Bible Encyclopedia: Jezreel

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

JEZREEL

jez'-re-el, jez'-rel (yizre`e'l, "God soweth"):

(1) A city on the border of the territory of Issachar (Joshua 19:18).

1. Territory:

It is named with Chesulloth and Shunem (modern Iksal and Solam). It remained loyal to the house of Saul, and is mentioned as part of the kingdom over which Abner set Ishbosheth (2 Samuel 2:9). From Jezreel came the tidings of Saul and Jonathan's death on Gilboa, which brought disaster to Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 4:4). The city plays no important part in the history till the time of Ahab. Attracted, doubtless, by the fine position and natural charms of the place, he made it one of his royal residences, building here a palace (1 Kings 21:1). This was evidently on the eastern wall; and the gate by which Jehu entered was over-looked by the quarters of Queen Jezebel (2 Kings 9:30 f). The royal favor naturally enhanced the dignity of the city, and "elders" and "nobles" of Jezreel are mentioned (1 Kings 21:8, etc.). Under the influence of Jezebel, an institution for the worship of Baal was founded here, from which, probably, the men were drawn who figured in the memorable contest with Elijah on Carmel (2 Kings 10:11). "The tower in Jezreel" was part of the defenses of the city. It commanded a view of the approach up the valley from Beth-shean-the way followed by the hordes of the East, who, from time immemorial, came westward for the rich pasture of the plain (2 Kings 9:17). It was necessary also to keep constant watch, as the district East of the Jordan was always more unsettled than that on the West; and danger thence might appear at any moment. The garden of Naboth seems to have lain to the East of the city (2 Kings 9:21), near the royal domain, to which Ahab desired to add it as a garden of herbs (1 Kings 21:1). See NABOTH. This was the scene of the tragic meetings between Elijah and Ahab (1 Kings 21:17), and between Jehu and Joram and Ahaziah (2 Kings 9:21). Joram had returned to Jezreel from Ramoth-gilead to be healed of his wounds (2 Kings 9:15). By the gateway the dogs devoured Jezebel's body (2 Kings 9:31). Naboth had been stoned to death outside the city (1 Kings 21:13). Josephus lays the scene by the fountain of Jezreel, and here, he says, the dogs licked the blood washed from the chariot of Ahab (Ant., VIII, xv, 6). This accords with 1 Kings 21:19; but 22:38 points to the pool at Samaria.

2. Identification:

The site of Jezreel must be sought in a position where a tower would command a view of the road coming up the valley from Beth-shean. It has long been the custom to identify it with the modern village, Zer`in, on the northwestern spur of Gilboa. This meets the above condition; and it also agrees with the indications in Eusebius, Onomasticon as lying between Legio (Lejjun) and Scythopolis (Beisan). Recently, however, Professor A.R.S. Macalister made a series of excavations here, and failed to find any evidence of ancient Israelite occupation. This casts doubt upon the identification, and further excavation is necessary before any certain conclusion can be reached. For the "fountain which is in Jezreel," see HAROD, WELL OF.

(2) A town in the uplands of Judah (Joshua 15:56), the home of Ahinoam (1 Samuel 27:3, etc.).

W. Ewing

JEZREEL, VALE OF

See ESDRAELON, PLAIN OF.

Strong's Hebrew

3158. Yizreeli -- an inhabitant of Jezreel
... an inhabitant of Jezreel. Transliteration: Yizreeli Phonetic Spelling:
(yiz-reh-ay-lee') Short Definition: Jezreelite. ... of Jezreel NASB Word Usage Jezreelite ( ...
/hebrew/3158.htm - 6k

3157. Yizreel -- "God sows," two Israelites, also two cities in ...
... Transliteration: Yizreel Phonetic Spelling: (yiz-reh-ale') Short Definition:
Jezreel. Word ... NASB Word Usage Jezreel (36). Jezreel. From ...
/hebrew/3157.htm - 6k

Library

From Jezreel to Horeb
... Prophets of the Northern Kingdom Chapter 12 From Jezreel to Horeb. [This ...
menial. At the gate of Jezreel, Elijah and Ahab separated. ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 12 from jezreel to.htm

The End of Ahab's Selfish Family
... Now Joram, with all the Israelites, had been defending Ramoth in Gilead against
Hazael king of Aram, but Joram had gone back to Jezreel to recover from the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/the end of ahabs selfish.htm

How Jehu was Anointed King, and Slew Both Joram and Ahaziah; as ...
... So he returned to have his wound healed in Jezreel, but left his whole army in Ramorb,
and Jehu, the son of Nimshi, for their general; for he had already taken ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 how jehu was.htm

Royal Murderers
... THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS ROYAL MURDERERS. 'And it came to pass after these things,
that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/royal murderers.htm

Elijah's Weakness, and Its Cube
... the southern border of the kingdom of Judah, was eloquent of memories of the patriarchs,
but though it was nearly a hundred miles from Jezreel, Jezebel's arm ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/elijahs weakness and its cube.htm

Everybody's Sermon
... As for his first son he was to be called Jezreel, "for yet a little while, and I
will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu." As for his daughter ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/everybodys sermon.htm

Philip and the Desposyni
... way to En Gannin, the turbulent Samaritan village on which the Sons of Thunder had
desired to call down fire from heaven; and so into the great plain of Jezreel ...
/.../chapter lxiv philip and the.htm

Ahab the Thief
... THE OLD TESTAMENT AHAB THE THIEF. Now Naboth, the Jezreelite, had a vineyard
in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab, who ruled at Samaria. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/ahab the thief.htm

Making the Best of Trouble
... time on.". Then the Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and
the Israelites camped at the fountain in Jezreel. When the ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/making the best of trouble.htm

The Fall of the House of Ahab
... and made Israel to sin.". And of Jezebel the Lord declared, "The dogs shall
eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. Him that dieth of ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 16 the fall of.htm

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Jezreel

(seed of God), a descendant of the father or founder of Etam, of the line of Judah. (1 Chronicles 4:3) (B.C. about 1445).

ATS Bible Dictionary

Jezreel

1. A celebrated city of Issachar, Joshua 19:18, lying westward of Bethshean, 2 Samuel 4:4. Ahab had here a palace; and this city became famous on account of his seizure of Naboth's vineyard, 1 Kings 21:1-29; and the vengeance executed on Ahab, 2 Kings 9:10,14-37 10:1-11. Jezreel was called Esdraela in the time of the Maccabees, and is now replaced by a small and ruinous Arab village, called Zerin, at the northwest point of mount Gilboa. Its elevated site gives one a fine view of the great plain of Esdraelon on the west, and the hills that border it; and towards the east it overhangs the wide and fertile "valley of Jezreel," Joshua 17:16 Jud 6:33 Hosea 1:5, which runs down east-south-east from the great plain to the Jordan, between Gilboa and little Hermon. In this valley, below and east of Zerin, is the copious "fountain of Jezreel," near which Saul perished, 1 Samuel 29:1 31:1

2. The great plain lying between Jezreel and Acre, called from two cities on its border in one part, "the valley of Megiddo," 2 Chronicles 35:22, and in its western part or branch the "plain or valley of Jezreel," afterwards Esdraelon. The body of this beautiful plain forms a triangle, rising gradually from the Mediterranean four hundred feet, and being about thirteen or fourteen miles long on the north side, seventeen on the east, and twenty on the south-west. The western part is level; on the east it is more undulating, and is at length broken by mount Gilboa and "little Hermon" into three valleys two or three miles wide, which sink down into the valley of the Jordan. Of these, the middle valley, described above, is the proper "valley of Jezreel." The river Kishon traverses this plain. It was formerly well watered and astonishingly fertile, but is now under the blight of tyranny and insecurity, comparatively uncultivated and deserted. The highways are unoccupied, the villages have ceased in Israel, Jud 5:6. There are a few small hamlets, particularly on the higher grounds that border it; and the abundant crops that it yields, even with poor cultivation, show that it might again be made the granary of Syria. Across this plain, from Carmel to Jezreel, Elijah ran before the chariot of Ahab, 1 Kings 18:46. It has been the chosen battleground of many armies. Here the hosts of Sisera were swept away, Jud 4:1-24; and here Josiah fell, fighting against Pharaohnecho, 2 Kings 23:29. Battles were fought here in the later periods of the Romans, and of the Crusaders; and in our own century, near mount Tabor, fifteen hundred French under General Kleber sustained the assault of twenty-five thousand Turks for half a day, and were succored by Napoleon.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

God scatters.

(1.) A town of Issachar (Joshua 19:18), where the kings of Israel often resided (1 Kings 18:45; 21:1; 2 Kings 9:30). Here Elijah met Ahab, Jehu, and Bidkar; and here Jehu executed his dreadful commission against the house of Ahab (2 Kings 9:14-37; 10:1-11). It has been identified with the modern Zerin, on the most western point of the range of Gilboa, reaching down into the great and fertile valley of Jezreel, to which it gave its name.

(2.) A town in Judah (Joshua 15:56), to the south-east of Hebron. Ahinoam, one of David's wives, probably belonged to this place (1 Samuel 27:3).

(3.) A symbolical name given by Hosea to his oldest son (Hosea 1:4), in token of a great slaughter predicted by him, like that which had formerly taken place in the plain of Esdraelon (Comp. Hosea 1:4, 5).

Jezreel, Blood of

The murder perpetrated here by Ahab and Jehu (Hosea 1:4; Comp. 1 Kings 18:4; 2 Kings 9:6-10).

Jezreel, Day of

The time predicted for the execution of vengeance for the deeds of blood committed there (Hosea 1:5).

Jezreel, Ditch of

(1 Kings 21:23; Comp. 13), the fortification surrounding the city, outside of which Naboth was executed.

Jezreel, Fountain of

Where Saul encamped before the battle of Gilboa (1 Samuel 29:1). In the valley under Zerin there are two considerable springs, one of which, perhaps that here referred to, "flows from under a sort of cavern in the wall of conglomerate rock which here forms the base of Gilboa. The water is excellent; and issuing from crevices in the rocks, it spreads out at once into a fine limpid pool forty or fifty feet in diameter, full of fish" (Robinson). This may be identical with the "well of Harod" (Judges 7:1; Comp. 2 Samuel 23:25), probably the `Ain Jalud, i.e., the "spring of Goliath."

Jezreel, Portion of

The field adjoining the city (2 Kings 9:10, 21, 36, 37). Here Naboth was stoned to death (1 Kings 21:13).

Jezreel, Tower of

One of the turrets which guarded the entrance to the city (2 Kings 9:17).

Jezreel, Valley of

Lying on the northern side of the city, between the ridges of Gilboa and Moreh, an offshoot of Esdraelon, running east to the Jordan (Joshua 17:16; Judges 6:33; Hosea 1:5). It was the scene of the signal victory gained by the Israelites under Gideon over the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the "children of the east" (Judges 6:3). Two centuries after this the Israelites were here defeated by the Philistines, and Saul and Jonathan, with the flower of the army of Israel, fell (1 Samuel 31:1-6).

This name was in after ages extended to the whole of the plain of Esdraelon (q.v.). It was only this plain of Jezreel and that north of Lake Huleh that were then accessible to the chariots of the Canaanites (Comp. 2 Kings 9:21; 10:15).

Thesaurus

Jezreel (37 Occurrences)
... been identified with the modern Zerin, on the most western point of the range of
Gilboa, reaching down into the great and fertile valley of Jezreel, to which ...
/j/jezreel.htm - 27k

Inflicted (20 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 8:29 King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the
Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. ...
/i/inflicted.htm - 12k

Wounds (57 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 8:29 King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the
Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. ...
/w/wounds.htm - 22k

Jez'ebel (19 Occurrences)
... See RSV). 1 Kings 21:23 And of Jezebel also spoke the LORD, saying: The
dogs shall eat Jezebel in the moat of Jezreel. (See RSV). 1 ...
/j/jez'ebel.htm - 11k

Moreh (3 Occurrences)
... It is a gray ridge parallel to Gilboa on the north; and between the two lay the
battle-field, the plain of Jezreel (qv), where Gideon overthrew the Midianites ...
/m/moreh.htm - 11k

Bethshean (5 Occurrences)
... It is represented by the modern Beisan, in the throat of the Vale of Jezreel where
it falls into the Jordan valley, on the southern side of the stream from ...
/b/bethshean.htm - 11k

Shunem (3 Occurrences)
... Two resting-places, a little village in the tribe of Issachar, to the north of Jezreel
and south of Mount Gilboa (Joshua 19:18), where the Philistines encamped ...
/s/shunem.htm - 10k

Beth-shean (5 Occurrences)
... It is represented by the modern Beisan, in the throat of the Vale of Jezreel where
it falls into the Jordan valley, on the southern side of the stream from ...
/b/beth-shean.htm - 11k

Ahazi'ah (33 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 8:29 And king Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which
the Arameans had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram ...
/a/ahazi'ah.htm - 16k

Jeho'ram (21 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 8:29 And king Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which
the Arameans had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram ...
/j/jeho'ram.htm - 13k

Bible Concordance

Jezreel (37 Occurrences)

Joshua 15:56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 17:16 The children of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us. All the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth Shean and its towns, and those who are in the valley of Jezreel."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 19:18 Their border was to Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Judges 6:33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 25:43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they both became his wives.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 27:3 David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 29:1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is in Jezreel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 29:11 So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. The Philistines went up to Jezreel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 30:5 David's two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Samuel 2:2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Samuel 2:9 and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Samuel 3:2 To David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Samuel 4:4 Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 4:12 Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 18:45 It happened in a little while, that the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 18:46 The hand of Yahweh was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 21:1 It happened after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 21:23 Yahweh also spoke of Jezebel, saying, "The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 8:29 King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 9:10 The dogs will eat Jezebel on the plot of ground of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her." He opened the door, and fled.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 9:15 but king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) Jehu said, "If this is your thinking, then let no one escape and go out of the city, to go to tell it in Jezreel."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 9:16 So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 9:17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, "I see a company." Joram said, "Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say,'Is it peace?'"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 9:30 When Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and attired her head, and looked out at the window.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 9:36 Therefore they came back, and told him. He said, "This is the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying,'The dogs will eat the flesh of Jezebel on the plot of Jezreel,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 9:37 and the body of Jezebel shall be as dung on the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel, so that they shall not say, "This is Jezebel."'"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 10:1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who brought up the sons of Ahab, saying,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT NAS NIV)

2 Kings 10:6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, "If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time." Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 10:7 It happened, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and killed them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 10:11 So Jehu struck all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 3:1 Now these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess;
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 4:3 These were the sons of the father of Etam: Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Chronicles 22:6 He returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hosea 1:4 Yahweh said to him, "Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hosea 1:5 It will happen in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hosea 1:11 The children of Judah and the children of Israel will be gathered together, and they will appoint themselves one head, and will go up from the land; for great will be the day of Jezreel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hosea 2:22 and the earth will respond to the grain, and the new wine, and the oil; and they will respond to Jezreel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Jezreel

Jezreel: A City in the South of the Territory of the Tribe of Judah

Jezreel: A City of the Tribe of Issachar

Jezreel: A City of the Tribe of Issachar: Ahab's Residence In

Jezreel: A City of the Tribe of Issachar: Jehu Kills King Ahab, his Wife, and Friends At

Jezreel: A City of the Tribe of Issachar: Joram's Residence In

Jezreel: A City of the Tribe of Issachar: Naboth's Vineyard In

Jezreel: A City of the Tribe of Issachar: Prophecies Concerning

Jezreel: A Descendant of Etam

Jezreel: A Valley

Jezreel: A Valley: Place of Gideon's Battle With the Midianites