Jonathan and David met in a field where ostensibly the king’s son had gone to practice archery. (1 Sam. 20:24-40) The two friends renewed their bond of affection and “began kissing each other and weeping for each other,” as other men are noted to have done and even as is done in some lands today. (1 Sam. 20:41; Gen. 29:13; 45:15; Acts 20:37) Later Jonathan was able to contact David for the last time at Horesh and he strengthened “his hand in regard to God”; they renewed their covenant.—1 Sam. 23:16-18.

There is no Biblical indication that Jonathan shared with his father in his expeditions against David. But in the battle against God’s enemies, the Philistines, Jonathan fought to the death, dying on the same day as two of his brothers and his father. The Philistines hung the corpses on the walls at Beth-shan. However, valiant men of Jabesh-gilead removed them and buried them at Jabesh. Later David moved the bones of Saul and Jonathan to Zela. (1 Sam. 31:1-13; 2 Sam. 21:12-14; 1 Chron. 10:1-12) David deeply lamented the death of his close friend Jonathan, even chanting over Saul and Jonathan the dirge entitled “The Bow.” (2 Sam. 1:17-27) King David showed special kindness to Jonathan’s lame son Mephibosheth, who was five years old at his father’s death. He eventually had a permanent place at the king’s table. (2 Sam. 4:4; 9:10-13) Jonathan’s line continued for generations.—1 Chron. 8:33-40.

3. A son of High Priest Abiathar and one who served as a courier when David fled Jerusalem during Absalom’s revolt but who apparently later sided with rebellious Adonijah. Jonathan’s father traveled with David when the future king was outlawed by Saul, and later Abiathar was made high priest. At the time of Absalom’s usurpation David sent Abiathar and Zadok back to the capital so they could supply information. Abiathar’s priestly son Jonathan is here first brought into the Biblical account. He and Ahimaaz the son of Zadok were to carry vital messages from their fathers and from Hushai to David. (2 Sam. 15:27-29, 36) The two couriers could not enter the city without being recognized, so they waited at a spring or well named En-rogel near the city. When Absalom seemed to accept Hushai’s counsel, word was sent to the two waiting messengers. They sped to convey word to the king. Spotted and pursued, they were almost apprehended. With the help of a woman they hid in a well until the danger was past and then went to David and advised him to cross over the Jordan.—2 Sam. 17:15-22.

In David’s closing days his son Adonijah conspired to become king instead of Solomon, and Abiathar linked up with him. Perhaps being influenced by his father’s lead, Jonathan evidently defected to the side of Adonijah. It was Jonathan who brought to the banqueting usurper the disquieting news that David had foiled the plot by making Solomon the king. The Bible does not say anything further about Jonathan. He may have shared his father’s banishment, but, whatever occurred, the office of high priest did not continue in his family.—1 Ki. 1:41-43; 2:26, 27.

4. Nephew of King David who struck down a giant who taunted Israel at Gath. (2 Sam. 21:20, 21; 1 Chron. 20:6, 7) This Jonathan is listed as the son of King David’s brother Shimea or Shimei. Since there is a Jehonadab mentioned at 2 Samuel 13:3 as the son of David’s brother Shimeah, some commentators feel that the same individual is intended.—See JEHONADAB No. 1.

5. One of David’s mighty men of the military forces. He was the son of Shagee the Hararite.—2 Sam. 23:8, 32; 1 Chron. 11:26, 34.

6. A son of Uzziah, in charge of King David’s treasures “in the field, in the cities and in the villages and in the towers,” as distinct from the king’s treasures in Jerusalem. (1 Chron. 27:25) Jonathan is mentioned after royal treasurer Azmaveth and before those responsible to care for specific assignments such as the vineyards or the olive groves.—1 Chron. 27:25-28.

7. A man of understanding, a secretary and a counselor for King David. (1 Chron. 27:32) In the Masoretic text Jonathan’s relationship to David is indicated by the Hebrew word dohdh, which generally means “uncle.” But in view of two references in the Scriptures to a nephew of David named Jonathan, it is likely that the word is here used in the wider sense of “relative,” here being “brother’s son” or “nephew.” (Ro; AS, ftn.; NW) He would thus be the same as No. 4 above.

8. One of the military chiefs in the field when Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E.; a son of Kareah and brother of Johanan. After Gedaliah had been put in charge of the people left in the land, Jonathan and the other military leaders from the field went to him and were reassured of safety. (Jer. 40:7-10) Evidently Jonathan was also among those who delivered to Gedaliah the warning that he chose to ignore about the danger of assassination.—Jer. 40:13-16.

9. One of the two sons of Jada and a descendant of Judah through Hezron and Jerahmeel. His brother Jether died without sons, but Jonathan had two, Peleth and Zaza.—1 Chron. 2:3, 25, 26, 28, 32, 33.

10. An Israelite of the family of Adin whose son Ebed returned to Jerusalem from Babylon with Ezra in 468 B.C.E.—Ezra 8:1, 6.

11. A son of Asahel who, along with others, opposed Ezra’s proposal that the returned Jews put away their foreign wives.—Ezra 10:15.

12. Son of Joiada and grandson of High Priest Eliashib. (Neh. 12:10, 11) It is thought that actually verse eleven should read “Johanan” instead of “Jonathan” since Nehemiah 12:22, 23 refers to Johanan as “son of Eliashib,” and “son” can signify “grandson.”—See JOHANAN No. 7.

13. Priest who was head of the paternal house of Malluchi in the days of High Priest Joiakim.—Neh. 12:12, 14.

14. Son of Shemaiah of the family of Asaph and father of Zechariah, a priestly trumpeter in the procession that marched upon the rebuilt wall of Jerusalem.—Neh. 12:31, 35, 36.

JOPPA

(Jopʹpa) [beauty, or, beautiful].

An ancient seaport about thirty-five miles (56 kilometers) NW of Jerusalem. Modern Jaffa (merged with Tel Aviv in 1948 and thereafter called Tel Aviv-Yafo) occupies the ancient site. The city is situated on a rocky hill rising to a height of about 116 feet (c. 35 meters). Its harbor, the only natural one between Mount Carmel and the border of Egypt, is formed by a low ledge of rocks paralleling the coast at a distance of between 300 and 400 feet (91 and 122 meters) offshore. The harbor may be entered either through a narrow gap in the rocky ledge or at the open but shallow N end. Rocks bar access from the S.

Joppa was on the border of Dan’s territory, although not necessarily a part of it. (Josh. 19:40, 41, 46) However, Judges 5:17 associates Dan with ships, and this may imply that the Danites actually controlled the seaport of Joppa.

In view of King Solomon’s extensive commercial intercourse with other nations (1 Ki. 10:22, 28, 29), likely the harbor facilities at Joppa were improved. It was to Joppa that the Tyrians floated rafts of timber from the forests of Lebanon, to be used in temple construction. (2 Chron. 2:16) Later, the prophet Jonah, seeking to flee from his assignment, boarded a ship at Joppa to go to Tarshish. (Jonah 1:3) After the Babylonian exile, Joppa again served as the harbor for receiving cedar timbers from Lebanon for use in temple rebuilding.—Ezra 3:7.

In the first century C.E. a Christian congregation existed at Joppa. Dorcas (Tabitha), a woman ‘abounding in good deeds and gifts of mercy,’ was associated with that congregation. Upon her death Peter came from nearby Lydda on request and subsequently resurrected Dorcas. As news of this miracle spread throughout Joppa, many became believers. (Acts 9:36-42) For quite a few days Peter stayed at Joppa, being entertained by a certain Simon, a tanner, who had his house by the sea. (Acts 9:43; 10:6) It was on the roof of Simon’s house that Peter, while in a trance, received divine revelation concerning the propriety of preaching to non-Jews, just in time to receive the messengers sent by Gentile Cornelius. Consequently, Peter did not hesitate to go to Caesarea with these messengers. Also, six Jewish brothers, apparently from Joppa, accompanied him.—Acts 10:9-45; 11:5-14.

[Picture on page 958]

The modern-day port of Jaffa

JORAI

(Joʹrai).

A descendant of Gad mentioned in a genealogical listing along with other “heads of the house of their forefathers.”—1 Chron. 5:11, 13, 15.

JORAM

(Joʹram) [shortened form of Jehoram, meaning “Jehovah is high, exalted”].

1. Son of King Toi of Hamath. Joram was sent with costly gifts made of gold, silver and copper, along with his father’s congratulations, to King David when the latter defeated Hadadezer the king of Zobah. David, in turn, accepted and sanctified the gifts to Jehovah. (2 Sam. 8:5, 9-11) In a parallel account Joram’s name is spelled Hadoram.—1 Chron. 18:9-11.

2. A descendant of Levite Eliezer, Moses’ son; he apparently lived when David was king.—1 Chron. 26:24, 25; Ex. 18:2-4.

3. King of Israel for twelve years; son of Ahab. Usually he is identified by the longer form of his name, Jehoram. (2 Ki. 3:1) Only in three chapters do we find the short form in the Masoretic text.—2 Ki. 8:16-29; 9:14-29; 2 Chron. 22:5-7; NW, 1955 ed., ftns.; see JEHORAM No. 2.

4. King of Judah for eight years; son of Jehoshaphat. The Masoretic text has his name at times in the short form. (2 Ki. 8:21, 23, 24; 11:2; 1 Chron. 3:11; NW, 1955 ed., ftns.) The shortened form is also found in the Westcott and Hort Greek Text, but a few translations give assistance in understanding by rendering the full name.—Matt. 1:8, NW, Sawyer, TC, We; see JEHORAM No. 3.

JORDAN

(Jorʹdan) [the descender].

The main river of the Promised Land, forming a natural border between most of E and W Palestine. (Josh. 22:25) The four streams that unite to form the Jordan arise near Mount Hermon and are fed by its melting snows. From a large cave at the base of Mount Hermon issues the Nahr Banias. The Nahr el-Leddan bursts forth from two springs at Tell el-Qadi (Dan) and, after flowing for about four miles (c. 6 kilometers), merges with the Nahr Banias. Through the valley between Mt. Hermon and Mt. Lebanon run the Nahr Bareighit and the Nahr Hasbani. Shortly after these two streams unite they join the combined waters of the Nahr Banias and the Nahr el-Leddan to become the Jordan. The Yarmuk and the Jabbok, its main tributaries, enter the Jordan from the E. Today most of the Jordan is a very muddy stream, and among the fish found in its waters are barbel and bream.

About seven miles (c. 11 kilometers) N of Lake Huleh (now mostly drained) the Jordan proper begins its course. The swamps in the Huleh Basin that have not been drained abound in reeds, rushes, papyrus plants and tall grass.

Upon emerging from the Huleh Basin the Jordan flows somewhat peacefully for about two miles (c. 3 kilometers) but then rushes through basaltic gorges on its way to the Sea of Galilee. From the southern end of the Sea of Galilee the Jordan snakes its way to the Dead Sea for some two hundred miles (c. 320 kilometers), although the airline distance is only about sixty-five miles (c. 105 kilometers).

The Jordan is indeed a descender. Within a distance of some ten and a half miles (17 kilometers) between the Huleh Basin and the Sea of Galilee, it falls over nine hundred feet (c. 274 meters). As it continues its course from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, the Jordan forms twenty-seven cascading rapids and drops an approximate six hundred feet (c. 180 meters) more.

Below the Sea of Galilee the Jordan flows through a valley measuring some four to eight miles (6 to 13 kilometers) across. But at Jericho this valley has a width of about fourteen miles (23 kilometers). It is through the valley’s lower level (the Zor), with a width of from a quarter to two miles (.4 to 3 kilometers), that the Jordan turns and twists through dense thickets of thorns and thistles, vines and bushes, oleanders, tamarisks, willows and poplars. Anciently, lions roamed in the “proud thickets along the Jordan.” (Jer. 49:19; 50:44; Zech. 11:3) Wolves and jackals can still be found there. The summers are extremely hot and humid in this jungle, with temperatures climbing well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Centigrade). And in the spring, as the snow melts on Mount Hermon, the Jordan floods the Zor.

The upper level of the valley (the Ghor) lies as much as 150 feet (46 meters) above the Jordan’s jungle and is separated from it by bare and eroded grayish marl hills. The portion of the Ghor extending some twenty-five miles (40 kilometers) S of the Sea of Galilee contains cultivated land and pastures. Aside from this, most of the Ghor is uncultivated. However, in the time of Abraham and Lot, before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, apparently much more of it was productive, especially in the vicinity of the Dead Sea.—Gen. 13:10, 11.

The Jordan’s shallow waters and its numerous rapids and whirlpools render it unnavigable. Reportedly, there are at least sixty places where it is possible to wade across the river when not at flood stage. In ancient times control of the river’s fords was militarily advantageous, as they were the main means for crossing the Jordan.—Judg. 3:28; 12:5, 6.

Usually the portion of the Jordan below the Sea of Galilee averages from three to ten feet (.9 to 3 meters) in depth and is between approximately ninety and one hundred feet (27 to 30 meters) wide. But in the spring the Jordan overflows its banks and is then much wider and deeper. (Josh. 3:15) At flood stage it would not have been safe for the Israelite nation of men, women and children to cross the Jordan, especially not near Jericho. The current there is so swift that in more recent times bathers have actually been swept away. However, Jehovah miraculously dammed up the Jordan, making it possible for the Israelites to cross on dry land. (Josh. 3:14-17) Centuries later a like miracle occurred once for Elijah while in the company of Elisha, and once for Elisha alone.—2 Ki. 2:7, 8, 13, 14.

The Jordan also figured in the miraculous healing of Naaman. Helped to the right viewpoint by his