Joshua's last battle was
fought on the shores of the waters of Mermon, and
resulted in the defeat of the confederate kings of the Northern portion of the
The lake forms the basin
into which all the head streams of the
Triangular in shape, it is
widest in the North where it's shore is about six
miles long. It stretches southwards for nearly three
miles and a half, becoming gradually narrow till its width is that of a river,
which, some two miles further south is crossed by its
first bridge. This is a structure of black basalt supported by four pointed
arches. It was built by the Crusader Baldwin II in 1112; and it is known as Jisir Abui Jacob - 'The Bridge of
Jacob's Sons', a name bestowed on it in consequence of the tradition that it
occupies the position of the ford by which the patriach
sent his family over Jordan - that time he lingered behind to engage in that
famous wrestle 'until the break of day' which resulted in the change of his
name to Israel.
The lake is almost
surrounded by thick and well-nigh impenetrable walls of papyrus, the 'paper
rush' of the
A brook which enters its
North West angle is called by the arabs 'Ain Melka' - 'the Spring of the
King' believed to be an illusion to Joshua's Battle, for not far off is the
white domed Neby Husha -
the tomb of Joshua - of course so named in error.
Bounding the lake is a tract
of swampy level ground, perfectly covered we are told with flags and reeds and
rushes, and in most places quite impassible. Williams says it might be well
called 'the Marshes of Jordan', but parts of it is
firm and very firtile. These are well cultivated by
the Arabs who pitch their tents and feed their flocks there all through the dry
season of the year; and such fruitful crops of grain - especially of wheat -
are grown on it that it has well merited the names 'Ard
el-Hait' or 'Belad el-Hait' (Hait is the Arab word for
wheat) by which the inhabitants know it.
A very beautiful lily which
flourishes here abouts is believed to be the flower
to which the Saviour pointed when he declaired that
"Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these".
Detail of Lake Huleh - Plan about 1890 (230K)
In his excellent book "Daily Life in Palestine in the Time of Christ", Daniel Rops gives this "A level place about three miles long then held back the river in a marshy lake. this was what the Bible called Lake Huleh, known also as the 'Waters of Mermon' and famous ever since the time Joshua defeated the allied Jebusites, Amorites and Hittites upon its shores (Josha 11 v 6). At the time of the Gospels it was a large lagoon surrounded by beanfields. and among its reeds, standing upon one frail leg, the stork watched for carp. Presently turned into a polder, it will be a hebrew holland with two thousand farms, where as the only memory of the biblical lake, there will be a small zoological reservation, with a few troops of buffaloes and noisy flocks of scarlet flamingoes". 
Lake Huleh - Plan about 1890 (500K)