Bryant G. Wood
The Jabbok River is mentioned a number of times in the Bible as an important boundary line and travel route. While serving as a member of an archaeological survey team during the early part of this year, the author had the opportunity to become intimately familiar with a section of the Jabbok.
Known today as the Zarqa, or “blue”, River, the Jabbok rises at a spring in Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, 40 km. east of the Jordan River. From Amman, it goes northeast then makes a wide circuit, heading east, north, west, and southwest until it finally flows into the Jordan River, halfway between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. As with all rivers which flow into the Jordan or the Dead Sea, both of which are at the bottom of the rift valley, the Jabbok has caused a severe down-cutting of the terrain through which it passes. This has resulted in a twisting, turning valley which narrows into an ever-deeper canyon as it proceeds toward the Jordan River. Throughout antiquity the Jabbok has been a natural boundary as well as a passage way between the Jordan Valley and the Transjordanian highlands. The stream is shallow and always fordable, except where it occasionally flows through a narrow channel.
Jacob and the Jabbok
Our first encounter with the Jabbok is in the story of Jacob in Genesis 32 (early second millennium B.C.). After he had deceitfully obtained the blessing intended for his brother Esau, Jacob fled to Haran, far to the northeast in modern Turkey, where he lived with his uncle Laban (Genesis 27, 28). After working 21 years for Laban (Genesis 29:15–30), Jacob, at God’s command (Genesis 31:13),
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Map showing the area where Jacob and Gideon traveled.
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packed up his two wives (Leah and Rachel), their two handmaids (Zilpah and Bilhah), his 12 children (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulon, Dinah, and Joseph), and all of the flocks and herds he had acquired, and left for Canaan (vss. 17, 18).
It is not possible to follow precisely Jacob’s route to Canaan, but the general direction of his movements is clear. He first crossed the Euphrates river and headed south (verse 21). He probably followed the caravan route to Tadmor (Palmyra) in eastern Syria, then headed southwest to Damascus. From there he would have traveled south to reach Gilead, possibly via the major north-south road in Transjordan, the King’s Highway, which went from Damascus to the Gulf of Aqaba (Numbers 20:17, 21:22). This road later became part of the elaborate Roman road system, and a modern road follows the same route today. It was in Gilead, the hill country east of the Jordan Valley, that Laban overtook Jacob and vainly searched for the household gods that Rachael had stolen. All ended in harmony, however, for Jacob and Laban made a solemn pact not to harm one another (Genesis 31:23–55).
Jacob then traveled to Mahanaim, where he met the angels of God (Genesis 31:1, 2). We do not know exactly where Mahanaim is, except to say that it must be in the hills of Gilead north of the Jabbok River. It became a prominent, evidently well-fortified city, for after Saul’s death, in about 1000 B.C., Saul’s son Ishbosheth set up a kingdom there in opposition to David (2 Samuel 2:8–11). It was in Mahanaim that Ishbosheth was murdered while resting in bed during the heat of the day (2 Samuel 4:5–12). When David’s son Absalom later usurped the throne, David fled to Mahanaim for refuge (2 Samuel 15:13–16:14, 17.21-24). There, David’s followers were given provisions (vss. 27–29) and David organized the remnant of his army to stand against the pursuing Absalom (2 Samuel 18:1–6). David waited at the gate of Mahanaim while the battle raged in the nearby forest of Ephraim and it was in the chamber above the gate that he lamented Absalom’s death (vss. 24–33).
After his encounter with the angels at Mahanaim, Jacob sent messengers to his brother Esau in Seir, southeast of Beersheba, to let him know of his return (Genesis 32:3–5). Jacob continued on his way until he reached the northern bank of the Jabbok River where he met the returning messengers. They brought the disturbing news
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that Esau, accompanied by 400 men, was on his way to meet him (vs. 6). Jacob feared the worst so he divided his family and possessions into two groups, hoping at least one would survive should Esau attack him (vss. 7, 8). Being the practical man that he was, Jacob further prepared himself in two ways — he prayed earnestly to God (vss. 9–12) and readied a present for Esau (vss. 10–21).
A Wrestling Match With God
Jacob then sent his wives and children on their way across the Jabbok while he remained behind. It was there, on the banks of the Jabbok, that Jacob had his famous wrestling match with God. They wrestled through the night and in the morning God changed Jacob’s name from Jacob (chisler) to Israel (prince of God), and He blessed him. Afterward, Jacob named the place Peniel (or Penuel), which means “face of God” (vss. 22–34). Penuel was important in later biblical history, for Jeroboam, first king of the breakaway northern kingdom, fortified the city for his use in the tenth century B.C. (1 Kings 12:25).
Although several sites have been suggested, the exact location of
Looking north across the Jabbok Valley. The old Jerash road is visible on the left and the hills of north Gilead are seen in the distance. Somewhere along the banks of this river Jacob wrestled with God (Genesis 32:24–32).
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Where the old Jerash Road crossed the Jabbok The bridge was destroyed during the 1970 civil war in Jordan and now the area is part of the reservoir of the King Talal Dam.
Penuel is not known. From the information given to us in the Jacob narrative, however, we can expect to find Penuel near a point where a north-south route crossed the Jabbok.
Following his encounter with God, Jacob had a peaceful meeting with Esau (Genesis 33:1–16), then he proceeded to Succoth where he built a house for himself and booths for his cattle (vs. 17). From Joshua 13:27 we know that Succoth was in the Jordan Valley, on the east side of the Jordan River. Since Jacob continued on to Shalem, near Shechem, probably by way of the Wadi Fara, it seems likely that from Penuel Jacob traveled west along the Jabbok Valley, came out into the Jordan Valley, crossed the Jordan River and proceeded up the Wadi Fara. Succoth, then, should be in the area where the Jabbok flows into the Jordan Valley. One site in this region which has been suggested is Tell Deir Alla (see Bible and Spade, Autumn 1977, pp. 121-124), but there are other possible candidates.
After Pharoah Shishak invaded Palestine during the reign of Jeroboam (I Kings 14:25–28, 2 Chronicles 12:1–12), he commemorated the event by inscribing a list of the cities he conquered
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Where the Roman road to Jerash crossed the Jabbok, near the modern road to Jerash. Possibly the King’s highway crossed the Jabbok at this point.
on the wall of the temple of Amon at Thebes. Included in the list are the three cities visited by Jacob: Mahanaim, Penuel and Succoth.
Jacob’s journey down the Jabbok would have been a pleasant one. Although the valley is quite narrow, the stream is gently flowing and shallow, making it possible to ford the stream with little difficulty, and the adjacent gravel beds and alluvial terraces provide an easy way of travel. In addition to water from the stream, Jacob could have obtained produce, either growing wild or from farmers along the way, and the steep slopes of the valley would have provided pasturage for his flocks and herds, as they do today.
The Jabbok as a Border
During the time of Moses and Joshua, the Jabbok is mentioned a number of times as a boundary. The east-west section was the northern border of the kingdom of Sihon the Amorite, whose territory the Israelites captured under Moses (Numbers 21:24 and Judges 11:13, 22). The north-south section marked the western border of the Ammonites, and this border was so strong that the Israelites were unable to penetrate it (Numbers 21:24, Deuteronomy 2:37, Joshua 12:2). Sihon’s territory south and west of the Jabbok was given to the tribes of Reuben and Gad for a
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possession (Deuteronomy 3:16).
Gideon and the Midianites
We encounter the Jabbok once more in the account of Gideon’s pursuit of the Midianites in Judges 8, ca. 1200 B.C. The Midianites were camel-riding nomads, probably from the Arabian desert, who were plundering the Israelite crops each year in the times of the Judges (Judges 6:1–6). God raised up Gideon as a deliverer and with his 300 men and their trumpets, lamps, and pitchers, he drove the Midianite forces back across the Jordan (Judges 6:7–7:25). Although it is not mentioned by name, when Gideon pursued the Midianites in Judges 8, the places mentioned indicate that he went up the Jabbok Valley. After Gideon and his men crossed the Jordan, the first place they came to was Succoth, where Jacob had built a house and booths. When the inhabitants refused to provide bread for his hungry troops, Gideon promised “Therefore when the Lord hath delivered (the Midianite leaders) Zebah and Zulmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers” (Judges 8:7). Gideon then made his way up the Jabbok canyon and came to Penuel where Jacob had wrestled with God centuries before. Again he was refused food, so Gideon told the men of Penuel, “When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower” (vs. 9). Gideon continued his pursuit via “the way of them that dwelt in tents” (vs. 11). This is probably the Wadi Sirhan, a dry river bed which goes from the desert in eastern Jordan southeast into Saudi Arabia. Gideon traveled east of Nobah, whose location is unknown, and Jogbehah, which is possibly Jubeiha 11 km. northwest of Amman, and overtook the Midianites at Karkor, another site which has not been positively identified (vss. 10, 11). After his defeat of the Midianites, Gideon returned and settled his score with Succoth and Pennel as he had promised (vss. 12–17).
Except for its mention as a border in the exchanges between Jephthah and the king of Ammon in the period of the Judges (Judges 11:13, 22), the Jabbok is not mentioned again in the Bible. This quiet little stream witnessed significant biblical events — Jacob’s wrestling match with God, the passage of Jacob’s family and flocks, and Gideon’s pursuit of the Midianites. Today, Jacob and Gideon would find an obstacle in the valley, for the government of Jordan has built a dam between its steep banks to trap the precious waters of the Jabbok in order to provide much needed water for the
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city of Amman and for irrigation. But otherwise, the Jabbok is the same pleasant, refreshing stream that it was in the days of Jacob and of Gideon.
The nearly completed King Talal Dam in the Jabbok Valley.
FIVE YEAR INDEX
An index for the first five volumes of Bible and Spade (1972–1976) is now available. It contains a subject index, scripture index and a list of articles. The cost is $2.00 plus .50 for postage and handling. Order from Word of Truth, Box 288, Ballston Spa, NY 12020.
Bible and Spade 7:3 (Summer 1978)