The Jezreel Valley
עֵמֶק יִזְרְעֶאל
Where is the Jezreel Valley? From Megiddo and Yokneam east to Beit She'an. I mark it certain.
Gideon's three hundred men surrounded the Midianite camp spread across this valley. At night they blew trumpets, smashed jars and raised torches, and the camp fell into panic.
By Aaron Shaffier, licensed Israel tour guide and mapmaker · About the mapmaker
- Site today
- From Megiddo and Yokneam east to Beit She'an
- How sure
- Certain The name, the sources and the finds all agree.
- Other names
- Valley of Jezreel, Emek Yizre'el, Esdraelon, Plain of Megiddo, Bik'at Megiddo, Marj Ibn Amer
- Location
- 32.5796° N, 35.3499° E (Google Maps)
How we know where it was
In English, "Jezreel" is a confusing name. In Hebrew it is clear. Yizre'el means "G-d sows," and the valley earns it. Drive through and tall wheat grows on every side.
The valley takes its name from the town of Jezreel at its eastern end. It lies flat and open between the coast road and the Jordan, and that made it the battlefield of the land. Canaanite iron chariots rolled here. Saul's army camped at the spring in Jezreel before its last battle. Ahab raced his chariot across it from Carmel, ahead of the rain.
Some verses use the name for the eastern part only, around Jezreel and Harod. The western plain was also known as the plain of Megiddo.
Watch: Prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel
Walking Tanach, Episode 2. Explains the name and tells of Ahab's race to Jezreel.
Visiting today
Megiddo, Tel Jezreel, Mount Gilboa, the Harod spring and Mount Tabor all look out over the valley. I explain its name in Prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel.
Read it in the Bible
Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In a handful of chapters English Bibles count one verse off.
See Jezreel Valley on the interactive map →
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Get the print + free ebookNearby places
- The Spring in Jezreel 2 km
- Jezreel 3 km
- The Spring of Harod 3 km
- Shunem 3 km
- The Patriarchs' Path 6 km
- Endor 8 km