The Jezreel Valley

Tel Megiddo is made of 20 layers of ancient cities overlooking the Jezreel Valley dating back to 4,000 BC. Megiddo was a strategic location in ancient times and was also known as the Via Maris or “Way of the Sea”. Megiddo was the location of several battles and will one day be the location of the Battle of Armageddon. (Revelation 16:14-16)

Mount Carmel is a coastal range located south- east of the Mediterranean Sea. It rises to 1650 feet and overlooks the Esdraelon (Jezreel) Valley. In ancient times it was a barrier for travel along the coastal plain. In Biblical times Mount Carmel was known for its beauty and fertility. Isaiah 35:2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. Solomon praised Mount Carmel. Song of Solomon 7:5-6 Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, the hair of your head like purple cloth—a king could be held captive in your tresses. How beautiful you are and how pleasant,my love, with such delights!

Mount Tabor rises 1,843 feet above sea level. At its base is the modern city of Afula. Deborah and Barak camped on Mount Tabor with the Israelite army before they attacked and defeated Sisera.(Judges 4:6-14)

Hill of Moreh is the location where Gideon and 300 men defeated the Midianites. .Judges 7:1 Then Jerubbaal (that is,Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. At the base of the Hill of Moreh on the northern side is the town of

Nain. It is here that Jesus raised a widow’s son. Luke 7:11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. Located on the southern side of the Hill of Moreh is the town of Shunem. This is the town where Elisha raised up the son of the wealthy woman. 2 Kings 4:8 One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food.

The Jezreel Valley is also known as the Esdraelon Valley, Plain of Megiddo or the Great Plain. The Valley is bound on the North by Nazareth and Mount Tabor, on the east and south by Mount Gilboa and the mountains of Samaria and on the west by Mount Carmel. The name Jezreel means “God will sow”. It is a very fertile land and today is a major source of agriculture producing crops of wheat and barley. Jesus would have passed through this land as he traveled between Nazareth and Jerusalem. The Jezreel Valley is a large fertile plain and inland valley south of the Lower Galilee region in Israel and West Bank in the Palestinian territories.

Gilboa means “a bubbling fountain”. It overlooks the Jezreel Valley. It is at the foot of Mount Gilboa that Saul and his three sons were killed in the battle with the Philistines. 1 Samuel 31:8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.