Megiddo, Megiddon* — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

City standing at the southwest edge of the plain of Esdraelon on the main route between Mesopotamia and Egypt. It overlooks the historic route where a pass through the Mt Carmel range led from the plain of Sharon into the plain of Jezreel. This strategic position made Megiddo one of the most important commercial and military centers of Palestine in the second millennium and the early first millennium BC. From earliest times, the environs have been the scene of major battles. Great military men, such as Thutmose III of 15th-century BC Egypt, Napoleon in 1799, and General Allenby during World War I, have fought for mastery there.

At the time of the conquest, Joshua defeated the king of Megiddo but did not take the city (Jos 12:21). In the subsequent allotments to the tribes of Israel, Megiddo was assigned to Manasseh, but they could not conquer it from the Canaanites (Jos 17:11-12; Jgs 1:27). During the days of the judges, Deborah and Barak defeated the forces of Hazor under the command of Sisera near Megiddo (Jgs 4:15; 5:19) but did not take the city either. Perhaps David conquered it as part of his program for establishing the kingdom. At any rate, by the time of Solomon, Megiddo served as the headquarters of one of his 12 administrative regions (1 Kgs 4:12). Solomon rebuilt it to serve as one of his chariot and garrison cities (9:15-19).

Show passage in OET: JOS 12:21

OET-RV JOS 12:21

21 the king of Ta’anak, the king of Megidon,

OET-LV JOS 12:21

21 The _king _of Taˊₐnāk one the _king _of Məgiddōn one.

Show passage in OET: JOS 17:11–12

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-RV JOS 17:12

12 But Menasheh’s descendants weren’t able to take possession of those cities, so the Kena’anim (Canaanites) continued to live in the region.

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.

OET-LV JOS 17:12

12 And_not the _descendants _of Mənashsheh they _were _able to_take _possession _of DOM the_cities the_these and_ the_Kənaˊₐnī/(Canaanite)[s] _he _was _determined to_dwell on _the_earth (the)_this.

Show passage in OET: JDG 1:27

OET-RV JDG 1:27

27 However Menasheh’s (Manasseh’s) 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-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.

Show passage in OET: JDG 4:15

OET-RV JDG 4:15

15 Then Yahweh caused Sisera and all his warriors and chariots to be confused as Barak advanced, so Sisera jumped down from his chariot and took off on foot.

OET-LV JDG 4:15

15 And_ YHWH _he _confused DOM Şīşərāʼ and_DOM all _of the_chariotry and_DOM all _of the_army to_the_mouth _of the_sword to_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before Bārāq and_ Şīşərāʼ _he/it _descended from_under the_chariot and_he _fled on_feet _of_his.

Show passage in OET: JDG 5:19

OET-RV JDG 5:19

⇔  19 Kings came and made war.
⇔ Then the Kena’ani (Canaanite) kings fought at Ta’anak,
⇔ at the Megidon springs.
⇔ But they weren’t able to plunder any silver.

OET-LV JDG 5:19

19 kings they _came they _fought then the _kings _of Kənaˊan/(Canaan) they _fought at_Taˊₐnāk at the _waters _of Məgiddōn profit _of silver not they _took.

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: KI1 9:15–19

OET-RV KI1 9:15

15 Now this is the matter of the forced labour that King Shelomoh (Solomon) brought up to build Yahweh’s residence and his palace, the raised terraces and the Yerushalem (Jerusalem) city wall, and the cities of Hatsor, Megidon and Gezer.

OET-RV KI1 9:16

16 (Mitsrayim’s (Egypt’s) King Par’oh (Pharaoh) had seized Gezer and set fire to it and killed the Kena’anim (Canaanites) who had lived in the city. Then he’d given it as a wedding present to his daughter when Shelomoh had married her.)

OET-RV KI1 9:17

17 Shelomoh rebuilt Gezer and lower Beyt -Horon,

OET-RV KI1 9:18

18 Ba’alat, Tadmor in the Yehudah (Judah) wilderness,

OET-RV KI1 9:19

19 all of Shelomoh’s storehouse cities, and the cities for his chariots and horses. They also built whatever else Shelomoh wanted—in Yerushalem, in Levanon, and in the entire area of his dominion.

OET-LV KI1 9:15

15 And_this is_the _message _of the _forced _labour which he _raised the_king Shəlomoh to_build DOM the _house _of YHWH and_DOM house _of_his _own and_DOM the_Millōʼ and_DOM the _wall _of Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) and_DOM Ḩāʦōr and_DOM Məgiddōn and_DOM Gezer.

OET-LV KI1 9:16

16 Parˊoh the _king _of Miʦrayim/(Egypt) he _had _gone _up and_he _had _captured DOM Gezer and_he_had _burnt _it with_fire and_DOM the_Kənaˊₐnī/(Canaanite)[s] who_was_dwelling in_city he _had _killed and_he_had _given _it dowri(es) to_daughter _of_his the _wife _of Shəlomoh/(Solomon).

OET-LV KI1 9:17

17 And_ Shəlomoh _he/it _built DOM Gezer and_DOM Bēyt Ḩōrōn lower.

OET-LV KI1 9:18

18 And_DOM Baˊₐlāth and_DOM Tadmor in_wilderness on _the_earth.

OET-LV KI1 9:19

19 And_DOM all _of the _cities _of (the)_stores which they _belonged to_Shəlomoh and_DOM the _cities _of (the)_chariotry and_DOM the _cities _of the _horsemen and_DOM the _desire _of Shəlomoh which he _desired to_build in_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) and_in_Ləⱱānōn and_in_all _of the _land _of his _dominion _of_his.

Jump to OET JOS 12:21 section.

Jump to OET JOS 17:11–12 section.

Jump to OET JDG 1:27 section.

Jump to OET JDG 4:15 section.

Jump to OET JDG 5:19 section.

Jump to OET KI1 4:12 section.

Jump to OET KI1 9:15–19 section.

King Ahaziah of Judah died there (841 BC) after being wounded by Jehu while on a visit to the northern kingdom (2 Kgs 9:27). King Josiah of Judah met and intercepted Pharaoh Neco of Egypt (609 BC) at Megiddo in a vain effort to prevent him from going north to aid the Assyrians; he was mortally wounded in the battle (23:29-30). The plain of Megiddo (KJB “valley of Megiddon”) is referred to in Zechariah’s prophecies of restoration for Israel and Jerusalem (Zec 12:11). Revelation predicts a great future war that will take place at Armageddon (Har Megiddon, the “mount of Megiddo,” Rv 16:16).