Bethabara The true reading is Bethany, which was changed to Bethabaraowing to the powerful influence of Origen, who could find no Bethany beyond Jordan known in his day. But in 200 years the very name of an obscure place might easily perish. Origen found -Bethany" in almost all the MSS. The site of Bethabara or Bethany is lost now, but it must have been near Galilee: comp. John 1:29 with John 1:43, and see on the -four days," John 11:17. It is possible to reconcile the two readings. Bethabara has been identified with "Abârah, one of the main Jordan fords about 14 miles south of the sea of Galilee: and -Bethania beyond Jordan" has been identified with Bashan; Bethania or Batanea being the Aramaic form of the Hebrew Bashan, meaning -soft level ground." Thus Bethabara is the village or ford; Bethania, the district on the east side of the ford. See Conder, Handbook of the Bible, pp. 315, 320. But see Appendix D.

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