Jordan River photos of floods early 1900s

Moses led his people through the deserts of the Sinai Peninsula and the Negev of Israel for 40 years. Eventually, after decades of physical and spiritual struggles, the group came to the Mt. Nebo and the plains of the Jordan River Valley on the eastern side of the river. It is difficult to describe how harsh the desert can be, but these images of the Negev Desert will help make the point. Moses would have needed a clear day in order to see very far from Mt. Nebo. On most days, a haze hangs over the Dead Sea basin, either from water evaporating from the Dead Sea, or from dust blowing westward from the deserts of Jordan. A clear view from Mt. Nebo would have afforded Moses a spectacular view of the Dead Sea, the Judean Wilderness and the southern part of the Jordan River Valley. Jericho (15 miles, 25 km) and the Benjamin Desert were very close. He probably saw the ridge of the Judean Mountains, some 30 miles (48 km) in the distance.  It was as close to the Promised Land as Moses would get. Under Joshua’s leadership, the people moved closer to the Jordan River, only to discover that a new challenge awaited them. The river had flooded, meaning it was probably winter or early spring. This created the illusion that yet another “sea” blocked their path, just as had happened when their escape from Egypt had begun 40 years before. With modern-day dams, the Jordan River provides no serious challenge to anyone wanting to cross it today. Heavy irrigation also depletes the water all along the river’s path. As a result, it’s a very small Jordan River that separates Jordan from Israel today. This video offers some photographs from the early 1900s, showing the river at flood stage. At its worst, the Jordan could be a mile wide during flood stage. Floods would have also hidden the portion of the river that was deep, making the crossing a very dangerous affair.