2 Biblical Meanings of Jordan
The biblical meaning of Jordan is associated with the graciousness of the Lord and the overflow of blessings.
Overflow of blessings
To Moses and the children of Israel, Jordan represents an overflow of blessings. As they traveled through the wilderness, they hoped for the day when they would cross the Jordan and claim their inheritance in the land flowing with blessings.
Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon.” (Deuteronomy 3:25 NIV)
If you are in search of place names or biblical names with significant meaning, then Jordan is a great choice. The country and river represent an overflow of blessings and during the harvest season, the river overflowed its banks.
God is gracious
Jordan represents the graciousness of the Lord. When returning to his homeland after many years Jacob realized how much the Lord had blessed him.
Naming your child Jordan is a great way to acknowledge how grateful and blessed you are for having a child.
I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. (Genesis 32:10 NIV)
The promised land was a gift from God to the children of Israel. Choosing Jordan as a personal name for your child is a unique way to acknowledge that he or she is also a gift from God.
4 spiritual meanings of Jordan
Jordan represents abundance, hope, renewal, and rebirth.
Abundance
Jordan is a representation of abundance and this is why it’s a great name to give your child. When the tribes of Gad and Rueben saw how lush and flourishing Jordan was, they asked permission to have their part of the inheritance on that side of Jordan.
Lot the nephew of Abraham, also chose Jordan because of its abundance.
So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company (Genesis 13:11 NIV)
This name will help your child to tap into the abundant provision of the Lord and look to Him as his main channel of blessing.
There is hope
Jordan is a place that is associated with stories that bring hope. When the borrowed ax fell into the water, the prophet did something miraculous that reminded the worried men to always trust in God and be hopeful.
And he went with them. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. 5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!” (2 Kings 6:4-5 NIV)
Using Jordan as the middle or first name for your child will help you never give up on hope. When difficulties arise, you and your child may turn to Jesus Christ and trust Him to fix whatever problem you may have.
News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. (Matthew 4:24-25 NIV)
The name Jordan is a reminder to be hopeful even when the situation seems hopeless.
Renewal
The story of Naaman is proof that Jordan is symbolic of renewal.
So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. (2 Kings 5:14 NIV)
Jordan is the perfect first or middle name that will serve as a reminder that restoration and renewal are possible.
Jordan will not give up on himself or the situation that he is in because the God who restored Naaman is able to do the same thing for him.
Rebirth
In the New Testament John preached repentance and spiritual rebirth as he prepared the way for Jesus. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (Matthew 3:6 NIV) Jordan is a beautiful name for your first child as you start the new chapter of your life as a parent.
This name will teach resilience, encourage your child to die daily to self, and embrace God’s will and transforming power.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)
German and Hebrew origins the name Jordan
Thanks to its German and Hebrew origins the name Jordan has a rich history. The German origins of this name may be traced to the name Jordanes which is an ancient German name. This was the name of a Roman author from the sixth century who wrote the history of the Goths.
It is believed that this German name was influenced by River Jordan, the name of a significant river, and the name of a country in the Middle East.
Jordan became a popular name in the United States in the late 20th century and is still among the top baby names today.
Let’s take a look at the origins, spiritual and biblical meanings, along with Bible stories and verses to better understand the meaning of the name Jordan.
What does Jordan mean in Hebrew?
Jordan is a gender-neutral name of Hebrew origin. The origin of the name Jordan is associated with the country of Jordan and the Jordan River which means Yarden in Hebrew.
The Hebrew word yarden is derived from the word yarad which means descend or flow down.
Yarden, Yardena, and Yochanan are the Hebrew names for Jordan. Yardena is a feminine name which means to flow down. Yarden and Yochanan are the masculine versions of the name. Yochanan means God is gracious.
The Origins of Jordan in the Bible
Though Jordan is not the name of a biblical character, this place name is mentioned throughout the Bible and played an important role in the history of the people of Israel.
The first mention of Jordan may be found in Genesis 13:10. In this text, the description of Jordan showed that it had a likeness to the Garden of the Lord.
Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) (Genesis 13:10 NIV)
There are four other mentions of Jordan in the book of Genesis and over one hundred and eighty other texts in both the New and Old Testament where the river itself or the countries surrounding it was mentioned.
What Bible verses contain Jordan?
There are a number of biblical passages that contain the name of the river Jordan. Let’s take a look at some of these verses.
“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, (Numbers 33:51 NIV)
Then the boundary will go down along the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea. “‘This will be your land, with its boundaries on every side.’” (Numbers 34:12 NIV)
I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land. (Deuteronomy 4:22 NIV)
Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it. (Judges 8:4 NIV)
The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back; 4 the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs. 5 Why was it, sea, that you fled? Why, Jordan, did you turn back? 6 Why, mountains, did you leap like rams, you hills, like lambs? (Psalm 114:3-5 NIV)
5 Stories about Jordan in the Bible
There are a number of biblical events about Jordan. Here are some popular Bible stories along with verses that you may use for biblical reference.
The story of the Reubenites and Gadites
The tribes of Reuben and Gad realized that the lands east of the Jordan River were suitable for their livestock so they asked Moses and Eleazar permission to settle there.
If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.” (Numbers 32:5 NIV)
The story of crossing the Jordan
The children of Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground the same way they crossed the Red Sea.
Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. (Joshua 3:15-16 NIV)
The Story of Elijah
The Lord instructed the prophet Elijah to go to a special place (East of Jordan) where He would provide for him during the famine.
So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. (1 Kings 17:5 NIV)
The story of Naaman
Though the water quality was very bad compared to the rivers from his homeland, Naaman became healed from his leprosy after dipping seven times in the Jordan water.
Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” (2 Kings 5:10 NIV)
The story of John the Baptist
John the Baptist was a New Testament prophet who preached repentance and announced the ministry of Jesus. The baptism of Jesus took place in the Jordan River by John.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. (Matthew 3:13 NIV)
Conclusion
The name of Jordan has ancient roots in the Hebrew Bible. It is associated with the Jordan River and the name meaning stem from the Hebrew yarden which means to flow down.
The spiritual and biblical meanings represent God’s grace, an overflow of blessing, abundance, hope, renewal, and rebirth.