Dead Sea
"Sea" located 400m below sea level and into which the Jordan flows; commonly known today as the "Dead Sea"[1].
Description[edit | edit source]
Maria Valtorta, in her own descriptions, uses the term “Dead Sea” many times[2]. This term was certainly unknown at the time of Jesus, as it is generally attributed to Galen. In the historical dialogues of Jesus and his followers, other terms are used: the “eastern sea[3]”; the “Salt Sea[4]” or the “Asphalite Lake[5]”. These are the names actually found in the Bible, or among secular authors of the time.
Maria Valtorta dwells on describing this landscape. She even makes a sketch reproduced below:“The pilgrims, despite the fatigue of a long walk made perhaps in two stages from dusk to dawn by paths certainly not easy, cannot hold back an admiring exclamation. After crossing the last stretch of road on a slope where diamonds sparkle in the first morning sun, they have before them the complete panoRamah (Judea) of both banks of the Dead Sea.”
The western shore leaves a small plain area between the Dead Sea and the line of small hills which, with their low altitude, seem to be the last wave of the Judean mountains that have advanced onto the desolate shore and remained there with beautiful vegetation, after leaving the bare desert between them and the nearest Judean range.The eastern shore, on the contrary, has mountains that fall almost vertically into the Dead Sea basin. One really has the impression that the terrain, during a terrible tectonic catastrophe, was broken with a sharp cut leaving vertical cracks by the lake where torrents descend, more or less fed, whose Waterx, destined to evaporate, flow into the dark, cursed Waterx of the Dead Sea.
Behind, beyond the lake and the first ledge of the mountains, other and other mountains shining in the morning sun. To the north, the turquoise-green mouth of the Jordan, to the south, mountains forming a ledge around the lake.
It is a scene of solemn, sad, reproachful grandeur, where the cheerful aspects of the mountains blend with the dark image of the Dead Sea, which seems to recall, by its appearance, what sin can do and what the anger of the Lord can do. Indeed, this immense mirror of Water has a terrible appearance without a sail, without a boat sailing on it, without a bird flying over it, without an animal coming to drink on its shores!”[6]
Its name[edit | edit source]
Dead Sea, Salt Sea, Asphalite Lake.
Known in the Bible under these names as the “Eastern Sea”[7] and “Salt Sea”[8], this body of Water is called the “Dead Sea” due to its high mineral content that does not allow any life in its waters. Flavius Josephus also uses the term “Sea of Asphalt” because of the asphalt (or bitumen) that was found in large quantities on the lake’s surface and shores.
There are other biblical designations as well: the “Sea of Sodom,” the “Sea of Lot,” the “Sea of the Araba.” The expression “Stinking Sea” is also found. But these various names do not appear in the text of Maria Valtorta.
Where is it mentioned in the work?[edit | edit source]
EMV 80. EMV 525 EMV 540.
Explore[edit | edit source]
- 31° 34’ 34’’ N / 35° 29’ 04’’ E /
- -400m.
Notes and references[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Article partially written from the Geographical Dictionary of the Gospel, J.-F. LAVÈRE.
- ↑ For example: EMV 540.1.
- ↑ EMV 80.7.
- ↑ EMV 464.2 | EMV 525.12 | EMV 500.2.
- ↑ EMV 500.1.
- ↑ EMV 389.1.
- ↑ Ezekiel 47:18 | Joel 2:20. | Zechariah 14:8.
- ↑ Genesis 14:3.