BETHANY BEYOND JORDAN: [Bethabara] (John 1:28)

Also Bethabara in the KJV but that is a misnomer. It stood on the other side (east) of the Jordan opposite Jericho. A monastery of St. John now stands there.

House of the ford, a place on the east bank of the Jordan, where John was baptizing (John 1:28). It may be identical with Bethbarah, the ancient ford of Jordan of which the men of Ephraim took possession (Judg. 7:24). The Revised Version reads "Bethany beyond Jordan." It was the great ford, and still bears the name of "the ford," Makhadhet 'Abarah, "the ford of crossing over," about 25 miles from Nazareth. (See BETHBARAH.)