. It runs for an additional 155 kilometer south of the Dead Sea to Aqaba, an area also known as Wadi...
, on the east bank of the river, a few kilometres northwest of Succoth
Sukkot (place)
The name Sukkot appears in a number of places in the Hebrew Bible as a location:* An Egyptian Sukkot is the second of the stations of the Exodus. Pharaoh orders the Israelites to leave Egypt, and they journey from their starting point at Rameses to Succoth...
and approximately 70 kilometres north-northeast of Jerusalem. These clay grounds were where the bronze castings for the Temple
Solomon's Temple
Solomon's Temple, also known as the First Temple, was the main temple in ancient Jerusalem, on the Temple Mount , before its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar II after the Siege of Jerusalem of 587 BCE....
of Solomon
Solomon
Solomon , according to the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, a King of Israel and according to the Talmud one of the 48 prophets, is identified as the son of David, also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25, and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before...
were made by Hiram I
Hiram I
Hiram I , according to the Hebrew Bible, was the Phoenician king of Tyre. He reigned from 980 to 947 BC, succeeding his father, Abibaal. Hiram was succeeded as king of Tyre by his son Baal-Eser I...
.
As soon as the feet of the priests were dipped in the water, the flow of the stream was arrested. The point of arrest was the "city of Adam
City of Adam
The City of Adam stood "beside Zarethan" on the east bank of the Jordan, it is called also "Damia". According to the Book of Joshua, the flow of the water was arrested, and rose up "upon an heap" at the time of the Israelites' passing over....
beside Zaretan," probably near Succoth
Sukkot
Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days...
, at the mouth of the Jabbok,
some 30 miles up the river from where the people were encamped.
Apparently the water "stood and rose upon an heap." Thus the whole
length of 30 miles of the riverbed was dry, so that the tribes
might pass over (Joshua 3:16, 17; compare Psalms 104:3).
External links
- Zeredathah in Easton's Bible Dictionary