Jezreel Valley — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Largest and richest valley in the land of Israel. It was named after Jezreel, and it was apparently the only town on the plain where the Israelites had gained a foothold in the early stages of their conquest (cf. Jgs 1:27-30). The form of the name in later Greek sources is Esdraelon (Jdt 1:8); some scholars have wrongly applied the latter term to the great western plain and the former to the narrow valley leading eastward to Beth-shan. Comparison of Joshua 17:16 with Judges 1:27-28 and Joshua 17:11 shows that the Beth-shan area was considered as a separate entity from the valley of Jezreel, which included the cities of Taanach and Megiddo among others (cf. also Hos 1:5).

Show passage in OET: JDG 1:27–30

OET-RV JDG 1:27

27 However Menasheh’s (Manasseh) descendants didn’t drive out those living in Beyt -Shean, Ta’anak, Dor, Yivleam, or Megidon, because the Kena’anim (Canaanites) were determined to keep living there.

OET-RV JDG 1:28

28 (Later, the Israelis became stronger and they forced the Kena’anim to work for them as their slaves, but they didn’t drive them out.)

OET-RV JDG 1:29

29 Nor did Efrayim’s (Ephraim) descendants drive the Kena’anim out of Gezer, so they continued to live among them.

OET-RV JDG 1:30

30 Zevulun’s descendants didn’t drive the Kena’anim out of Kitron or Nahalal, so they continued to live among them and were forced to work as slaves.

OET-LV JDG 1:27

27 And_not Mənashsheh it _took _possession _of DOM Bēyt Shan and_DOM daughters _of_its and_DOM Taˊₐnāk and_DOM daughters _of_its and_DOM the _inhabitants _of of _Dōr and_DOM daughters _of_its and_DOM the _inhabitants _of Yiⱱləˊām/(Ibleam) and_DOM daughters _of_its and_DOM the _inhabitants _of Məgiddōn and_DOM daughters _of_its and_ the_Kənaˊₐnī/(Canaanite)[s] _it _was _determined to_dwell on _the_earth (the)_this.

OET-LV JDG 1:28

28 And_he/it _was if/because Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) it _became _strong and_he/it _assigned DOM the_Kənaˊₐnī[s] into_forced _labour and_completely _(dispossess) not it_dispossessed _him.

OET-LV JDG 1:29

29 And_ʼEfrayim not it _dispossessed DOM the_Kənaˊₐnī[s] who_was_dwelling in_Gezer and_ the_Kənaˊₐnī[s] _he/it _sat _down//remained//lived in_midst _of_its in_Gezer.

OET-LV JDG 1:30

30 Zəⱱulun not it _dispossessed DOM the _inhabitants _of Qiţrōn and_DOM the _inhabitants _of Nahₐlāl and_ the_Kənaˊₐnī[s] _he/it _sat _down//remained//lived in_midst _of_its and_they _were (into)_forced_labour.

Show passage in OET: JDT 1:8

OET-RV JDT 1:8

8 and to those among the nations that were of Karmel and Gilead, and to the higher Galil and the great plain of Yizre’el (Jezreel),

OET-LV JDT 1:8

8 and the/this/who in/on/among the/this/who Gentile_nation of_the Karmaʸlou, and Galaʼad, and the/this/who above Galilaian, and the/this/who great a_plain ⟦Ἐσδρηλὼμ⟧,

Show passage in OET: JOS 17:16

OET-RV JOS 17:16

16 “The hill country certainly isn’t big enough for all of us,” they responded, “plus the Kena’anim (Canaanites) living in the Yizre’el (Jezreel) valley and in Beyt-Shean and the surrounding towns have iron chariots.”

OET-LV JOS 17:16

16 And_ the _descendants _of Yōşēf _they _said not it _will _be _found to/for_us the _hill_country and_chariotry _of iron in_all the_Kənaˊₐnī[s] who_dwells in_land _of the _valley to_those_who in_house _of shəʼān and_her/its_daughters and_to_those_who are_in_the _valley _of Yizrəˊ^ʼēl/(Jezreel).

Show passage in OET: JDG 1:27–28

OET-RV JDG 1:27

OET-RV JDG 1:28

28 (Later, the Israelis became stronger and they forced the Kena’anim to work for them as their slaves, but they didn’t drive them out.)

OET-LV JDG 1:27

OET-LV JDG 1:28

28 And_he/it _was if/because Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) it _became _strong and_he/it _assigned DOM the_Kənaˊₐnī[s] into_forced _labour and_completely _(dispossess) not it_dispossessed _him.

Show passage in OET: JOS 17:11

OET-RV JOS 17:11

11 Menasheh was allocated cities inside both Yisakar’s and Asher’s territories: Beyt -Shean, Yivleam, Dor, Eyn-Dor, Ta’anak, and Megidon along with their surrounding towns.

OET-LV JOS 17:11

11 And_he/it _was to_Mənashsheh in_Yissāskār and_in_ʼĀshēr Bēyt Shan and_her/its_daughters and_Yiⱱləˊām/(Ibleam) and_her/its_daughters and_DOM the _inhabitants _of Dōr and_her/its_daughters and_the _inhabitants _of Endor and_daughters _of_its and_the _inhabitants _of Taˊₐnāk and_daughters _of_its and_the _inhabitants _of Məgiddōn and_her/its_daughters the _three _of (the)_Napheth.

Show passage in OET: HOS 1:5

OET-RV HOS 1:5

5 At that time in the Yizre’el valley, I’ll break Yisrael’s military power.”

OET-LV HOS 1:5

5 And_it _was in _the_day (the)_that and_I _will _break DOM the _bow _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) in_the _valley _of Yizrəˊ^ʼēl/(Jezreel).

Jump to OET JDG 1:27–30 section.

Jump to OET JDT 1:8 section.

Jump to OET JOS 17:16 section.

Jump to OET JDG 1:27–28 section.

Jump to OET JOS 17:11 section.

Jump to OET HOS 1:5 section.

The Midianites camped there, between the hill of Moreh and Mt Tabor (Jgs 6:33; 7:1); Barak defeated the army of Sisera and Jabin there, near Endor (Ps 83:9-10), and later the Philistines gathered there to oppose Saul (1 Sm 29:1, 11 OET SA1 29:1 · OET SA1 29:11; 2 Sm 4:4). Under the monarchy, the valley was an administrative district (2 Sm 2:9; 1 Kgs 4:12). Another name, perhaps applicable only to the southern half of the valley, is the plain of Megiddo (2 Chr 35:22; Zec 12:11).

Show passage in OET: JDG 6:33

OET-RV JDG 6:33

33 Meanwhile all the Midyanite and Amaleki warriors and others from the east, assembled together. Then they crossed the Yarden (Jordan) and set up camp in the Yizre’el (Jezreel) valley.

OET-LV JDG 6:33

33 And_all Midyān and_ˊAmālēq and_the _sons the_east they _gathered together and_they _passed _over and_they _encamped in_the _valley _of Yizrəˊ^ʼēl/(Jezreel).

Show passage in OET: JDG 7:1

OET-RV JDG 7:1

7 Then Gid’on (also known as Yeruba’al) and the warriors with him got up early and went to Harod spring. The Midyanite camp was north of them in the valley below the Moreh hill.

OET-LV JDG 7:1

7 And_ Jerub-Baˊal that is_Gidˊōn and_all the_people which with_him/it _he _rose _early and_they _encamped at En Harod and_the _camp _of Midyān it _was to_him/it from_the_north from_the _hill _of (the)_Mōreh in_valley.

Show passage in OET: PSA 83:9–10

OET-RV PSA 83:9

9 Do to them as you did to Midyan,
⇔ as you did to Sisera and to Yavin at the Kishon River.

OET-RV PSA 83:10

10 They perished at Eyn-Dor
⇔ → and became like dung on the ground.

OET-LV PSA 83:10

10  Do to/for_them like_Midyān like_Şīşərāʼ like_Yāⱱīn/(Jabin) at_the _wadi _of Qīshōn.

OET-LV PSA 83:11

11  They _were _destroyed at_En- dor they _became dung for_ground.

Show passage in OET: SA1 29:1; SA1 29:11

OET-RV SA1 29:1

29 Meanwhile, the Pelishtim had gathered in their camp at Afek, while the Israelis were camped near the Yizre’el (Jezreel) spring.

OET-RV SA1 29:11

11 So David and his men packed up early in the morning to return to the Pelishtim region, but the Pelishti warriors headed towards Yizre’el (Jezreel).

OET-LV SA1 29:1

29 And_ the_Pəlishtiy _they _gathered DOM all _of armies _of_their to_ʼAfēq and_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) were_encamping at_spring which is_in_Yizrəˊ^ʼēl/(Jezreel).

OET-LV SA1 29:11

11 And_ Dāvid he and_men _of_his _he _rose _early to_go in_morning to_return to the _land _of the_Pəlishtiy and_the_Pəlishtiy they _went _up Yizrəˊ^ʼēl/(Jezreel).

Show passage in OET: SA2 4:4

OET-RV SA2 4:4

4 (Sha’ul’s son Yonatan (Jonathan) had a son named Mefiboshet. He was five years old when the report about Sha’ul and Yonatan’s death came from Yizre’el (Jezreel). Mefiboshet’s nanny picked him up to run to safety, but in her hurry he fell and became crippled in his legs.)

OET-LV SA2 4:4

4 And_belonged_to_Yōnātān/(Yəhōnātān/(Jonathan)) the _son _of Shāʼūl a _son stricken _of feet a _son _of five years he _was when_ the _report _of Shāʼūl and_Yōnātān _came from_Yizrəˊ^ʼēl/(Jezreel) and_she_lifted _him nurse _of_his and_she _fled and_he/it _was when_she_made _haste to_flee and_he _fell and_he _became _lame and_his/its_name was_Mephiboshet.

Show passage in OET: SA2 2:9

OET-RV SA2 2:9

9 and declared him to be king over Gilead, and over the Ashurim and Yizre’el (Jezreel), and over Efrayim (Ephraim) and Benyamin, and over all of Yisrael (Israel).

OET-LV SA2 2:9

9 And_he_made _him _king to (the)_Gilˊād and_near/to the_Ashurite[s] and_to Yizrəˊ^ʼēl/(Jezreel) and_over ʼEfrayim and_over Binyāmīn and_over Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) of _it _of_all.

Show passage in OET: KI1 4:12

OET-RV KI1 4:12

12 Ahilud’s son Ba’ana in Ta’anak and Megidon and all Beyt -Shean next to Tseretan below Yizre’el (Jezreel), from Beyt-Shean to Avel -Meholah, as far as the other side of Yakemeam,

OET-LV KI1 4:12

12 Baˊₐnāʼ the _son _of ʼAḩīlūd Taˊₐnāk and_Məgiddōn and_all Bēyt Shan which is_beside (to)_Tsₑrətān/(Zarethan) from_under to_Yizrəˊ^ʼēl/(Jezreel) from_Bēyt- shəʼān to Abel Meholah to from_the_other _side of_Yoqməˊām/(Jokmeam).

Show passage in OET: CH2 35:22

OET-RV CH2 35:22

22 However, Yoshiyah wouldn’t listen, but disguised himself before going into battle. He didn’t listen to Nekoh even though he was speaking for God, so he went to fight on the Megidon plain.

OET-LV CH2 35:22

22 And_not Yoʼshiy^yāh he _turned face _of_his from_him/it if/because to_fight in/on/over_him/it he _disguised _himself and_not he _listened to the _words/messages _of Nəkō from_the _mouth _of god and_he _went to_do _battle in_the _valley _of Məgiddōn.

Show passage in OET: ZEC 12:11

OET-RV ZEC 12:11

11 On that day the wailing in Yerushalem will be like the wailing at Hadad -Rimon in the Megidon plain.

OET-LV ZEC 12:11

11 In _the_day (the)_that the_mourning it _will _be _great in_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) like_the _mourning _of Hadad- Rimmōn in_the _plain _of Məgiddōn.

Jump to OET JDG 6:33 section.

Jump to OET JDG 7:1 section.

Jump to OET PSA 83:9–10 section.

Jump to OET SA1 29:1 section. · OET SA1 29:11 section.

Jump to OET SA2 4:4 section.

Jump to OET SA2 2:9 section.

Jump to OET KI1 4:12 section.

Jump to OET CH2 35:22 section.

Jump to OET ZEC 12:11 section.

The valley figures in the wars of Thutmose III and Amenhotep II, and the towns there, especially Megiddo, were under Egyptian control in the late Bronze Age. The southwestern side was famous as a military assembly ground, probably called Harosheth-haggoyim (Jgs 4:2, 13-16 OET JDG 4:2 · OET JDG 4:13–16).