Jezreel Valley
 Jezreel Valley viewed from Muhraqa, with Hill of Moreh on the left and Mt Gilboa on the right in the Background |
Meaning “God sows” Refers to a major valley, a northern city, a southern city, and the son of Hosea. 1. The Old Testament uses the name to refer to the entire valley of Jezreel which separates Galilee from Samaria, including the valley of Esdraelon. The valley was important militarily as a battle site for Deborah (Judg. 4-5), Gideon (Judg. 6-7), Saul (2 Sam. 4), Jehu (2 Kings 9-10), and Josiah (2 Kings 22). The geography of Palestine made Jezreel a major route for travel from north to south and from east to west. 2. The northern city of Jezreel, which guarded the corridor to Beth-shan, was the site of the royal residence of Omri and Ahab where the incident of Naboth’s vineyard occurred (1 Kings 21). 3. David’s wife Ahinoam was from the southern city of Jezreel which is located in the vicinity of Ziph (1 Sam. 25:43-44). 4. The prophet Hosea named his son Jezreel as a symbol to indicate the evil nature of the dynasty of Jehu which began with much bloodshed in Jezreel. The name also symbolized that God will sow seeds of prosperity after the destruction (Hos. 1:4, 5; 1:10-2:1). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary |