Jezreel Valley

Biblical References

• Joshua 17:16: The descendants of Joseph complain that they cannot easily take possession of the land because the Canaanites living in the valley of Jezreel have chariots of iron.
• Judges 4–5: Deborah and Barak defeat the army of Sisera. The text mentions Mount Tabor, the river Kishon, and "the waters of Megiddo" (Judges 5:19), but it does not use the name "valley of Jezreel." On the basis of these place names, however, the events are understood to have taken place in the area of this plain.
• Judges 6:33: The Midianites, the Amalekites, and the children of the east cross the Jordan and encamp in this valley. Gideon then goes out to fight against them.
• 1 Samuel 29:1; 31: The army of Israel pitches camp "by a fountain which is in Jezreel." In the ensuing battle, Saul and Jonathan are defeated by the Philistines and die on Mount Gilboa.
• 1 Kings 18:45–46; 21: Elijah runs before Ahab's chariot from Mount Carmel to Jezreel. In the city of Jezreel, where Ahab had a palace, the incident of Naboth's vineyard takes place (Ahab and Jezebel).
• 2 Kings 9–10: Jehu kills King Joram and Jezebel at Jezreel and brings the house of Ahab to an end.
• Hosea 1:4–5: God has Hosea name his son "Jezreel" and declares, "I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel."

Background

The Hebrew name "Jezreel" is usually interpreted to mean "God sows." The valley is also known by its Greek form, "Esdraelon." It extends from the ridge of Mount Carmel in the west toward Mount Gilboa and the Jordan in the east. The Kishon River (the brook Kishon) flows through the plain to the Mediterranean Sea.

Its fertile soil made the valley a breadbasket. Because it also lay on the route connecting Egypt and Mesopotamia, it was the site of frequent major battles from ancient times. Megiddo stands on the southwestern edge of the valley, and it was at Megiddo that King Josiah died confronting Pharaoh Necho of Egypt (2 Kings 23:29). Nazareth, where Jesus grew up, lies in the hills on the northern side of the valley.

Significance in Scripture as a Whole

In the Book of Hosea, "Jezreel" carries a twofold meaning. First, it is a name of judgment for the blood shed by Jehu (Hosea 1:4). At the same time, it is a name of promise, signifying that God will "sow" again and restore His people (Hosea 1:11; 2:22–23). The promise of restoration in Hosea 2:23 is quoted in Romans 9:25–26 and 1 Peter 2:10 as a word concerning God's calling of the Gentiles and the church.

Interpretations and Debates

• The problem of Jehu's judgment: Second Kings 9–10 records Jehu's destruction of the house of Ahab as carried out at God's command. Hosea 1:4, however, says that God will avenge "the blood of Jezreel." Interpretations differ on how to account for this tension. Some hold that Jehu exceeded the scope of the command and shed blood excessively; others see it as judgment on Jehu's dynasty for failing to turn from idolatry afterward.
• Relationship to Armageddon: "Armageddon" in Revelation 16:16 is commonly interpreted as "the mountain of Megiddo" and is thus associated with this valley. Interpreters in the dispensationalist tradition hold that an actual war will take place in this region in the last days. Many Reformed and mainline interpreters, by contrast, read it as a symbolic place representing the final confrontation between God and the forces of evil. Because Megiddo is not a mountain, the meaning of the name itself has also been explained in various ways. The biblical text does not directly call this valley "Armageddon."