Peraea

Peraea (Περαία, from πέραν, beyond), a name given to a portion of the country beyond Jordan, or on the east side of that river, the ancient possession of the two tribes of Reuben and Gad. According to Josephus (War, 3:3, 3), it was bounded on the west by Jordan, east by Philadelphia, north by Pella, and south by the castle of Machaerus. The country was fruitful, abounding with pines, olive-trees, palm-trees, and other plants, which grew in the fields in great abundance; it was well watered with springs and torrents from the mountains. It corresponds in an enlarged sense to "the region round about Jordan" (ἡ περίχωρος τοῦ Ι᾿ορδάνου, Mt 3:5; Lu 3:3; the earlier כַּכָּר of Ge 13:10). SEE PALESTINE. The events connected with this region mentioned in the O.T. are noticed under the articles SEE GILEAD and SEE BASHAN. It would seem to have been partially visited by our Lord (Joh 10:14). SEE BETHABARA.

⇒See also the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.