Vale, Valley

val, val'-i:

(1) gay'; either absolute: "from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab" (Num 21:20); or with a proper name: "valley of Hinnom," also "valley of the son of Hinnom" (Josh 15:8); "valley of Slaughter" (Jer 7:32); "valley of Zeboim" (1 Sam 13:18); "valley of Zephathah" (2 Chr 14:10); "valley of Hamon-gog" (Ezek 39:11); "valley of Iphtah-el" (Josh 19:14); "valley of the mountains" (Zech 14:5); "Valley of Salt" (2 Sam 8:13); "valley of vision" (Isa 22:1); once (in the Revised Version (British and American)) as a place-name: "until thou comest to Gai" (the King James Version "the valley") (1 Sam 17:52); also (Revised Version) "Ge-harashim" (1 Chr 4:14); compare "valley of craftsmen" (margin "Ge-haharashim") (Neh 11:35).

(2) `emeq, `amoq, "to be deep"; compare Arabic `amuq, "to be deep"; `umq, "depth"; 'Ammiq, a village in the valley of Coele-Syria; absolute: "He could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley" (Judg 1:19); often with place-names: "valley of Achor" (Josh 7:24); "valley of Aijalon" (Josh 10:12); "valley of Gibeon" (Isa 28:21); "vale of Hebron" (Gen 37:14); "valley of Jehoshaphat" (Joel 3:2); "vale of Rephaim," the King James Version "valley of the giants" (Josh 15:8); "vale of Shaveh" (Gen 14:17); "vale of Siddim" (Gen 14:3); "valley of Succoth" (Ps 60:6); compare "valley of Weeping" (the King James Version "Baca") (Ps 84:6); "valley of Beracah" (margin "Blessing") (2 Chr 20:26); "valley of decision" (Joel 3:14); "vale of Elah" (margin "terebinth") (1 Sam 17:2); "the King's Vale" (Gen 14:17); but "the king's dale" (2 Sam 18:18); "Emekkeziz," the King James Version "valley of Keziz" (Josh 18:21).

(3) biq`ah, baqa`, "to cleave," hence, "valley," especially "broad valley" or "plain"; compare Arabic baq`at, "wet meadow" Biqa`, Coele-Syria; absolute: "a land of hills and valleys" (Deut 11:11); with place-names: "valley of Jericho" (Deut 34:3); "valley of Lebanon" (Josh 11:17); "valley of Megiddo" (2 Chr 35:22); "valley of Mizpah" (Josh 11:8).

(4) nachal, also "river" or "stream"; absolute "Isaac's servants digged (dug) in the valley" (Gen 26:19); with place-names: "valley (the King James Version "river") of the Arnon" (Deut 2:24); "valley of Eshcol" (Num 32:9); "valley of Gerar" (Gen 26:17); "valley of Shittim" (Joel 3:18); "valley of Sorek" (Judg 16:4); "valley of Zered" (Num 21:12).

(5) shephelah, shaphel, "to be low"; compare Arabic safal, "to be low"; the King James Version "valley" or "vale," the Revised Version (British and American) "lowland," the coast and foothills of Western Palestine

(6) aulon, "valley" (Judithh 4:4; 7:3; 10:10).

(7) pharagx: "Every valley shall be filled" (Luke 3:5).

The valley gate (Neh 2:13, etc.) may have had about the location of the present Jaffa gate, if by "valley" is meant the valley of Hinnom. If the Tyropoeon is meant, it would have been near the southwestern corner of the charam area.

See JERUSALEM.

The valleys of the mountainous part of Palestine are mostly dry, rocky wadies with occasional torrents m the winter season. Those which descend to the W. widen out as they approach the plain and contain broad fields and meadows which in the winter and spring at least are fresh and green. The valley of the Jordan, the valley of Megiddo and the valley of Lebanon (i.e. Coele-Syria) contain much cultivable land: "the herds that were in the valleys" (1 Chr 27:29): "They of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley" (1 Sam 6:13); "The valleys also are covered over with grain" (Ps 65:13).

See BROOK; CHAMPAIGN; LOWLAND; RIVER; SHEPHELAH.

Alfred Ely Day