(1 Kings ). In the Jordan valley is portrayed as a woodland region. Biblical commentator Albert Barnes suggested that "trees were rare in most parts of Palestine, but plentiful in the Jordan Valley". In biblical history, the Jordan appears as the scene of several miracles, the first taking place when the Jordan, near Jericho, was crossed by the Israelites under Joshua (). Later the two tribes and the half tribe that settled east of the Jordan built a large altar on its banks as "a witness" between them and the other tribes (, , et seq.). The Jordan was crossed by Elijah and Elisha on dry ground (, ). The prophet and wonder-worker Elisha performed two miracles at the Jordan: he healed Naaman's leprosy by having him bathe in its waters (), and he made an axe head lost by one of the "children of the prophets" float, by throwing a piece of wood into the water (). Yom HaAliyah (Aliyah Day, ) is an Israeli national holiday celebrated annually on the tenth of the Hebrew month of Nisan to commemorate the Israelites crossing the Jordan River into the Land of Israel while carrying the Ark of the Covenant as recorded in the Hebrew Bible's Book of Joshua. New Testament The New Testament states that John the Baptist baptised unto repentance in the Jordan (Matthew 3:5–6; Mark; Luke ; John). These acts of Baptism are also reported as having taken place at Bethabara (). Jesus came to be baptised by him there (Matthew 3:13; ; , ). The Jordan is also where John the Baptist bore record of Jesus as the Son of God and Lamb of God (). The prophecy of Isaiah regarding the Messiah which names the Jordan () is also reported in . The New Testament speaks several times about Jesus crossing the Jordan during his ministry (; ), and of believers crossing the Jordan to come hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases (; ). When his enemies sought to capture him, Jesus took refuge at the river in the place John had first baptised (). Scholars have concluded that the site called Al-Maghtas on the east side has long been considered the location for the Baptism of Jesus and a place of pilgrimage. This has led to choosing Al-Maghtas as a UNESCO World Heritage site, which took place in 2015. Derived cultural