JABBOK . A river now called Nahr ez-Zerka (‘the Blue River’), which rises near Ammân the ancient Rabbatb-ammon, and after running first N. E., then N., N. W., W., finally bends S. W. to enter the Jordan. On almost the whole of its curved course of 60 miles it runs through a deep valley, and forms a natural boundary. On its curved upper reaches it may be said practically to bound the desert, while the deep gorge of its lower, straighter course divides the land of Gilead into two halves. It is mentioned as a frontier in Numbers 21:24 , Deuteronomy 2:37; Deuteronomy 3:16 , Joshua 12:2 , Judges 11:13; Judges 11:22 . The Jabbok is famous for all time on account of the striking incident of Jacob’s wrestling there with the Angel ( Genesis 32:24 f.).
E. W. G. Masterman.