George Leo Haydock

Jordan , a river well known, which rises in Antilibanus, not from Panion, but from the lake Phiala, as Herod the Tetrarch discovered by throwing some straw into the latter, which passed by a subterraneous passage into Panion. Thence it proceeds to the Semonite lake and to Daphne, where it begins to be called the Great Jordan. (Josephus, Jewish Wars iii. 33.) Having traversed the land of Palestine in a southern direction, it loses itself in the lake of Sodom. (Calmet) — It is a very rapid river, and hence its appellation from irod , or jord, descendit, is very probably derived. (Haydock) — The Arabs call it Zacchar, “overflowing,” because the snows and rains cause it formerly to overflow about Easter. (Universal History) — When Maundrell travelled through this country, the stream was too rapid for a person to swim against it. (Parkhurst) — Hence the miracle of the Hebrews passing through the Jordan on dry land, when its waters were the most copious and violent, would be the more observable. (Haydock)