Reference: Jezreel
Easton
God scatters. (1.) A town of Issachar (Jos 19:18), where the kings of Israel often resided (1Ki 18:45; 21:1; 2Ki 9:30). Here Elijah met Ahab, Jehu, and Bidkar; and here Jehu executed his dreadful commission against the house of Ahab (2Ki 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 (Jos 15:56), to the south-east of Hebron. Ahinoam, one of David's wives, probably belonged to this place (1Sa 27:3).
(3.) A symbolical name given by Hosea to his oldest son (Ho 1:4), in token of a great slaughter predicted by him, like that which had formerly taken place in the plain of Esdraelon (comp. Ho 1:4-5).
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David and his men stayed with Achish in Gath. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow.
In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour. So Ahab got in [his chariot] and went to Jezreel.
Some time passed after these events. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard; it was in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
Then Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. Joram and all Israel had been at Ramoth-gilead on guard against Hazael king of Aram. But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him when he fought against Aram's King Hazael. Jehu said, "If you [commanders] wish [to make me king], then don't let anyone escape from the city to go tell about it in Jezreel." read more. Jehu got into his chariot and went to Jezreel since Joram was laid up there and Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to visit Joram. Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel. He saw Jehu's troops approaching and shouted, "I see troops!" Joram responded, "Choose a rider and send him to meet them and have him ask, '[Do you come in] peace?' " So a horseman went to meet Jehu and said, "This is what the king asks: '[Do you come in] peace?' " Jehu replied, "What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me." The watchman reported, "The messenger reached them but hasn't started back." So he sent out a second horseman, who went to them and said, "This is what the king asks: '[Do you come in] peace?' " Jehu answered, "What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me." Again the watchman reported, "He reached them but hasn't started back. Also, the driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi-he drives like a madman." "Harness!" Joram shouted, and they harnessed his chariot. Then Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah set out, each in his own chariot, and met Jehu at the plot of land of Naboth the Jezreelite. When Joram saw Jehu he asked, "[Do you come in] peace, Jehu?" He answered, "What peace can there be as long as there is so much prostitution and witchcraft from your mother Jezebel?" Joram turned around and fled, shouting to Ahaziah, "It's treachery, Ahaziah!" Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow went through his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot. Jehu said to Bidkar his aide, "Pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. For remember when you and I were riding side by side behind his father Ahab, and the Lord uttered this oracle against him: 'As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday,' this is the Lord's message, 'so will I repay you on this plot of land,' this is the Lord's message. So now, according to the word of the Lord, pick him up and throw him on the plot of land." When King Ahaziah of Judah saw [what was happening], he fled up the road toward Beth-haggan. Jehu pursued him, shouting, "Shoot him too!" So they shot him in his chariot at Gur Pass near Ibleam, but he fled to Megiddo and died there. Then his servants carried him to Jerusalem in a chariot and buried him in his fathers' tomb in the city of David. It was in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab that Ahaziah had become king over Judah. When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it, so she painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked down from the window. As Jehu entered the gate, she said, "[Do you come in] peace, Zimri, killer of your master?" He looked up toward the window and said, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three eunuchs looked down at him, and he said, "Throw her down!" So they threw her down, and some of her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses, and Jehu rode over her. Then he went in, ate and drank, and said, "Take care of this cursed woman and bury her, since she's a king's daughter." But when they went out to bury her, they did not find anything but her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. So they went back and told him, and he said, "This [fulfills] the Lord's word that He spoke through His servant Elijah the Tishbite: 'In the plot of land at Jezreel, the dogs will eat Jezebel's flesh. Jezebel's corpse will be like manure on the surface of the field in the plot of land at Jezreel so that no one will [be able] to say: This is Jezebel.' "
Since Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria, Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab's sons, saying: When this letter arrives, since your master's sons are with you and you have chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weaponry, read more. select the most qualified of your master's sons, set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house. However, they were terrified and reasoned, "Look, two kings couldn't stand against him; how can we?" So the overseer of the palace, the overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent [a message] to Jehu: "We are your servants, and we will do whatever you tell us. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever you think is right." Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying: If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, bring me the heads of your master's sons at this time tomorrow at Jezreel. All 70 of the king's sons were being cared for by the city's prominent men. When the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and slaughtered all 70, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel. When the messenger came and told him, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons," the king said, "Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning." The next morning when he went out and stood [at the gate], he said to all the people, "You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck down all these? Know, then, that not a word the Lord spoke against the house of Ahab will fail, for the Lord has done what He promised through His servant Elijah." So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel-all his great men, close friends, and priests-leaving him no survivors.
Then the Lord said to him: Name him Jezreel, for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu and put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
Then the Lord said to him: Name him Jezreel, for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu and put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
Hastings
The Hebrew name from which is derived the name of the Plain of Esdraelon (see Esdraelon). The plain is called 'the Valley of Jezreel' in Jos 17:16; Jg 6:33; Ho 1:5.
1. Primarily, however, it denotes an Important city overlooking the Plain on the south in the border of the tribe of Issachar. Here, by 'the fountain of Jezreel'
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But the descendants of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who inhabit the valley area have iron chariots, both at Beth-shean with its towns and in the Jezreel Valley."
All the Midianites, Amalekites, and Qedemites gathered together, crossed over [the Jordan], and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
The Philistines brought all their military units together at Aphek while Israel was camped by the spring in Jezreel.
He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin-over all Israel.
Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth-shean which is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as the other side of Jokmeam;
In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour. So Ahab got in [his chariot] and went to Jezreel.
Some time passed after these events. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard; it was in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
The rest of the events of Ahab's [reign], along with all his accomplishments, the ivory palace he built, and all the cities he built, are written about in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.
So King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him in Ramoth-gilead when he fought against Aram's King Hazael. Then Judah's King Ahaziah son of Jehoram went down to Jezreel to visit Joram son of Ahab since Joram was ill.
These were Etam's sons: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash, and their sister was named Hazzelelponi.
Then the Lord said to him: Name him Jezreel, for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu and put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
Morish
Jez'reel
1. Descendant of 'the father of Etam.' 1Ch 4:3. (Six Hebrew MSS, the LXX, and the Vulgate read 'sons' instead of 'father.')
2, 3. Symbolical name both of the son of Hosea and of Israel. Ho 1:4,11. Jezreel is interpreted both 'God scatters' and 'God sows.' Ho 1:4 refers to judgement upon the house of Jehu and the house of Israel; and Ho 1:11 to blessing, when of both Israel and Judah it will be said, "Ye are the sons of the living God." Then "great shall be the day of Jezreel:" cf. Ho 2:22-23; "I will sow her unto me in the earth." Then God will say to her, "Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God."
4. City of Judah, from whence David married Ahinoam. Jos 15:56; 1Sa 25:43;
5. City in Issachar, the abode of Ahab and Jezebel, and principally connected with their history. It was the scene of Jezebel's tragical end. Jos 19:18; 2Sa 2:9; 4:4; 1Ki 18:45-46; 21:1,23; 2Ki 8:29; 9:10-37; 10:1-11. Identified with Zerin, 32 34' N, 35 19' E.
6. The extensive valley or plain in which the last-named city was situated, in southern Galilee. It has been called the battle-field of Palestine. It was where Barak triumphed, and where Josiah was defeated, Jg 5:19; 2Ch 35:22
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But the descendants of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who inhabit the valley area have iron chariots, both at Beth-shean with its towns and in the Jezreel Valley."
Kings came and fought. Then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no spoil of silver.
All the Midianites, Amalekites, and Qedemites gathered together, crossed over [the Jordan], and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
These were Etam's sons: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash, and their sister was named Hazzelelponi.
Then the Lord said to him: Name him Jezreel, for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu and put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
Then the Lord said to him: Name him Jezreel, for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu and put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
And the Judeans and the Israelites will be gathered together. They will appoint for themselves a single ruler, and go up from the land. For the day of Jezreel will be great.
And the Judeans and the Israelites will be gathered together. They will appoint for themselves a single ruler, and go up from the land. For the day of Jezreel will be great.
The earth will respond to the grain, the new wine, and the oil, and they will respond to Jezreel.
The earth will respond to the grain, the new wine, and the oil, and they will respond to Jezreel. I will sow her in the land for Myself, and I will have compassion on No Compassion; I will say to Not My People: You are My people, and he will say: [You are] My God.
Smith
Jez're-el
(seed of God), a descendant of the father or founder of Etam, of the line of Judah.
(B.C. about 1445).
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These were Etam's sons: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash, and their sister was named Hazzelelponi.
Watsons
JEZREEL, a royal city of the kings of Israel, who sometimes resided here as well as at Samaria. Ahab, in particular, is known to have made this his residence: near to whose palace was the vineyard of the unfortunate Naboth. The name of Jezreel was by the Greeks moulded into that of Esdraela; which is described by Eusebius and Jerom, in the fourth century, as a considerable town. In like manner, the valley of Jezreel obtained the name of the valley or plain of Esdraelon; which is still described as very fertile, and much frequented by the Arabs for its fine pasturage. This is the largest, and at the same time the most fertile, plain in the land of Canaan; and is called, by way of eminence, the Great Plain. It may be estimated at thirty miles in length, and twenty in breadth. The river Kishon flows through it. See ESDRAELON.