The Spring in Jezreel
הָעַיִן אֲשֶׁר בְּיִזְרְעֶאל · “Ein Jezreel” on the map
Where was the Spring in Jezreel? Below Tel Jezreel, near Kibbutz Yizre'el, about 30 km southwest of Tiberias. I mark it very likely.
Saul's army camped by this spring on the eve of its last battle, with the Philistine camp at Shunem in view across the valley. The next day Saul and his sons fell on Gilboa.
By Aaron Shaffier, licensed Israel tour guide and mapmaker · About the mapmaker
- Site today
- Below Tel Jezreel, near Kibbutz Yizre'el
- How sure
- Very likely Strong evidence, with no serious rival.
- Other names
- Ein Yizrael, Ein Yizre'el, 'En Jezreel, Fountain of Jezreel, Spring of Jezreel
- Location
- 32.5598° N, 35.3376° E (Google Maps)
How we know where it was
Israel camped "by the spring which is in Jezreel." The verse names the city of Jezreel itself. And there is a spring at the foot of the hill, on the valley floor, more than 90 meters below the summit. The excavators of the tel describe it as the city's water source. An explorer linked it to Saul's camp back in the 19th century.
It fits the rest of the story. Saul's army held the slopes of Gilboa, and this spring lies below them, at the western end of the ridge. An army needs water close at hand, and here it was.
The verse names Jezreel. The spring lies at the foot of Jezreel's hill and served the city. And it sits right where Saul's army needed water. Only a name carved in stone is missing, which is why I stop just short of certain.
Visiting today
The spring is a small, simple site on the valley floor below Tel Jezreel, an easy walk from the tel near Kibbutz Yizre'el.
Read it in the Bible
Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In a handful of chapters English Bibles count one verse off.
See Ein Jezreel on the interactive map →
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Get the print + free ebookNearby places
- Jezreel right beside it
- The Spring of Harod 2 km southeast
- Shunem 5 km north
- Mount Gilboa 8 km southeast
- Endor 11 km northeast
- Taanach 12 km west