Valley
VALLEY
With respect to the general features of the Holy Land, see CANAAN; and for descriptions of some of its numerous valleys, see JERUSALEM, JEZREEL, JORDAN, REPHAIM, SHECHIEM, and SODOM. “The valley of the shadow of death,” is an expression denoting an extremely perilous and cheerless condition of the soul, Psa 23:4, and may have been suggested by the psalmist’s experience with his flock in some of the deep, narrow, and dark ravines of Syria.Thus the entrance to Petra is by long winding defile, between rugged precipices in some spots not more than twelve or fourteen feet apart and two or three hundred feet high, and almost excluding the light of day. See view in SELA. A similar pass south of mount Carmel is now known as the “Valley of Death-shade.”
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Valley
(also Vale), a hollow sweep of ground between two more or less parallel ridges of high land. Vale is the poetical or provincial form. It is in the nature of the case that the center of a valley should usually be occupied by the stream which forms the drain of the high land on either side, and from this it commonly receives its name. Valley is distinguished from other terms more or less closely related on the one hand, from glen, ravine, gorge, or dell, which all express a depression at once more abrupt and smaller than a valley; on the other hand, from plain, which, though it may be used of a wide valley, is not ordinarily or necessarily so. It is to be regretted that with this quasi-precision of meaning the term should not have been employed with more restriction in the A.V. SEE TOPOGRAPHICAL TERMS.
The structure of the greater part of the Holy Land does .not lend itself to the formation of valleys in our sense of the word. The abrupt transitions of its crowded rocky hills preclude the existence of any extended sweep of valley; and where one such does occur, as at Hebron or on the south-east of Gerizim, the irregular and unsymmetrical positions of the enclosing hills rob it of the character of a valley. The nearest approach is found in; the space between the mountains of Gerizim and Ebal, which contains the town of Nabls, the ancient Shechem. This, however, by a singular chance, is not mentioned in the Bible. Another is the valley of Jezreel, the undulating hollow which intervenes between (Gilboa Jebel Fukua); and the so-called Little Hermon (Jebel Duhv). SEE PALESTINE. Valley is employed in the A.V. to render the following Heb. and Gr. words. SEE DALE; SEE PLAIN.
1. Bik’ah (, from , to cleave; Sept. ) appears to mean rather a plain than a valley, wider than the latter, though so far resembling it as to be-enclosed by mountains, like the wide district between Lebanon and Anti-lebanon, which is still called the Beka’a. It denotes a wide alluvial bottom, and its levelness is plainly referred to in Isa 40:4. It is usually rendered valley (Deu 8:7; Deu 11:1; Deu 34:3; Jos 11:8; Jos 11:17; Jos 12:7; 2Ch 35:22; Psa 104:8; Isa 41:18; Isa 63:14; Eze 37:1-2.; Zec 12:11); elsewhere plain (Gen 11:2; Neh 6:2; Isa 40:4; Eze 3:22-23; Eze 8:4; Amo 1:5). This Heb. term is applied to the following places:
(1.) The Valley of Shinar ( ), the rich plain of Babylonia (Gen 11:2). SEE SHINAR.
(2.) The Valley of Jericho ( , the lower end of the Ghor, or plain, through which the Jordan flows unto the Dead Sea (Deu 34:3). SEE JERICHO.
(3.) The Valley of Lebanon ( ), the plain of Coele-Syria between the Lebanon and Anti-lebanon ranges (Jos 11:17). SEE LEBANON,
(4.) The Valley of Miegiddo. ( ), a part of the plain of Esdraelon, through which the Kishan flowed (2Ch 35:22; Zec 12:11). SEE MEGIDDO.
(5.) The Valley of Mizpeh ( ), the plain t the Hauran or of- Gilead, east of the Jordan (Jos 11:4). SEE MIZPEH.
(6.) The Valley of Sharon ( ), the level tract about Joppa, Lod, and Ramleh (Neh 6:2). SEE SHARON.
(7.) The Valley of Aven ( ), the plain of Damascene Syria (Amo 1:5), thought by some to be the same as No; 3. SEE AVSE.
2. Enmek ( from , to be deep; Sept. usually or , occasionally , or , A.V. invariably [except Gen 14:17; 1Sa 18:18] valley) designates a long broad sweep between parallel ranges of hills of less extent than the preceding term, but greater than’ the following ones, and answering quite closely, to the Western idea in general of a valley in its proper sense, having the idea of lowness and breadth rather than precipitateness or confinement. It is specifically applied to the following localities, which we enumerate in alphabetical order:
(1.) The Valley of Achor ( ), a valley near the N.W. end of the Dead Sea (Jos 7:24; Jos 7:26; Jos 15:7; Isa 65:10; Hos 2:15). SEE ACHOR.
(2.) The Valley of Ajalon ( ), a valley in the tribe of Dan (Jos 10:12). SEE AJALON.
(3.) The Valley of Hebron ( ), the valley in which Hebron lies (Gen 38:4). SEE HEBRON.
(4.) The Valley of Jehoshaphat ( ), the valley between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives (Joe 3:2; Joe 3:12); in the same connection called figuratively the valley of the decision ( ). SEE JEHOSHAPHAT.
(5.) The Valley of Jezleel ( ), the eastern extension of the plain of Esdraelon (Jos 17:16; Jdg 6:33; Hos 1:5) SEE JEZREEL.
(6.) The Valley of Keziz ( ) a valley in the tribe of Benjamin (Jos 18:21). SEE KEZIZ.
Besides the above, the term is sometimes used as an appellative for certain well known localities, e.g. the valley of the weeping (Psa 74:6; A.V. valley of Baka [q.v.]), the valley of blessing (2Ch 20:26; A.:V. valley of Berachah [q.v.), the valley of the back (1Sa 17:2; 1Sa 17:19; 1Sa 21:9; A.V. valley of Elah [q.v.]), the valley of -giants (Jos 15:8; Jos 18:16; valley of Rephaim [q.v.], 2Sa 5:18; 2Sa 5:22; 2Sa 23:13; 1Ch 11:15; 1Ch 14:9; Isa 17:5), the valley of Shaveh [q.v.]; (Gen 14:17), or of the king (dale, ibid.; 2Sa 18:18), the valley of the slime-pits (Genesis 64:3, 8, 10; A.V. of Siddim [q.v.]), the alley of booths (Psa 60:6; Psa 108:7; A.V. of Succoth [q.v.]), etc.
3. Gay ( or ) or Gey ( or ; plur. and , from ; to flow; Sept. usually ), a deep narrow ravine with a (winter or perennial) stream in the bottom either between hills (like the Ge-Hinnom at Jerusalem) or through an open plain (as along the Mediterranean or in Moab). In the A.V. it is invariably rendered valley (in the Sept. occasionally , , ,-and even ). It is applied distinctively to the following localities. See also Ai; Beth-peor, etc.
(1.) The Valley of Hinnom ( , Jos 15:8; Jos 18:16; Neh 11:30), or of the Son of Hinnom ( , Jos 15:8; Jos 18:16; 2Ki 23:10; 2Ch 28:3; 2Ch 33:6; Jer 7:31-32; Jer 19:2; Jer 19:6; Jer 32:35), the ravine on the south-western side of Jerusalem, whence the term Gehenna (q.v.).
(2.) The Valley of Jiphthah-el ( ), a ravine on the boundary between Zebulin and Asher (Jos 19:14; Jos 19:27). SEE JIPHTHAH-EL.
(3.) The Valley of Zephathah ( ), a ravine in the tribe of Simeon (2Ch 14:10). SEE ZEPHAITHAH.
(4.) The Valley of Gedor ( ), another ravine in Simeon (1Ch 4:39).
(5.) The Valley of Hammon-gog ( , Eze 39:11; Eze 39:15), or of the Passengers ( , Eze 39:11), a ravine on the east of the Sea of Galilee. SEE HAMON-GOG.
(6.) The Valley of the Craftsmen ( , Neh 11:35; or 1Ch 4:14, a ravine in the tribe of Judah. SEE CHARASHIM.
(7.) The Valley of the Mountains (, Zec 14:5, or
, ibid.), a ravine near Jerusalem (q.v.).
(8.) The Valley of Salt ( ), a ravine on the S.W. shore of the Dead Sea (2Sa 8:13; 2Ki 24:7; 1Ch 18:12; 2Ch 35:11; Psalm Ix, title). SEE SALT.
(9) The Valley of the Hyenas ( ), a ravine in the tribe of Benjamin (1Sa 13:18). SEE ZEBOIM. Other ravines; such as the valley of vision (Isa 22:1; Isa 22:5) of slaughter (Jer 7:32; Jer 19:6), are fanciful names, and still more tropical, the valley of the shadow of death (Psa 23:4).
4. Nchal (, from. to receive, or perhaps to flow; Sept. or ; A. V. often brook, river, stream) is the word which exactly answers to the Arabic wady. It expresses, as no single English word an, the bed of a stream (often wide and shelving and like a valley in character, which in the rainy season may be nearly filled by a foaming torrent, though for the greater part of the year dry), and the stream itself which after the subsidence of the rains has shrunk to insignificant dimensions. Many of the wadies of Syria owing to the demolition of the wood which formerly shaded the country and prevented too rapid evaporation after rain, are now entirely and constantly dry. SEE RIVER. As Palestine is now emphatically a land of wadies, so this Heb. term is of very frequent occurrence in the Bible; Stanley (Palest. append.) enumerates fifteen of these water-courses or torrent-beds: those of Gerar, of Eshcol, of Zered, of Arnon, of Jabbok, of Kanah, of Kisfhon, of Besor, of Sorek, of Kidron, of Gaash, of Cherith, of Gad (2Sa 24:5), of Sthittim, and of Egypt (Num 34:5; Jos 15:4; Jos 15:47; 1Ki 8:65 2Ki 24:7; 2Ch 7:8; Isa 27:12), this last could not be distinguished by a mere English reader from the river of Egypt, namely, the Nile, although in the original an entirely different word is used. This name nachal is also applied to the course of the Gihon (2Ch 33:14), and such wadies are often mentioned in the book of Job and elsewhere as characteristic of Arabia; Canaan itself is said to be a land of them (Deu 8:7). SEE BROOK.
5. Hash-Shephelah (; Sept. , ) is the only case in which the employment of the term valley is really unfortunate. The district to which alone this distinctive Heb. name is applied in the Bible has no resemblance whatever to a valley, but is a broad swelling tract of many hundred miles in area, which sweeps gently down from the mountains of Judah. towards the Mediterranean.. It is rendered the vale in Deu 1:7; Jos 10:40; 1Ki 10:27; 2Ch 1:15; Jer 33:13; and the valley or valleys in Jos 9:1; Jos 11:2; Jos 11:16; Jos 12:8; Jos 15:33; Jdg 1:9; Jer 32:44. SEE SHEPHELAH.
6. In the New Test. there is little notice taken of the external features of Cauaanr. In Luk 6:17 we read of our Lord standing in the plain, (but this should rather be a level place); and in Luk 3:5 we meet with valley, , for , gey, in Isa 40:4.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Valley
(1.) Heb. bik’ah, a “cleft” of the mountains (Deut. 8:7; 11:11; Ps. 104:8; Isa. 41:18); also a low plain bounded by mountains, as the plain of Lebanon at the foot of Hermon around the sources of the Jordan (Josh. 11:17; 12:7), and the valley of Megiddo (2 Chr. 35:22).
(2.) ‘Emek, “deep;” “a long, low plain” (Job 39:10, 21; Ps. 65:13; Cant. 2:1), such as the plain of Esdraelon; the “valley of giants” (Josh. 15:8), usually translated “valley of Rephaim” (2 Sam. 5:18); of Elah (1 Sam. 17:2), of Berachah (2 Chr. 20:26); the king’s “dale” (Gen. 14:17); of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:2, 12), of Achor (Josh. 7:24; Isa. 65:10), Succoth (Ps. 60:6), Ajalon (Josh. 10:12), Jezreel (Hos. 1:5).
(3.) Ge, “a bursting,” a “flowing together,” a narrow glen or ravine, such as the valley of the children of Hinnom (2 Kings 23:10); of Eshcol (Deut. 1:24); of Sorek (Judg. 16:4), etc.
The “valley of vision” (Isa. 22:1) is usually regarded as denoting Jerusalem, which “may be so called,” says Barnes (Com. on Isa.), “either (1) because there were several valleys within the city and adjacent to it, as the vale between Mount Zion and Moriah, the vale between Mount Moriah and Mount Ophel, between these and Mount Bezetha, and the valley of Jehoshaphat, the valley of the brook Kidron, etc., without the walls of the city; or (2) more probably it was called the valley in reference to its being compassed with hills rising to a considerable elevation above the city” (Ps. 125:2; comp. also Jer. 21:13, where Jerusalem is called a “valley”).
(4.) Heb. nahal, a wady or water-course (Gen. 26:19; Cant. 6:11).
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Valley
(See VALE.)
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Valley
We meet with an account of numberless values and vales in the Scripture. There is the valley of Achor, for a door of hope. (Hos 2:15) The valley of Baca, a place of Bochim, or weeping. (Jdg 2:1) The valley of Eshcol, or grapes. (Num 32:9) In short they are too numerous to be all noticed in this little work. But by valley the scriptural and figurative sense is, this lower world. Hence Ezekiel’s vision in the valley of the dry bones. (See Eze 37:1-14) I would only beg to call the reader’s attention to a beautiful instance in point, where Jesus, speaking of visiting his church, useth this figure, “I went down (said Christ) into the garden of nuts, to see the fruits of the valley; and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranate budded.” (Son 6:11) What an endearing representation this is of Jesus, coming down into time valley of our world, and taking notice of his own graces given by himself to his own people. Sweet thought to comfort every poor fearful believer
Fuente: The Poor Mans Concordance and Dictionary to the Sacred Scriptures
Valley
vali. See VALE; VALLEY.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Valley
Vale, Valley. Five Hebrew words are translated “vale” or “valley.” 1. Emek, signifying a “deep” broad valley, as the valley of Achor, Aijalon, Elan, Jezreel, Succoth, etc. 2. Gai or ge, signifying a “bursting,” and used to designate narrow ravines or glens, as of Hinnom or Salt. Deu 34:6. 3. Nachal, meaning a “wdy-bed,” filled with water in winter, but dry in summer. Such, beds or valleys were Chereth, Eshcol, Sorek, Zered, etc. 4. Bikah, properly a “cleft,” but applied to a broader space than a cleft or valley, and meaning sometimes a “plain,” as that between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon and Megiddo. Jos 11:17; Jos 13:17; Zec 12:11. 5. Has-Shephelah, wrongly rendered “vale” in A. V., but “lowland” in R. V., meant a broad tract of low Mils between the mountains of Judah and the coast-plain. Deu 1:7; Jos 10:40.
Fuente: People’s Dictionary of the Bible
Valley
Valley. It is hardly necessary to state that these words signify a hollow sweep of ground between two more or less parallel ridges of high land. The structure of the greater part of the Holy Land does not lend itself to the formation of valleys in our sense of the word. The abrupt transitions of its crowded rocky hills preclude the existence of any extended sweep of valley. Valley is employed in the Authorized Version to render five distinct Hebrew words.
1. ‘Emek. This appears to approach more nearly to the general sense of the English word, valley, than any other. It is connected with several places.
2. Gai or ge. Of this, there is fortunately, one example which can be identified with certainty — the deep hollow which compasses the southwest and south of Jerusalem. This identification establishes the ge as a deep and abrupt ravine, with steep sides and narrow bottom.
3. Nachal. This word answers to the Arabic wady, and expresses, as no single English word can, the bed of a stream (often wide and shelving, and like a “valley” in character, which in the rainy season may be nearly filled by a foaming torrent, though for the greater part of the year dry).
4. Bik’ah. This term appears to mean rather a plain (enclosed by mountains) than a valley, though so far resembling it as to be enclosed by mountains. It is rendered by “valley” in Deu 34:3; Jos 11:8; Jos 11:17; Jos 12:7; 2Ch 35:22; Zec 12:11.
5. has-Shefelah. The district to which the name has-Shefelah is applied in the Bible has no resemblance whatever to a valley, but is a broad, swelling tract of many hundred miles in area, which sweeps gently down from the mountains Judah to the Mediterranean. It is rendered “the vale” in Deu 1:7; Jos 10:40; 1Ki 10:27; 2Ch 1:15; Jer 33:13 and “the valley” or “the valleys” in Jos 9:1; Jos 11:2; Jos 11:16; Jos 12:8; Jos 15:33; Jdg 1:9; Jer 32:44.
Fuente: Smith’s Bible Dictionary
Valley
denotes “a ravine or valley,” sometimes figurative of “a condition of lonliness and danger” (cp. Psa 23:4); the word occurs in Luk 3:5 (from the Sept. of Isa 40:4).
Fuente: Vine’s Dictionary of New Testament Words
Valley
Psa 23:4 (b) David describes in this way the deep sorrow and perplexity which comes upon a person as he nears the portals of death. It may refer also to the times of deep sorrow and trouble through which persons pass along life’s pathway.
Son 2:1 (c) No doubt this is descriptive of the deeply distressing experiences of life into which the Lord brings the fragrance of His presence, the comfort of His words, and the sweetness of His fellowship to His own people. We should note that the word is in the plural, for there are many valleys between the cradle and the grave.
Isa 22:1 (c) This probably represents the feelings of the prophet when he was depressed in spirit, and felt quite crushed beneath the burden of Israel’s future. He was looking forward to the terrible destruction that awaited His people and it brought him low before the Lord.
Isa 40:4 (c) It may be that this is literal, and yet it may indicate that deep sorrows and perplexities may be overcome and great difficulties may be removed. It probably is a figure of the smooth, blessed life in which Christians may walk when GOD is present in power. (See also Luk 3:5).
Jer 2:23 (a) It seems as though these enemies of GOD were hiding in secret places to carry out their wicked designs. Where there should have been happiness under GOD’s blessing, they were sinning and inviting GOD’s wrath.
Eze 37:1 (a) GOD sees all the nation of Israel as gathered together in one place, and that a low place. We see Israel scattered all over the world, and found in every country. No doubt they are in the valley, for they are the subjects of other people when they should be citizens of their own country, with their own king. GOD sees all of Israel, every person of Israel as though they were in one place constituting one unit. (See under “BONES”), for a description of this truth found in this passage).