rose early: Archbishop Usher supposes, that this was upon Wednesday, the 28th of April, am 2553, the fortieth year of the Exodus from Egypt. From Shittim, where the israelites had been encamped for about two months (Deuteronomy 1:3), to the Jordan, was, according to Josephus, about sixty stadia; that is, between seven and eight English miles. Genesis 22:3; Psalms 119:60; Jeremiah 7:13, Jeremiah 25:3, Jeremiah 26:5; Mark 1:35
Shittim: Joshua 2:1; Numbers 25:1; Micah 6:5
Jordan: Jordan, called by the Arabs El Sharia, takes its rise in Anti-Libanus, about twelve miles north of Cesarea Philippi, now Banias; and, having run about twelve miles southward, it receives a considerable stream, which is now called the Moiet Hasbeia. About 15 miles farther, it forms the waters of Merom or Semechon, now Houle; and, after running about 28 miles more, it passes through the lake of Gennesareth, and thence runs southward till it loses itself in the Dead Sea; its whole course being about 160 miles.