Jordan with its Biblical Sites

Jordan with its Biblical Sites 31/05/2019

In the land of nowadays Jordan events mentioned in the Old Testament and the New Testament took place. That is why Pope John Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have visited some of those pilgrimage sites. Whether you are spiritually minded or interested in history, we list here some of the most important Biblical sites you might want to visit.

Bethany beyond Jordan / Baptism Site / Al Maghtas

John 1:28; Mathew 3:13-17; Like 3:21-23

30 minutes from the Dead Sea and 1 hour from Amman you find the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ. The place is also known as Bethany beyond Jordan and in Arabic as Al Maghtas. John the Baptist lived here in a cave for about and 20 years and he baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. The site has been authenticated by all major Christian church leaders as of the three holiest sites of Christianity. If visitors want to be baptized here, it can be done with an advance announcement.

Opening Hours are from 08:00-16:00 and the entrance fee is 12 Jordanian Dinar (JD) per adult, free for children below 12 years.

Mount Nebo

Deuteronomy 32:48-52

From Amman one drives about 45 minutes to reach Mount Nebo, approximately 710 meters above sea level. According to the Bible this is the place where Prophet Moses was granted to see the Promised Land he would not enter. It is believed he was buried here. From Mt Nebo you can overlook the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and parts of the Holy Land. On Mt Nebo a new Basilica protects the remains of the memorial of Moses including its mosaic.

Opening Hours are from 08:00-16:30 in winter and from 08:00-18:00 in summer. The entrance fee is 3 JD per person.

Madaba

The Bible mentions Madaba or Medeba and its vicinity several times. Stories that took place here include the Exodus, David’s war against the Moabites (2 Samuel 8:2), Isiah’s prophecy of doom for Moab (Isaiah 15:1-9), and Moab’s rebellion against Israel (2 Kings 1:1). Madaba is known as the “Mosaic City”. Good examples of mosaic art are displayed at Madaba Archaeological Park and you can watch the 6th century mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land in the Orthodox Church of St. George.

Opening Hours are from 08:00-16:00 in winter and from 08:00-17:00 in summer. The entrance fee at Madaba St George’s Church is 1 JD per person and will be increased in summer to 3 JD per person. -- The entrance fee to Madaba Archaeological Park is 3 JD per person.

Mukawir / Machaerus

Mathew 14:9-12

Within an hour you can drive from Madaba to Machaerus, known in Arabic as Mukawir. The hilltop stronghold of Herod the Great, King of Judea, was built in 30 BC. His son Herod Antipas imprisoned here John the Baptist. And Antipas’ daughter Salome was rewarded after a dance with the beheading of John the Baptist. After a walk to the top of the hill, you can see now a few palace remains, and enjoy panoramic views over the Dead Sea and the surrounding areas.

Opening hours are from 08:00-16:00 in winter, from 08:00-18:00 in summer. The entrance fee is 1.5 JD per person.

Dead Sea and Lot's Cave

Genesis 14:3; Ezekiel 47:7-12

The Dead Sea was called the Salt Sea or Sea of Araba in the Bible. Well known is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed by God due to their sinful lives. Lot and his family had been allowed to escape under the condition not to look back. Lot’s wife couldn’t stand it and looked, so she was instantly turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:24-26). Legend has it that today, Lot’s wife still stands as a rock formation because of her disobedience. Lot and his two daughters took refuge in a cave near the town of Safi. Early Christians built here a church which remains can be visited today.

Opening hours of Lot’s Cave are from 08:00-16:00 in winter and from 08:00 to 17:00 in summer. The entrance fee is 2 JD per person.

Wadi Musa and Aaron's Tomb

Numbers 20:22-24; Matthew 2:1-12

Wadi Musa is the town surrounding the well-known rock city Petra, established around the 6th century B.C. by the Nabataean Arabs. It is also believed that Prophet Moses passed through the area, struck a rock and a spring appeared (Numbers 20:10-13). You can see at the entrance to the town Mousa Spring, the spring of Moses. Moses’ brother Aaron, was buried in Petra at Mount Hor, now called Jabal Harun. For reaching the white domed Aaron’s Tomb you need to enter Petra Archaeological Park and it will be a moderate to difficult hike lasting full day.

Opening hours are from 06:00 to 16:00 in winter and from 06:00 to 17:30 in summer. A one day pass Petra costs 50 JD per person, children below 12 years are free of charge.

Amman

Deuteronomy 2:18-29

The capital of Jordan is mentioned in the Bible as Rabath Ammon, home to the Kingdom of Ammonites. Ammonites are the descendants of Lot, a nephew of patriarch Abraham. The Ammonites fought numerous wars with Saul, David and others. The city was renamed to Philadelphia during the Greek and Roman periods and change to its current name Amman during Islamic period. On the Citadel you can see remains of the Roman, Byzantine and early Islamic remains. The Jordan Museum displays some of the Copper Dead Sea scrolls.

Opening hours of the Citadel are from 08:00-16:00 in winter and from 08:00-18:00 in summer. The entrance fee is 3 JD per person, children below 12 years are free of charge. – The Jordan Museum is open from 09:00 to 16:00, Fri 14:00 to 17:30 and closed on Tuesdays. The entrance fee is 5 JD per person.

The King’s Way

Number 20:17 and 21:22

The King’s Way is one of the oldest routes and is mentioned in the Bible. Along 335 kilometers you find many archaeological sites mentioned above. Driving from north to south you can stop in Madaba, Mt Nebo, Wadi Mujib, the Crusader castles in Kerak and Shobak and the rock city of Petra. The Kings' Highway was the route that Prophet Moses used to lead the Exodus through the land of Edom to Canaan. The name may, however, derive from the even earlier episode recounted in Genesis 14:5-8, when an alliance of "4 kings from the north" marched their troops along this route to battle Sodom and Gomorrah, Hisban, Madaba and Kir Moab.