Bethabara

BETHABARA (Βηθαβαρὰ), mentioned in St. John's Gospel (1.28) as the place of our Lord's Baptism. It is placed by the Evangelist beyond Jordan,i . e. on the eastern side of the river (comp. 10.40), perhaps identical with Beth-bara (Judges, 8.24), where was a ford, from which the place doubtless derived its name, equivalent to locus transitus. ( Reland, p. 626.)